You can have as many yellow pages, as you are willing to pay for. Under as many different names as you like.
The yellow pages do not even care if you are qualified, they let you advertise anyway.
A lot of people realize this, and take the yellow pages with a grain of salt.
The best advertising is word of mouth.
The problem is in getting the initial customers to give this word of mouth endorsement.
Dealers, music teachers, schools and churches are good places to start.
I am lucky that I have not had to advertise for years.
I have never called anyone to say, time for a piano tuning. The calls have always arrived in time to pay my bills.
As I say, I consider myself very lucky.
Getting ready for Rochester, hope to see you all there.
John M. Ross
Windsor, Nova Scotia, Canada.
jrpiano at win.eastlink.ca
----- Original Message -----
From: pianotune05 at comcast.net
To: deanmay at pianorebuilders.com ; Pianotech List
Sent: Monday, May 29, 2006 9:34 AM
Subject: RE: yellow pages ad/James
I'm curious. in our phone book, there's a tech. who has two listings. He lists one under his first name first then last name first. What's the purpose in this? Do you yellow pages allow this? Also, how did the other guys in my community get sooo fortunate that they didn't have to advertise in the yellow pages?
Marshall
-------------- Original message --------------
From: "Dean May" <deanmay at pianorebuilders.com>
But wouldn't the overall taxes paid be the same?
An easy way to reduce your family's overall tax load is to pay your children. I am pretty sure this is true, though most tax professionals I've talked to are only vaguely familiar with it and no one could actually tell me the mechanics of how to do it. If you pay your children you do not have to pay FICA taxes on their salaries. That will reduce your total family's tax burden by 15% of whatever you pay them.
I a talking about sole proprietorships, which most of us probably are. There are other strategies for corporations.
Dean
Dean May cell 812.239.3359
PianoRebuilders.com 812.235.5272
Terre Haute IN 47802
-----Original Message-----
From: pianotech-bounces at ptg.org [mailto:pianotech-bounces at ptg.org] On Behalf Of Arlin Hall
Sent: Sunday, May 28, 2006 10:53 PM
To: Pianotech List
Subject: RE: yellow pages ad/James
If you officially paid your wife's time, documented the hours, deducted and paid payroll taxes, etc, what you paid her would be deductible as a business expense. Therefore, the income tax that you pay on your business would be less. You don't even have to be a corporation to do this.
Arlin Hall, CPA (really)
-----Original Message-----
From: Tom Sivak [mailto:tvaktvak at sbcglobal.net]
Sent: Sunday, May 28, 2006 5:36 PM
To: Pianotech List
Subject: Re: yellow pages ad/James
Yeah, I got that. Since I don't have a 'payroll', I'm not sure exactly what would be different than it is right now. We file jointly, on the total of our two incomes. Now, if she has no income, she would become my dependant, which would be a tax advantage in itself, so I'm not sure if somehow declaring her an 'employee' would be any better.
But it's an interesting topic for my tax guy, I guess.
Tom
Pianoman <pianoman at accessus.net> wrote:
I meant your wife would become an employee on the payroll reducing your
taxable income.
James Grebe Piano Tuning & Repair Member of M.P.T.
R.P.T. of the P.T.G. for over 30 years. "Member of the Year" in 1989
Creator of Handsome Hardwood Caster Cups, Piano Benches, Writing
Instruments,Table Timepieces
(314) 845-8282 1526 Raspberry Lane Arnold, MO 63010
Researcher of St. Louis Theatre History
BECOME WHAT YOU BELIEVE!
pianoman at accessus.net
----- Original Message -----
From: "Tom Sivak"
To: "Pianotech List"
Sent: Friday, May 26, 2006 7:44 AM
Subject: Re: yellow pages ad/James
> James,
>
> Now that's an interesting idea, but how? I mean, there ain't no payroll!
> I, myself, don't get a 'paycheck' from my o! wn busi ness, I get checks from
> the clients, made out to me, and I deposit them in our joint checking
> account.
>
> Perhaps I'd have to incorporate to be able to legitimize this. I like the
> thinking behind this concept, though...
>
> Tom Sivak
>
> Pianoman wrote:
> PLUS you can put her on the payroll and YOUR income that is taxed will go
> down.
>
> James Grebe Piano Tuning & Repair Member of M.P.T.
> R.P.T. of the P.T.G. for over 30 years. "Member of the Year" in 1989
> Creator of Handsome Hardwood Caster Cups, Piano Benches, Writing
> Instruments,Table Timepieces
> (314) 845-8282 1526 Raspberry Lane Arnold, MO 63010
> Researcher of St. Louis Theatre History
> BECOME WHAT YOU BELIEVE!
> pianoman at accessus.net
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Tom Sivak"
> To: "Pianotech List"
>
> Sent: Thursday! , May 2 5, 2006 8:05 PM
> Subject: Re: yellow pages ad
>
>
>> Marshall,
>>
>> I get on the average, about 50-60 calls from the Yellow Pages each year.
>> That has been pretty consistent over the past 10 years. And that was with
>> just a listing, no ad, no bold type. From what I understand, the Yellow
>> Pages are changing their format/boundaries this year. They are combining
>> several areas together into one larger book that will cover a larger
>> area.
>> So, we'll have to see how that impacts things. We'll get wider coverage,
>> but there will be more tuners listed in each book.
>>
>> I know you're eager to start and grow, as a business and as a technician.
>> I wish you luck.
>>
>> Now here's something that kept me going, through the years, when times
>> were leaner.
>>
>> I kept statistics on the gr! owth of my business. Total number of tunings,
>> by the year, and by the month. New business vs. repeat business.
>> Referrals vs. Yellow Pages. (I never kept track of grands vs. verticals.
>> I'm not that anal!)
>>
>> All this not only helped me to understand how to help my business grow in
>> the future, but it helped me, psychologically, as I looked at the meager
>> sum I had earned this past year. At least knowing that it was 150% of the
>> amount I made last year helped. Sometimes I'd feel like business was down
>> and I'd look at my 'progress chart' and realize that although 'X' tunings
>> wasn't enough this past month, it was more than I had ever made in that
>> same month of any year previous.
>>
>> As long as we're on the subject, I just had my best month, ever, this
>> past February, where I tuned 65 pianos. My previous best was 38. WooHOO!
>! > It may not be the 80 pianos I would liked to have had, but it's closer
>> than ever! (I have to credit my wife for this surge in business. She
>> lost her job, so she's at home answering the phone, making my
>> appointments, and calling our clients whose pianos are due to be tuned.
>> She has increased my business by about 40% since starting with me in
>> January.)
>>
>> Been in business about 10 years now,
>> Tom Sivak
>> Chicago
>>
>>
>> pianotune05 at comcast.net wrote:
>> HI Terry,
>> My name is listed in the piano tuning and repair section. It's just a
>> listing.
>> Marshall
>>
>> -------------- Original message --------------
>> From: "Farrell"
>> "just my name phone number "
>>
>> Is it an ad? Does it say you are a piano technician? Is it listed in the
>> Piano Techni! cian (o r Tuning) section?
>>
>> Terry Farrell
>> ----- Original Message -----
>>
>> Well, the new 2006 ATT phone books are out. I have a listing in it, just
>> my name phone number and our town abbreviated, although some people think
>> that South Bend is a city. Anyway, I'm curious as to how long it took you
>> guys out there to get your first call from your first yellow pages
>> listing. This way I'll know roughly what to expect and not set my
>> expectations too high. Thanks all.
>> Marshall
>>
>>
>
>
>
>
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