advertising

[Robert Goodale]

In all seriousness, these little classified type publications don't really
work.  People look through them to buy/sell stuff, not for seeking piano
tuners.  My I suggest the following:

1. Arrange a personal meeting with each of your local dealers.  Try to arrange
a deal to tune some of their floor pianos, (don't expect to get paid much).
The advantage of this is that as they get to know you they will probably
eventually start recommending you.  They may also give some of their sales
customers to you.

2.  Try to get involved in dealer/university sales.  Simply put, when they
have these sales the dealer likes to offer a discount to the buyer for their
first tuning.  Print up a cover letter and little coupons for $15.00 off their
first tuning.  The sales people love this as part of their sales closers and
you can often walk away with 45 new customers over a weekend.

3. Get your name in the yellow pages.  Note that MOST technicians have had
marginal results at best with yellow pages ads and they are very expensive,
HOWEVER, by simply changing your home phone to a business line you will
automatically appear in the yellow pages with out cost to you.  You will have
to change the registered name of your phone line to your business name instead
of your name, i.e. "sooper dooper piana service", but you will now be listed.
There is usually an extra cost for a business line but it is only something
like $5 dollars.

4.  Network with as many teachers as possible.  They are the ones that
students turn to when they need a referral for a tuner.  Check out the yellow
pages for piano teachers and send them a letter introducing yourself.  Visit
the local high, college, and university music departments and spread yourself
around.

5.  Send a letter to every church, hospital, and senior community in your
area.

6.  Make sure all the other piano techs in your area know you need work.  Ask
them to refer all the customers they DON'T want to you.  Note that you will
likely get a lot of junky pianos this way but it is a start.  In some cases
you might be able to talk these types of customers into a better piano.  Then
you will become a hero to the dealer for providing the lead.

7.  Pass out business cards like candy.  They are very cheap and will get your
name around.

8.  Contact Realtors in your area.  Sometimes people new to the area ask
Realtors for referrals for services such as piano tuning.  Also ask Realtors
if they would mind allowing you to pin up your business card in their office.

9.  Contact your local symphony orchestras/community bands in your area.

10.  Place an add in the local symphony program, (the publications that
patrons get when they enter the theater).  These ads don't cost a whole lot
and the audience reading it are the most likely crowd for piano tuning since
they are the music lovers.  You might want to consider doing this with one of
the more professional theatrical companies too.

11.  Research what bars, restaurants, and hotels in your area might have
pianos.  Then send them a letter introducing yourself.

12.  Don't forget to pay a visit to other music stores that don't sell
pianos.  Sometimes they will take a hand full of your business cards to give
out if someone asks for a piano technician.


Make sure that all of the letters you mail to these organizations include
several business cards in the envelope.  Don't get discouraged and remember
that it will take some time to build up a business.  Once you get established
get up the pressure.  There will always be one-time customers or those who you
simply don't want repeat business from.  Over time you will weed out the bad
ones and before you know it you will truly be in business.

Rob Goodale, RPT
Las Vegas, NV


Mickey Kessler wrote:

> After lots of dedicated study and practice I'm about ready to hang out a
> shingle and go to work for money.
>
> I'm considering running a classified ad in the local PennySaver.  This can
> reach about 80,000 households a week in the driveable neighborhood here in
> L.A., all with generally quite high annual incomes.  The ads cost about
> $250 for six weeks.  I figure if only 5% of the households have pianos, and
> if only 1% of those answer the ad and result in booked jobs, I'll more than
> break even.  (I pulled those percentages out of the air, but they seem like
> safe guesses.)
>
> Has anybody used the PennySaver?  Did it bring you in any business?  How do
> you generally promote your business?  I seldom see ads for piano
> technicians -- is that because it isn't effective, or is it because there's
> plenty of business around without advertising?
>
> Thanks for any info or advice you can offer.
>
> Mark (Mickey) Kessler