Speaking of Advertising

[Richard Oliver Snelson]

A lot of what Jon says is true. However as nice as word of mouth
advertising is! It's not the best way for a new business to get jump
started. It's takes far too long. Use the yellow pages! They do work. No
need to have a large add. In our area a one inch add is $34 a month. I
get far more than enough business to pay for this time and again. Even a
single line listing works fine.  A lot of people just go down the list
and call till they get someone home. 

I will share with you one of the best tips that I know. Get a cell
phone! Have your business phone at the shop transfered directly to the
cell number. Do not miss the call. They will often not leave a message,
only go on to try to find someone to take the call and book the tuning.
Yes I get calls while I tuning, yes even when I'm talking to the
customer. I explain that I have the calls transfered so I can alway be
reached. The customers love that idea. No one as ever objected to me
taking a call. I do often step outside If I need to discuss something. 

Use a sign on your vehicle. I've gotten many tuning from folks coming
into churches looking for the piano tuner that must be inside. Hand out
lots of cards. Get small magnetic business cards with a place to write
the tuning date. Most customers will put them on the frig as a reminder
of your name and number. I've had very little luck contacting churches
directly. I've found most music directors or piano players do the
picking of tuners not the ministers. 
My first year in business I tuned 6 pianos in March. By the third year
in March I was up to 37. I'm a retired engineer and really didn't want
to work quite that hard so I regulate the type and number of calls I
take.
Get to work a week take off a few days to fish or golf. Then back to the
shop and calls. I hope I have given you a couple of ideas that will
help. Rich Snelson
 
Jon Page wrote:
> 
> At 06:51 PM 4/18/2002 -0400, you wrote:
> 
> > Hi,
> > One good way of advertising is a magnetic sign for your
> > vehicle.There is no telling how many customers I have gotten at the
> > grocery store parking lot over the years.
> > Also,yellow pages are a must.When riding through the country side
> > tuning,I use to stop at every little church,and stick a buisness
> > card in the door,it works.
> > Hazen Bannister
> 
> By far and away, the best advertising is word of mouth. I've placed
> ads in newspapers and radio with less than desired results but
> those people told others and business was gained through that. Your
> appearance, presentation and performance is your
> best advertisement. Do the best you can and the work will follow. Tell
> other techs that you are interested in the work they don't want.
> Call dealers and offer your services. Don't give too much away, those
> that get something for free might just want something for free.
> Discount, maybe; a freebee is reserved for established customers on an
> emergency basis; PR.
> 
> A good piece of advise I received when I was starting was: Don't worry
> about the money, do your job and the money will
> take care of itself.  That kept me broke for a long time but I surely
> gained a wealth of experience. I have not advertised
> for over ten years now and the backlog of repairs insures my income.
> 
> In jest I say that I'm easy to find... I'm the only piano tuner (sic)
> who doesn't advertise in the yellow pages (never did...too cheap).
> Then again this is a fairly close knit community but it has expanded
> exponentially in the last five years. For people who come
> by looking for pianos, I encourage them to check out the 'new guys",
> they come back and buy. They find they get a better deal with
> the individual care given to each piano, rather than the
> truckload-sale-o-rama-dealer.
> 
> Consider reconditioning pianos for resale for the times where tuning
> calls are slower.
> A home-based shop is a great experience builder as well as a great tax
> write-off.
> 
> Also if you have able bodied friends <g>, move pianos with a trailer;
> low overhead and low lift for a ramp.
> 
> Sure beats a real job...
> 
> Regards,
> 
> Jon Page,   piano technician
> Harwich Port, Cape Cod, Mass.
> mailto:jonpage@attbi.com
> ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~