price raising

[Clyde Hollinger]

Diane and all,

Whenever I make a decision affecting my clients, I ask myself, "How would this
appear to me if *I* were the client?"  Perhaps your clients were keeping track
in their heads, and if they remembered that your prices hadn't changed in quite
a while, they were more willing to accept a suddenly higher price.

But most of us would balk, I suspect.  You're talking about a 38 1/2%
increase.  How would I feel if the car mechanic's hourly rate suddenly went
from $50 per hour to $69?  Or if bread changed from $1.79 to $2.48?  Yet, we
would still pay it if we thought it was our best option (and if we had the
money).

Regards,
Clyde Hollinger

Diane Hofstetter wrote:

> Les, Brian, ET AL
>
> My customers are constantly amazed my price hasn't gone up recently.  The
> last time we changed them was in 1996 just after my dad died.  We went from
> $65 to $90 in one fell swoop as we hadn't changed prices in years then
> either.
>
> A few people were surprised when we told them the new price, but most never
> said _anything_, even the head of the conference center where we have taken
> care of 20 pianos for the last 18 years never blinked an eye (and he's
> _always_ looking for a bargain).
>
> So don't get yourself all worried, today people _expect_ prices to rise. We
> live in one of the most expensive areas of the country, near "Silicon
> Valley" in CA. The house next door, which sold for $438,000 two years ago,
> just sold again two months ago for $990,000!  I guess we should be charging
> more like $200 by now, based on those figures.  Too bad tunings aren't real
> estate!