horrific comment at a non ebmm dealer

[rmh925]

WOW!! seems i started a bonfire on this subject, but it's a good one indeed, very interesting experiences and opinions....i've been in sales for over 5 years now, and i never did put anybody's product down as a matter of fact they incourged you not to...i have sold automobiles to cellphones, which is what i do now, and i have to deal with alot of competition, but i just make the customer make the best most logical choice whether it be with the company i work for or the other....

 

[Beth]

Welcome to the forum, rmh!

I use that same philosophy in many aspects of my life. It's a fallacy of logic to emphasize the negative aspects of the opposing point of view, but I can't remember what it's called in textbooks. Often known in politics as "mudslinging", I am NEVER interested in candidates who spend donated money to badmouth the competition. It's always better to focus on the positive. Ever read anything by the Dalai Lama?

Thank you so much for sticking up for us, rmh, even if it did fall upon deaf (and dumb, hahaha) ears.

-Beth

 

[Big Poppa]

thats our Beth! cheers!

 

[Bungo]

I also work at a music store I manage the pro sound side and that is my number one rule, NEVER put down someone else's product to sell yours. If you don't have the necessary knowledge to sell your product based on its features than you are just not doing your job.

Yes but remember we must sell the benefits and not just features!

Sorry, takes of salesman/sales trainer/sales manager hat.

Lots of sensible comments in this thread. In my 18 ish years in sales I have always found it works well to compliment the oppositions product, and then go on to explain the additional benefits that your product has.

Works for me!

 

[philiprst]

Others have made some really insightful comments in this thread, but I wanted to add my 2c.

I am, unfortunately, old enough to remember what it was like when there were virtually no large chain music stores. Almost everyone had the same prices on a limited stock of gear and many would try and assess the size of your wallet before even talking to you about their higher end product. I remember when the first GC opened up in Oakland CA, maybe 16 years ago, and I couldn't believe the prices they were selling stuff at and the selection they had. It was like walking into a candy store. Here were people who actually wanted to sell me a guitar and would go to almost any lengths to get my business.

Things have changed since then and I do miss the experienced sales people who you could have a genuine relationship with over several years. But I think the truth of the matter is that anyone who walks into a store today to buy a MM or a Gibson probably knows much more than the average salesguy. Simply because there is so much more information out their to educate consumers. Sure, I used to get irritated when the sales guy was clueless about a guitar or amp I was looking at. But, what's a sales guy going to tell me that I don't know already or could find out in a few minutes on the web? Nowadays I have pretty much given up on getting accurate information from sales people in the chain stores but instead look for someone who is going to give me good service. After sales service is still spotty, but otherwise I have had pretty good luck.

I hate to be pessimistic, but I think the days of the Mom and Pop brick and mortar store are almost over. The ones I know of survive on the rental of school band instruments and instruction, together with a good stock of low end starter guitars. The only way they will survive is with an internet presence and exemplary service to their online customers. Pete is a really good example of this and I admire his business sense and commitment to service in dealing with a rapidly evolving and difficult market.

Philip

 

[candid_x]

It's always better to focus on the positive. Ever read anything by the Dalai Lama?

-Beth

"The important thing is to realize the positive side and try to increase that; realize the negative side and try to reduce. That's the way.” Dalai Lama

-Bruce

 

[candid_x]

Yes but remember we must sell the benefits and not just features!

Indeed! Can you imagine if guitar store clerks were trained in needs/wants assessment selling?

The best salesmen are commissioned salesmen. If a salesperson isn’t willing to base their income on his or her performance, what can the business owner expect from them? But instead, they offer a paltry wage, and get paltry performance.

 

[Ali]

True. The only person we need to convince to buy a MusicMan is Fogman ...

I'm afraid we can't allow that. Nostradamus has predicted a global catastrophe if he ever does!!!

 

[Butch Snyder]

Same thing happened the first time I brought a Silo to jam with some local friends. "What the heck is THAT?" they asked. But hey, who wants to be just another also ran? I'm sorta glad it's not a mainstream product, and no-one has ever complained about my playing except for me, but that's got nothing to do with my Balls.

Boom - There it is....

 

[kneeoh]

Holy thread resurrection, Batman!

 

[Butch Snyder]

Holy thread resurrection, Batman!

oops....

 

[colinboy]

Koogie man, I love ya, but I'm getting worried about your blood pressure!

Maybe our forumite should return to that store with an EBMM in hand and let the ignoramus feel the quality and playability first-hand. These instruments speak for themselves, so he won't need to say another word to the guy.

Thats probably the best thing to do.Bring your JP if you have one to the store and ask that guy to have ago off of it and then decide.

i agree 100% with you all.all beginer guitar players when they first start out go into local shops and get told what the buy and what the best is on the market i.e your F and gibson guitars because there so popular and because the want to make aquick sale.

 

[pjc812]

Not always true. I always put a Ball in the player's hands first. The player's response: "wow, it looks better, sounds better and feels better but doesn't say... "



Coupla guys tho never touched anything else after I let them play with my balls... They got their own to play with.

 

[robelinda2]

a lot of players seem scared to play something that isnt PRS, Gibson, Fender etc, like they wont think they really play guitar if they play a lesser known brand. I have plenty of students who agree that EBMM are awesome, yet they go buy a crap Gibson or Fender and then complain how they arent happy with it over the next year or so. Go figure.

 

[dwells]

ye rob

so many times this has happened to me, even at EBMM dealers!!!!! some shops just know complete jack, actually to be fair its uaually one moron guitar salesman/"wanna be player", who just bags other players all the time, cos he's too busy stuck in some grotty guitar shop.

billy hydes here in melbourne ( blackburn store ) is the worst. one of the guys said to me once when i asked if they had any EBMM guitars in stock "why the F**K wouldnt you want an ESP? If you like shredding guitars?" i was asking about an AL, he had never even heard of Albert Lee, period. he thought EB was just a shredders brand.

think i had the same tossa i said you got any musicman guitars and he said why?? or something like that, they had one so i played it then i left the shop and was still playing it i think it was a blue silo hah toss

 

[whitestrat]

so one of the guys was a dream theater fan and had bought the DVD, and i told him that on that DVD JP play the hybrid siltrucci guitar and i told that the guitar was awesome...then he proceeded to tell me that how come JP uses those cheap guitars, and that there just firewood he probably gets them for free that's why, and said that you would think he would a prs or something......at this point i was very upset i almost wanted to punch his lights out, but i said he's just an ignorent basdard that does not know what he's talking about....i defended ebmm and jp by telling him that i would think that jp could of picked any company to endorse, but he did pick ebmm, and i will put the quality of ebmm against any guitar company out there...i also told him i've been around guitars for a long time and have played purtty much everything out there...so i know quality when i see it...and walked right out of there with smoke coming out of my ears....

Honestly? I'd simply have said: "You think EBMMs are cheap guitars and you're a guitar dealer? Can't say I value your judgement as one now..."

SMILE,

Then walk out.

 

[KungFu Grip]

I learned a long time ago to never argue with guitar players. I really don't give a crap what they think anyway. But hey, if I'm playing one of my Music Mans and somebody is curious about it, I'll show it to them. If they say "why don't you just get a real guitar like a *whatever*", I'll ignore them. It's just not worth the frustration most of the time.

I've said it before, and I'll say it again. I'm envious of bassists. At least most of them aren't stuck in the '50s.

 

[eegor]

hybrid siltrucci guitar

Wait, what? I don't understand.