NI dropping out of trade shows.

[zeronyne]

This is probably the future of music software marketing.

 

http://musicindustrynewswire.com/2009/07/07/min1864_152245.php

 

I imagine the next thing will be to eliminate retail distribution channels. Anyone who plays video games using Steam will know what I'm talking about. Not a perfect solution yet, but on its way.

[Dave Bryce]

More than software, if you ask me.

 

You can reliably demo quite a few pieces of audio hardware over the internet these days as well...at your leisure in the very room in which you'll be using it, if you want. Not a bad thing at all.

 

I think you'll see more and more manufacturers increasing the amount of resources they put into their web sites.

 

dB

[Floyd Tatum]

You can reliably demo quite a few pieces of audio hardware over the internet these days as well...at your leisure in the very room in which you'll be using it, if you want. Not a bad thing at all.

 

dB

 

You can demo hardware over the interweb? How does that work? Educate me!

 

[DanS]

How many of us end users actually live close enough to where these shows take place anyway? Makes perfect sense to be able to demo software over the internet.

 

[Joe Muscara]

Though the personal interaction that can happen at trade shows can never be replaced. I've met and made many friends at these kinds of events over the years. However, I do know first hand how costly they can be, financially, and even to one's health. Ever spent a week at a trade show, come home and find that you're sick? So instead of costing a week of time, it costs you two or more.

[MikeT156]

Doing trade shows is expensive. Booth space is not cheap and the cost of getting there, transporting your equipment, paying your employees, paying for hotel rooms, meals, fuel really add up. My company is not in the MI, we do Golf accessories and now some Outerwear. A trip to the PGA in Orlando runs us about $10,000. No guarantee you will get any new customers out of the trade show, there are so many vendors there its easy to be missed.

 

 

Mike T.

[Dave Bryce]

You can demo hardware over the interweb? How does that work? Educate me!

Well, unless something has keys so you need to feel how it responds, you can hear what it does pretty effectively having someone who designed it demo it for you using a filmed presentation, meticulously prepared sound files and animated clips, etc. Preamps, compressors, equalizers, effects processors and even synth rack modules can effectively be demonstrated this way. After all, the vast majority of NI's products are essentially either a software version of some type of existing hardware, or are based on an existing hardware product, right?

 

Think of it this way - are you more likely to get a better idea of how a compressor works playing with it in a busy music store, or watching/listening to a carefully prepared interactive demo that provides a comprehensive variety of different sound file examples on the web, allowing you to listen in the room where you'll be using it on the speakers that you already own?

 

dB

 

 

 

 

[DanS]

 

Think of it this way - are you more likely to get a better idea of how a compressor works playing with it in a busy music store, or watching/listening to a carefully prepared interactive demo that provides a comprehensive variety of different sound file examples on the web, allowing you to listen in the room where you'll be using it on the speakers that you already own?

 

dB

 

 

 

 

+1. The only issue is my wife walking by the office when I'm on the computer "What are you buying now?"

[Cygnus64]

[Well, unless something has keys so you need to feel how it responds, you can hear what it does pretty effectively having someone who designed it demo it for you using a filmed presentation, meticulously prepared sound files and animated clips, etc. Preamps, compressors, equalizers, effects processors and even synth rack modules can effectively be demonstrated this way.

 

I have a little Yamaha mixer for my Keyboards. That's a product that I would have to see live. Some of the lower end models were incredibly noisy, and that's not going to be apparent on Youtube.

 

I have quite a bit of low end gear, like an X50, MM6, Jv1080 etc. Suits my needs since I don't tour on keys, but the build on the X50 and MM6 would have to be seen in person if you were touring, both would be questionable for road use. Things like that won't be apparent on video.

[zeronyne]

Dave was not talking about YouTube, which is pretty far from meticulously rendered audio and video. But yes, some hardware needs to be interfaced with to determine suitability, but even then, I would take advantage of an online retailer's liberal return policy rather than try to make a value judgement at a Guitar Center, especially on something like a mixer or compressor, or even a keyboard.

 

I love NAMM shows, although it's been almost half a decade since I've been to one, but it's terribly inefficient. For every actual brick and mortar store owner/buyer at the show, there seems to be at least 10 people who have nothing to do with the distribution chain whatsoever. I think that has contributed to people's impatience over product lifecycle times and availability. And if you're a small mom and pop, your days are numbered anyway unless you have a strong vertical or horizontal niche that you are serving. I think that those marketing dollars budgeted for NAMM and the Messe could go to hire more reps (that visit stores with actual product to show) and more web development. This is even more vital for smaller manufacturers.

[MikeT156]

It was brought up in another thread recently, that it is very difficult to go to a "local" music store and find "every" product you might want to put your hands on. "Most" dealers have a couple of different product lines they handle and try to concentrate on what they do have. Only some of the very large dealers have a adequate inventory of products in a "One-to-show, One-to-go" situation. I bought my last 3 products after reading the specifications on the mfg website, and when audio was available, giving a listen to the sounds on-line. So far, so good.

 

Mike T.

[Geoff Grace]

Considering that interactivity is the strong suit of trade shows and that Native Instruments never set up their NAMM booths in much of an interactive way, I can see why they would be one of the first to stop exhibiting.

 

Best,

 

Geoff

[Joe Muscara]

Let's not forget how hard it is to hear anything at a show like NAMM. You can play the gear and feel it, but hearing it can be near impossible. David, I doubt you'd be able to tell where the noise floor is on your mixer on a busy trade show floor.

 

Still, going to NAMM for people like us like a kid in a candy store.

[zeronyne]

Frankly, I think it's completely ridiculous for music software companies to waste money on these shows when demo versions of their products are provided. The best two examples are Propellerheads and Ableton. Full functionality (except for save) in the demo let's a prospective buyer examine 99% of real world issues in their own environment.

 

It's funny how many people just won't download the demos, and go to a superstore and ask questions to a clerk that also hasn't downloaded the demo.

[Dave Bryce]

It's funny how many people just won't download the demos, and go to a superstore and ask questions to a clerk that also hasn't downloaded the demo.

...and, if they buy it at the store, only walk out with a piece of paper with a code that makes them go to the company's web site to download their purchase....

 

It actually makes senses to head towards this model - nothing for the stores to stock, not such thing as older versions on the shelves, no real packaging costs, etc.

 

dB

[Geoff Grace]

It would be strange to see the NAMM show become all about the hardware again. Half of Hall A would be gone.

 

Best,

 

Geoff

[Jeff Klopmeyer]

Adding to that sentiment, keep in mind that NI didn't say they would have no face-to-face presence. Some companies are foregoing big trade shows in order to do more local/regional clinics and events where you might have an even better chance of getting your topics addressed.

[Mark Schmieder]

and less need for blowing out old versions

[Bobadohshe]

Man I'd be sad to see the software companies go. Nothing beats a killer demo in person at NAMM by someone who knows what the hell they're doing. I could see why it's not cost effective though.

[midinut]

How about a "virtual" NAMM show ... where we could ALL attend. I can still see a problem with putting "hands-on" the hardware items (but at least you could be armed with enough "info" to narrow down your choices of what to try out in a real store), but I agree ... software could totally be done virtually.

 

The only thing missing would be the booth babes ... dammit

 

Oh wait ... we could probably do them virtually now as well come to think of it!