Yamaha Corporation of America’s Keyboard Division recently completed a six-city Piano Pros Training Tour, which offered Yamaha dealers enhanced marketing and sales strategies, in-depth product demonstrations, technology training and education, and a sneak peak at soon-to-be-launched instruments, including Yamaha’s all-new Clavinova CLP-500 Series.
“Yamaha prides itself on being a learning organization, and that approach seems to be shared by our dealer network as well,” said Bob Heller, director of national sales, Yamaha Keyboard Division. “This tour was very successful in presenting dealers with the exclusive opportunity to broaden their knowledge, boost their marketing and sales skills and take advantage of all the dealer resources that Yamaha has to offer.”
In all, 230 sales professionals representing 105 dealers participated in the tour, which had two-day stops in Buena Park and Oakland, California; Dallas, Chicago, Atlanta and Park Ridge, New Jersey from late May through mid-June.
A major element of each Piano Pros seminar was introducing dealers to The Key Advantage, Yamaha’s new, comprehensive training tool, including an inside look at Yamaha’s manufacturing processes and key product details for Disklavier, acoustic and silent pianos.
“The sales pros who attended our seminars were reminded of Yamaha’s Total Vertical Integration in our piano manufacturing process in each and every step, from wood selection to final regulation,” Heller explained. “They had an opportunity to see Yamaha factory manufacturing videos that, up until now, were considered proprietary secrets. That enhanced product knowledge leads to sales pros having an upper hand on their competition, and also serves as a great resource for their potential and returning customers.”
Other key training topics included incorporating iPad merchandising and exclusive Yamaha apps to enhance in-store presentations on Clavinova CVP- 600 and the new CLP-500 series pianos, how best to communicate the unique principles behind Yamaha’s CF and CX Series Grand Pianos, boosting sales by using the exclusive DisklavierTV service, updates on the groundbreaking influence on music education through the Disklavier Education Network (DEN), introduction of POP materials and new promotions available to dealers and more.
Heller pointed out that the regional seminars also provided an invaluable opportunity for sales professionals and dealers to meet one another and discuss best practices, as well as to share their experiences, insight and expertise with Yamaha’s Keyboard Division personnel.
“For me personally, the greatest benefit was the informal discussions in between the training or at mealtime when we got to listen to what dealers are facing day by day,” said Heller. “When you have sales pros all nodding their heads, acknowledging a new development in the market, you know it’s something you should be paying attention to. We always learn as much as we teach in these types of educational events.”
Additional sales support, marketing resources, product information and training videos are also available to Yamaha Piano Pros through Yamaha Online University.
For more information about Yamaha Corporation of America, visit http://4wrd.it/YAMAHAUSA.
