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Annekathrin and Bernhard as The Blues Bros 

We have no idea why 2012 convention sponsor Schott Music's video clip would not play during our "Speed Dating with the Publishers" session, but we promised Bernhard Mueller that we would send the link out to everyone after the convention, please take a look at http://youtu.be/vpeUPLf_oMU! (By the way, that's Bernhard pictured above at the Hollywood-wear themed RPMDA awards banquet with his "Blues Sister" and fellow convention sponsor Annekathrin Mascus of Breitkopf & Haertel. Don't they look fantastic in this photo by Zach Phillips, Music, Inc. Magazine?)

 

Three first-time attendees received convention registration scholarships for 2012, here's what they had to say about their "first date" with RPMDA:

 

"Attending the RPMDA convention for the first time was an experience I will always value. Everyone was very welcoming and I felt like part of the great family that RPMDA has created. I left every session with new ideas and valuable information. Although each session made me want to take action, there were a couple that really hit home for me. "Partners in Education," taught by James Harding of Gist Piano Center, gave me exciting ideas for interacting with teachers and their students. Fun ideas such as themed recitals and connecting on a personal level with customers (especially piano teachers) will be very helpful in improving our system. Another presenter who inspired me was Chip Averwater talking about his book Retail Truths. This book and the great concepts he shared will definitely be on my reading list this summer. Walking through the exhibits and meeting with publishers was exciting for me as I recognized books that I sell on a daily basis. A special thanks to Ruby Beeston for sponsoring my travel and making it possible for me to experience this RPMDA convention.  I have learned new things and become a better employee during my two years working for her. Thank you, Ruby! Music has always been an important part of my life and will continue to bring me great joy in the future. Thank you, RPMDA!" - Ashlee Olson, Best in Music, Orem, Utah  

 

"It meant a lot, both personally and professionally, to attend my first RPMDA convention. I met so many welcoming people from the industry and learned many new things that I look forward to putting these ideas to work. Being at the convention made me feel I was accepted as a full-fledged member of the print music community. My favorite aspect of the convention was the social events. I met and got to know so many people from the business whom I would never have met otherwise. Social interaction is an important part of the RPMDA convention, because that's where a lot of the best ideas are brought up and discussed, and where one can begin new friendships and business relationships. The exhibits were also a wonderful time to meet and talk with our publisher reps and see new products. I brought home with some great ideas from having meaningful conversations at the booths. For me, the best ideas addressed the problem of slow-moving and dead inventory. Bob Kohl's and Alan Friedman's session "Strategic Purchasing: The Big Bang Theory for Your Bottom Line" gave us real life strategies for moving dormant stock (blow out, hand out, throw out!) That session also laid out some great GMROI and turn goals that we can all strive to achieve. Another good idea brought up during the "Best Ideas" session was to save boxes, label them with a dollar amount ($5, $8 and $10, for example) and let customers fill them with dead inventory for that price. I look forward to implementing these ideas!" - Melissa Raap, West Music Company, Coralville, Iowa 

 

"Attending RPMDA for the first time, I was overwhelmed by the sense of community among those who are essentially competitors in the industry. It was great to be around so many people whose main concern is bringing music to the masses. I enjoyed every session I attended and was bummed that I couldn't get to every breakout session each day. My favorite session was the presentation on strategic purchasing. I came home with many practical tips that I've already begun to apply to inventory management. I can't pick just one favorite aspect of RPMDA, but I really enjoyed going around and having those meaningful conversations with the publisher representatives while filling out our entry form to win two free registrations to the 2013 convention (Editor's note: she won the drawing!) It was fun to put names with faces and stories with companies! And, obviously visiting the Alfred offices for their 90th anniversary party was pretty awesome, too. If I took one idea away from RPMDA, it was this thought - you must love your inventory, but only for its sales. Sometimes it's hard to differentiate between materials you think are really great, and materials your customers will think are really great. I think I'll be able to better serve our customers, as well as better manage our inventory, by applying this principle to purchasing." - Vanessa Christian, Popplers Music, Grand Forks, North Dakota 

 

Stay connected and stay tuned for more news about the 2013 RPMDA Convention, May 1st-4th, in Columbus, Ohio.

 

For more information about RPMDA, go to www.printmusic.org.

 

 

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