NAMM U Virtual Summit to Present Fresh Strategies to Succeed in New Business, Audio, and Technology Realities

Beginning Tuesday, July 7 through Friday, July 10, NAMM will present The 2020 NAMM U Virtual Summit: four days of career and business-enhancing webinars and strategies designed to help businesses take advantage of new opportunities and supercharge their future. Presented by NAMM U, TEC Tracks, and A3E (Advanced Audio + Applications Exchange), the free, online Summit will offer a suite of sessions across three unique tracks, Business, Audio, and Technology. The sessions will cover topics ranging from online marketing strategies to the future of music technology, presented by experts in each area. Session presenters include Doug Stephens ("The Retail Prophet" and best-selling author) and Scott McKain (customer experience expert); and Mark Frink (sound engineer), Mr. Bonzai, and Mindi Abair, Leland Sklar, and Russ Kunkel, among many others.

"This spring, we amped up our webinars to help NAMM members navigate business in the time of COVID-19," said Zach Phillips, NAMM's director of professional development. "The webinars proved to be popular, so we're expanding upon the online education this summer as we all navigate new business realities. The NAMM U Virtual Summit will offer a dozen Zoom super-sessions that hone-in on the most vital topics going forward, along with some fascinating sessions that highlight the changing industry. Think of it as a mid-year refresher -- and an opportunity to stay ahead of the curve."

The Summit will feature one webinar per day, per track, for a total of 12 sessions. A www.NAMM.org/user account is required to register; please visit NAMM.org to log in or create a new account before registering. The NAMM U Virtual Summit is free and open to all industry professionals.

Register now at www.namm.org/nammu/2020-virtual-summit

2020 NAMM U Virtual Summit education schedule:

Tuesday, July 7, 9:00am
The Future of Retail in a Post-Pandemic World
Doug Stephens, The Retail Prophet, in Conversation With Joe Lamond, NAMM President and CEO
In the history of retail, the COVID-19 pandemic will be a permanent mile marker, remembered for generations to come as a major inflection point. Companies will point to this as the moment that everything shifted off its axis and, for the first time in recorded history, the global retail machine ground to a halt. And to kick off the virtual summit week, NAMM welcomes best-selling author and retail futurist Doug Stephens, founder of Retail Prophet, to explore what it all means to us. In a special interview with NAMM President and CEO Joe Lamond, Stephens will share an incisive look into the future of retail in a post-COVID-19 world. How will consumer and employee behavior be forever changed? What does it mean for the future of physical retail? How will online commerce evolve to meet the new realities? Get ready as they tackle these questions and more in a can't-miss opening webinar.

Tuesday, July 7, 11:00am
How Disruptive Technology Will Reshape the Industry
Bill Kirwin and Bruce Guptill, A3E
The first part of this two-part session will reveal an inside look at technologies influencing and shaping the future of audio and entertainment technology, based on A3E's (Advanced Audio + Applications Exchange) recently conducted survey. Whether you're a manufacturer, R&D professional, music technologist or retailer, you'll discover what technology is disrupting your markets and business, and how other industries are adapting to, integrating, and optimizing this tech. Get a three-year outlook from analysts averaging more than 30 years of expertise across music, audio, software, cloud/web, IT, engineering, broadcast, service and related industries. Part two of this presentation will be held at 11:00am on Thursday, July 9.

Tuesday, July 7, 1:00pm
Home and Project Studios: Getting Your Small Studio to Sound Like a Big One
Dan Daley, John Storyk and Lij Shaw
The notion of the home studio has taken on a whole new meaning in the age of the pandemic when we're all home, all the time. But aside from the relatively few residential palaces of sound that can rival top-tier commercial facilities, can a home/project studio provide comparable results to a conventional studio facility? In this webinar, led by leading audio journalist Dan Daley, studio designer John Storyk, and longtime project studio entrepreneur Lij Shaw, along with others, will share their experience in achieving the highest level of performance from home studios. They'll also discuss how best to utilize smaller spaces for music production, from acoustical, design, and ergonomic angles.

Wednesday, July 8, 9:00am
How to Stand Out in the New "Next"
Scott McKain, Customer Experience Expert
Building from his incredibly popular NAMM U Breakfast Session at The 2020 NAMM Show, customer experience guru, best-selling author, and Hall of Fame speaker Scott McKain will share how to stand out from the competition in a post-pandemic economy. He'll ask the most important question we must confront in the music business: "Why would we get chosen instead of our competition?" You'll discover the specific steps you must take to stand out and deliver a superior customer experience, how to avoid the mistakes of commoditization and skills for being more innovative. Walk away informed, engaged, and inspired after hearing from this legendary thought leader.

Wednesday, July 8, 11:00am
Emerging Platforms for Artist Marketing and Fan Engagement
Doug DeAngelis, Jennie Smythe, Jeremy Holley, Peter Karpas, and Sarah Beth Perry
As the music industry continues to evolve into the digital age, artists rely on their social media profiles to define their brand as much as they do their music. Meet the experts in digital marketing and fan engagement, and discover the high-tech tricks and best practices they use to represent the top artists, athletes and brands in the world.

Wednesday, July 8, 1:00pm
Live Sound 2.0 in the Time of COVID-19
Mark Frink and Guests
Someday, we'll all be going to concerts again with thousands of fans, and sharing the universal experience of live music. And, with today's COVID-19 precautions, new protocols for social distancing, cleaning, and travel are required. The impact of these precautions will be felt throughout all segments of live sound, from concert reinforcement to houses of worship and live sports production. For older artists, their managers, bands, and crew, these protections may be life-and-death choices, while for younger technicians and performers, the risks can play out differently. Live sound engineer Mark Frink will host a conversation on the changes that will occur leading up to Live Sound 2.0. What will be the new normal in live sound protocols? There's much to talk about and no better time to get these expert opinions.

Thursday, July 9, 9:00am
New Marketing and Social Media Strategies for 2020
Jenn Herman, Social Media Authority; Larry Bailin, Online Marketing Expert; and Zach Phillips, NAMM Director of Professional Development
The world has fundamentally changed since COVID-19. Have your social media, online marketing, and content changed with it? What updates will you want to be aware of? What changes will you want to make to your website and social media, and most of all, where is everything going? Find out at this high-powered session with marketing thought leaders Jenn Herman of Jenn's Trends and Larry Bailin of Single Throw Marketing, with moderation by Zach Phillips, NAMM's director of professional development. They'll reveal strategies, tactics and advice to connect with consumers in the new "next." Discover how to balance business and fun on social media without seeming tone-deaf. Hear about the latest need-to-knows for selling on Instagram and Facebook, along with tips for leveling up your website and online content. Get a glimpse into the next phase of marketing and more.

Thursday, July 9, 11:00am
How AI, Blockchain and 5G Will Reshape the Industry
Bill Kirwin and Bruce Guptill, A3E
The second part of this two-part session will reveal an inside look at how artificial intelligence, blockchain, and 5G are influencing and shaping the future of audio and entertainment technology, based on A3E's (Advanced Audio + Applications Exchange) recently conducted survey. Whether you're a manufacturer, R&D professional, or music technologist, you'll walk away with a forecast for AI, blockchain, and 5G, as well as industry insights and direction. You'll also find out why disruption is continuous, networked, and accelerating. Get a three-year outlook from analysts averaging more than 30 years of expertise across music, audio, software, cloud/web, IT, engineering, broadcast, service, and related industries. (Part one of this session was held at 11:00am on Tuesday, July 7.)

Thursday, July 9, 1:00pm
Session Work Reimagined
Mr. Bonzai, Mindi Abair, Leland Sklar and Russ Kunkel
It's a musical game-changer when technological advancement synchronizes with pandemic crisis response. In this case, we're talking about session musicians who were previously jumping from studio to studio to lay down their signature lines. Today, emboldened by new realities, they're radically shifting gears to deliver their tracks, making recording life safer for all concerned. Music industry raconteur Mr. Bonzai will lead this webinar with top-shelf session players -- bassist Leland Sklar, saxophonist Mindi Abair, and drummer Russ Kunkel -- to discuss the changes, positive and negative, from doing their work more and more remotely, rather than on the other side of the control room window.

Friday, July 10, 9:00am
NAMM Young Professionals (YP) - Keynote
NAMM Young Professionals and Guest
Whether you're new to the industry or a seasoned veteran, NAMM Young Professionals (YP) welcomes all to this keynote with Steve Zapf, industry veteran, online retail pioneer, and Conn-Selmer president and CEO. Expect an insightful discussion on leadership, career development, and the role of mentorship in the music industry. NAMM YP is a group of young music products industry professionals focused on the future of the business by providing opportunities to connect, learn, and grow.

Friday, July 10, 11:00am
The Future of Mobile Music Production and Collaboration
Doug DeAngelis, John Ivers, Emily Satterlee, and Matt Miller
With the advent of 5G, mobile musicians are poised for an array of new experiences that will bring studio production into the palm of the hand. Higher-fidelity audio streams flowing at ultra-fast speeds will open the door for real-time mobile music collaboration with multiple players. Augmented and virtual reality concerts will come to life, as well as new gamified interactive experiences between performer and audience. Join A3E for a look into your future as a musician and consumer.

Friday, July 10, 1:00pm
Creating a Hit Record in Challenging Times
Beth Neilson-Chapman, Tony Brown, Marc Jordan, and Danny Kortchmar
What is it about a hit song that motivates so many to mine their minds for hooks, riffs, beats, intros, fades, and other brilliant music and lyric ideas to create something unique -- a song that just nails it? As many have observed, you may not be able to describe what makes for a hit, but you recognize it when you hear it. Some describe it better than others, though, and the panel in this webinar has hundreds of hit songs under their belts -- and can discuss the experience they've had creating these classic tunes. Hitmaker Beth Neilson-Chapman will host this expert panel that includes country super-producer Tony Brown, Canadian singer/songwriter/producer/session musician Marc Jordan and polymath songwriter/guitarist/producer Danny Kortchmar.