McIntosh Laboratory Inc. strives to make dealers successful—on their own terms.

People don’t get into the luxury home-entertainment channel because they have a cookie-cutter approach to retailing. The high-end audiovisual business always has been about passion, personal taste, self expression and style. So when it comes to special events and in-store promotions, it’s not surprising that the luxury retailing landscape is rich, varied and reflective of dealers themselves, and their discriminating clientele.

As a company with established roots in luxury audio, McIntosh recognizes the different styles and approaches of our retail partners. We pride ourselves in our ability to adapt our dealer support in ways that will help them express their own passion and values to their clients, and reach new customers with their own targeted sales approach. Whether we’re called upon for on-site event support or special promotions, McIntosh knows that the best way for us to add value is to help our dealers do what they do best—and in the style that suits them and their customers.

Helping Retailers Build Strong Community Support
One tried-and-true method for success in retailing is to build a strong local presence and loyal community support. This is what North Carolina’s premier audio/video dealer, Tri-City Electronics/synergy, did when they partnered with several area businesses for an ongoing event they called “For the Love of Music.” Tri-City’s event allowed local residents to experience high-fidelity music reproduction first-hand, and celebrate the unique people and businesses in the Charlotte area.

The event supported the local arts scene with live music performances by the Ballantyne Chamber Strings Ensemble and the Ballantyne Brass Quintet, and Charlotte’s food scene with catering provided by a popular restaurant. McIntosh Eastern Regional Sales Manager Marc Lamb was on hand to discuss McIntosh’s history and demonstrate the lifestyle benefits of dedicated high-performance audio systems.

The event was a huge success for Tri-City. About 75 people attended, enjoyed powerful demos, and chatted with Tri-City employees, and each other, about music and custom audio systems. One local couple got their dates mixed up and arrived a week before the event, but they were so passionate they returned a week later to experience various McIntosh demonstrations. They purchased several McIntosh components and have developed such a nice rapport with Tri-City’s owners that they started seeing each other socially.

Bringing High-Quality Audio to New Territories
When Paragon Sight & Sound owner Larry Marcus launched his “Michigan Home Theater/Audio Road Show” last December, his goal was to expand his sales territory. Based in Ann Arbor, Mich., the company held an event in nearby Grand Rapids to expose residents to high-end audio since Grand Rapids lost its dedicated luxury retailer. To help attendees understand how luxury gear can fit into today’s lifestyles, McIntosh brought in its 60th-anniversary MXA60 Integrated Audio System—a compact and accessible high-end audio solution designed by the same in-house engineering team that created our $250,000 Reference System. McIntosh also demonstrated four more systems to give attendees a glimpse of the full range of what’s available.

Standing With Our Industry
One of the great things about the luxury home-entertainment industry is the way manufacturers and retailers often come together in support of a common goal: To generate excitement for the true high-end experience.

To help Stereo Exchange, a New York high-fidelity fixture, celebrate its 25th anniversary, McIntosh partnered with other premium audio manufacturers to showcase and demonstrate audio systems for the more discerning Big Apple audiophiles. We pulled out all the stops to ensure Stereo Exchange’s celebration was a big success.

In addition to demonstrating high-performance systems, which included our new MX150 12 Channel A/V Preamplifier and MEN220 Room Correction System, we also provided exclusive discounts and special customer incentives to support the weekend-long celebration.

Connecting Consumers  with Great Content
No matter how mind-blowing the technologies and components of luxury audio may be, content will always be king. That’s why we provide dealers with incentives to generate interest in great content. We also assist in external marketing efforts.

An example is McIntosh teaming up with Reprise Records and Neil Young for a special, value-added promotion of our new MVP881 BR Universal Blu-ray Player. We’ve included a limited-edition promotional CD in the packaging, which features select tracks from the “Neil Young Archives Volume 1” (a 10-disc Blu-ray box set), as well as a coupon that can be used to purchase the 10-disc set. With these incentives we’re providing retailers with a way to open up conversation about high-quality sound via the life and music of a legendary artist. (Young is an advocate for quality sound and has pursued the ultimate in high fidelity for his live performances and recordings.)

In today’s economy, it’s more important than ever for luxury retailers to reach their customers with style and confidence—and to share the passion for music and great sound that drove them to go into the business in the first place. Home entertainment is, after all, about entertainment: We’re selling both the steak and the sizzle.

We love to hear from our retailers about their ideas for creative events and promotions, and we strive to work with them to ensure mutual success. Even in the toughest times, enthusiasm is one luxury we cannot afford to live without. •

McIntosh Laboratory President Charlie Randall started out at McIntosh as a electrical engineering intern in 1985. He lead the company as head engineer and created 21 home- and car-audio products in less than 10 years. He became president in 2001. For more info, go to mcintoshlabs.com.