Piano Sales Forces...Retail Partnership?

[Roger Jolly]

Hi Bill,
        I answered Brian in a rambling kind of fashion, but I think that I
could write a bookon the subject.

Re partneships, be very carefull, and very open. You need to sit down over
several sessions and try to establish mutual goals, and what life style
sacrifices you are both willing to make. Remember a retail store is 6 days
a week minimum, and a lot of after hrs, see and be seen at concerts,
festivals ect. You have to clearly define areas of responsibility.

In my early years I even delivered my own pianos, heck I did not know what
cash flow was back then, other than there was never enough.

If You have any other questions don't be afraid to ask, either publicly or
private. I will be off the list for 3 weeks at the end of the week.

Regards Roger

At 12:45 PM 3/16/99 EST, you wrote:
>Willem, Jim and Roger:
>
>Thanks for your thoughtful replies - Willem answered Brian Trout's question
>well, I think (Brian?).  Still hoping that Roger might pitch in again about
>Brian's question about startup too (Roger?).  I am saving them all -
including
>Jim's thoughtful and challenging questions.  
>
>Also:  What are your feelings about the idea of a general partnership in a
>retail piano business?  I know sometime back a Journal article addressed this
>issue relating to the piano service business, but what about the piano retail
>side?  Two techs, or a tech and a piano retail background person?
>
>Bill Shull
>U of Redlands, La Sierra U
>Loma Linda, CA
>
>In a message dated 99-03-16 10:32:03 EST, you write:
>
><< Bill:
> 
> Some advice that might help.
> 
> 1. Start small. Rent a small 250 square foot store on a side street, buy a
>few
> used pianos and start selling them (If you have a nice room in your hose,
you
> can use that. 
> 
> 2. Be sure there is room for another dealer in your area. You don't want to
> compete with a very successful dealership. 
> 
> 3. Don't give up your day job.  Your tuning business is your bread and
>butter.
> There have been many times over the past 5 years that the tuning and repair
> business paid the rent on the store. 
> 
> 4. Find someone you can trust to be in the store while you are out tuning.
> Even if it is part time, I discovered that most people don't want to set up
>an
> appointment to buy a piano. This person can also do your paper work,
schedule
> your appointments, and keep things in order while you are out there making
> money. 
> 
> Hope this helps
> 
> Willem Blees
>  >>
>
Roger Jolly
Balwin Yamaha Piano Centres.
Saskatoon/Regina.
Canada.