I get calls all the time from the Yellow Pages and I ask where they heard my name. Keep the ad to a minimum...1 inch should do it. David Ilvedson ----- Original message ---------------------------------------- From: Alan <tune4u@earthlink.net> To: 'Pianotech' <pianotech@ptg.org> Received: Wed, 23 Mar 2005 10:14:45 -0600 Subject: RE: Ad Prices for Yellow Pages >I use no yellow page ads, at all. In fact, the book in my area won't even >give me a free listing because I use my home number for the business instead >of a separate business line. >NOTE: I am in a very rural area, so the situation is probably different. >But the calls I get from any advertising tend to be "How much do you >charge?" Sometimes I can convert that person to a regular customer, more >often, I never hear from them again or just tune for them once. >BY FAR: Your best, least whiney, most loyal customers will come from >referrals or "I saw your truck at such-and-such church." It takes time to >build a clientele that way, of course, but I really dislike casual, >bargain-hunter business. >If you are in a highly competitive area, you may need to advertise ... >BUT carefully track it. Ask everyone who calls: "Where did you hear about >me?" and keep a log. Adjust your ad program according to the results. Many, >if not most, advertising dollars do not yield much bang for the buck. >Other things: Often public relations can be much more effective than direct >ads--and much cheaper. This can include getting involved in community >service organizations, e.g., Rotary, doing charitable work such as tunings >for Community Senior Centers which usually have starvation budgets, getting >your name in the paper any which way you can (short of the Michael Jackson >route), and so forth. Get visible. Network. Ask EVERYONE you meet, including >the clerk at the mini-mart: "Do you have a piano at your house?" No? "Do you >know someone who does? Please give them my card." Post flyers and cards >wherever merchants will let you. Write little piano articles for newspapers >or music organizations. Hunt up music teachers and meet them face-to-face. >Advertise in the "pick-'em-up-free" ad papers like "Thrifty Nickel." Attend >PTG seminars and conferences and take marketing classes. >Direct contact or direct referrals are key. Don't be just a number in a >book. Make it personal. If you had all the piano business you can handle, >you wouldn't need to advertise. If you don't, you have TIME to go out and >work (hustle, if you will) to build your business. >Yellow Page Ads are a wonderful business builder ... for the phone company. >Alan R. Barnard >Salem, MO >-----Original Message----- >From: pianotech-bounces@ptg.org [mailto:pianotech-bounces@ptg.org] On Behalf >Of Doug Renz Piano Tuning / Repair >Sent: Wednesday, March 23, 2005 9:42 AM >To: pianotech@ptg.org >Subject: Ad Prices for Yellow Pages >I am trying to plan for yellow page ads for next years phone book and trying >to see if the price quoted is "average". >$125 a month for a 16th page display graphic ad. >$80 a month for 1 inch text ad in main section and 1 free in "suburban" >section. >I heard on the list that a yellow page ad should cost no more than 1 tuning. >Is this true or just a guideline? >This yellow page ad reaches a large city of 1.2 million residents. >The sales person said that graphic display ad's get more calls but I'm not >sure if yellow page ads work as well as "word of mouth, networking" >advertising. >What do you think? >Doug Renz >Associate PTG >pianotuner@frontiernet.net >_______________________________________________ >pianotech list info: https://www.moypiano.com/resources/#archives >-- >No virus found in this incoming message. >Checked by AVG Anti-Virus. >Version: 7.0.308 / Virus Database: 266.8.0 - Release Date: 03/21/2005 > >-- >No virus found in this outgoing message. >Checked by AVG Anti-Virus. >Version: 7.0.308 / Virus Database: 266.8.0 - Release Date: 03/21/2005 > >_______________________________________________ >pianotech list info: https://www.moypiano.com/resources/#archives
This PTG archive page provided courtesy of Moy Piano Service, LLC