As the holiday shopping season kicks into high gear, music retailers have a golden opportunity to boost sales — not just through big-ticket instruments — but through the often-overlooked power of accessories. With the right strategy, these small items can offer value to every customer walking through the door and significantly impact your bottom line.
When shoppers are juggling wish lists and budgets, a full instrument setup might be out of reach. But premium accessories? Totally doable. From upgraded strings to stylish gig bags, accessories can be an especially attractive gift during the holidays.
The following are four ideas to consider when promoting accessories in the home stretch of the holiday selling season.
1. Create ready-to-go accessory packages at different price points. Create good, better, best options for shoppers that can potentially look like this:
“Good” would be basic essentials for beginners, like picks, straps, polish, basic tuners or rosin. “Better” would feature mid-tier upgrades for hobbyists, such as padded gig bags, quality cables, step-up mouthpieces, reeds and strings. And “best” would include high-performance gear for serious players, including boutique pedals, custom cases, rechargeable tuners and carbon fiber bows.
Then, place these bundles near instruments and promote them as “ready to gift” to catch the eyes of your holiday shoppers.
2. Drive foot traffic with events. Host themed, in-store experiences that combine education, engagement and a little seasonal sparkle. Try re-string demos for guitar and violin players, highlight the expertise on your team with drumhead changing master classes or conduct instrument-themed spotlight days, such as “Clarinet & Sax Showcase” or “Brass Bonanza.”
Don’t forget about music educators. Exclusive educator events can help teachers stock up or generate gift lists to share with students, perhaps even an after-hours wine and cheese night.
Finally, festive open mic nights are a great way to build community and showcase gear. Events energize your space and connect with your customers. Make them memorable with thoughtful planning, engaging signage and a clear call-to-action. Don’t forget to market your events digitally. Use your email lists, social media and website to spread the word and invite your community to join the fun. To boost participation and drive purchases, consider offering a small sale or hosting a giveaway during the event. This is a simple way to add excitement and reward your customers.
3. Connect to recommend. Great selling starts with great listening. Chat with customers to learn: Are they buying for themselves or someone else? What do they currently use? What’s their ideal budget or playing goal? These insights help guide tailored recommendations that feel helpful, not pushy.
4. Educate your team. Your sales staff should know the must-have accessories for every instrument you sell. A forgotten cable or missing reed can mean a sad child who can’t use their brand-new instrument immediately after opening their gift. Empower your team with training sessions to boost confidence in suggestive selling. Your vendor partners can likely help provide impactful training on specific topics. The goal isn’t pressure, it’s expertise. Equip your team to highlight benefits, demonstrate differences and speak from real knowledge.
Accessories may be small, but the sales impact is anything but. With thoughtful bundling, trained staff, engaging events and warm customer connections, your store can turn these high-margin items into holiday heroes. MI
Lauren Sleath is a territory sales manager for D’Addario. She is also a member of NAMM YP.
Lauren Sleath is a territory sales manager for D’Addario. She is also a member of NAMM YP.
