Jut a thought to add to the mix
question: When ,if ever, did you look at a promo item and say "Oh there's the number for that (dentist,plumber,piano tuner, sign maker etc)"
I'm 100000% for promoting but a complete plan is needed if it is to work properly otherwise it is just wasted $$
Gerry C
PS happy to consult off line with anyone, (PTG) anytime.
From: pianotech-request at ptg.org
Subject: pianotech Digest, Vol 9, Issue 199
To: pianotech at ptg.org
Date: Mon, 27 Jul 2009 19:48:32 -0600
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--Forwarded Message Attachment--
From: wimblees at aol.com
To: pianotech at ptg.org
Date: Mon, 27 Jul 2009 19:43:27 -0400
Subject: Re: [pianotech] promo pens
Since this subject has been resurrected, let me ask you guys a question. First of all, it just so happen that one of my clients who I tuned for just last week is in the promotional business. Obviously they think it's great idea to give out pens, pencils, anything. If I'm going to do this, I think I'm going to go with mechanical pencils, to give out to not only to my clients, but also to members of three choruses I sing with, the Honolulu Symphony Chorus, the Honolulu Chorale and church choir.
The question is, how many do you buy at a time, and how often? And do you give the same pencil to the same clients year after year. What about to the members of the chorus. Should I do that, or is that "verboten"?
Wim
-----Original Message-----
From: John Musselwhite <john at musselwhite.com>
To: pianotech at ptg.org
Sent: Mon, Jul 27, 2009 9:45 am
Subject: Re: [pianotech] promo pens
At 09:37 PM 20/07/2009, Wim wrote:
At the convention, Jerry Groot gave me a pen with his name, etc. on it. (Thanks Jerry, nice looking pen). Randy Potter gives them out, too.
For those who like to collect things I see a whole new area. Piano Technicians pens!
I, as I am sure others, have been approached many times by pen salesmen who want you to buy them for customers.
I might mention that my wife is a promotions consultant who is one of those "pen salesmen" so I'm biased in that area.
For those of you who give them out, what is your return of investment? Do you actually get calls from people who saw your name on the pen? Or do you just do it for good will, like buying an add in the high school chorus concert program.
There are a couple of things to consider. One is that you are allowed a certain deduction for advertising so anything you spend on things like pens with your name on them is a tax deduction for you. Good will is definitely another factor. Plus, of course, anything you can do to get your name and phone number out there is a good thing.
I buy a real nice high-quality pen for about $2.75 (CDN) each that comes with a box and I give them out with my invoices and to some other people just for the exposure. Every client has been happy to accept a nice quality pen and quite often they exclaim that "this one's a keeper!" The old 79 cent pens I used to buy often just went into their pen cup, possibly never to be seen again.
The R.O.I. on them hasn't been lucrative but I do get a few new tunings out of each batch that I buy so it's been enough to pay for them.
I've attached a picture of my pen and the box. Email me if you'd like more information.
Regards...
John
-------------------------------
John Musselwhite, RPT - Registered Piano Technician
Musselwhite Piano Services - Calgary, Alberta Canada
Office/cel (403) 246-7717 Fax (403) 255-5268
Outside of Calgary call Toll Free: 1-866-95-PIANO (1-866-957-4266)
"Three Generations of Experience"
A Good Credit Score is 700 or Above. See yours in just 2 easy steps!
--Forwarded Message Attachment--
From: info at pianolanco.com
To: pianotech at ptg.org
Date: Mon, 27 Jul 2009 19:32:24 -0400
Subject: Re: [pianotech] Backcheck and catcher felts - Vinegar
The formula of vinegar is CH3COOH - not C2H4O2 and it does not penetrate
wood the same way as pure H2O does. Since the pH of water is lowered with
5%vinegar (pH = 2-3), protein glues such as collagen glues used in the piano
industry dissolve-break down more readily. However, when you use vinegar to
dissolve / break the glue line, the leftover surface residues are more
difficult to remove since the glue has been chemically modified with the use
of the acid.
Marc Lanthier
www.pianolanco.com
-----Original Message-----
From: pianotech-bounces at ptg.org [mailto:pianotech-bounces at ptg.org] On Behalf
Of Tom Driscoll
Sent: July-27-09 3:02 PM
To: David Ilvedson; pianotech at ptg.org
Subject: Re: [pianotech] Backcheck and catcher felts
Subject: Re: [pianotech] Backcheck and catcher felts
>
Definitely DON'T use water - it will swell the wood.
>
>>I use plain white vinegar for things - it also works well for player work.
>>Duaine Hechler
>>
> Isn't vinegar mostly water?
>
> David Ilvedson, RPT
David,
Right you are and 95% no less.
The composition of distilled white vinegar is usually 5% acetic acid which
has a molecular formula of C2H4O2. The remainder of the solution is H2O. The
acetic acid is aqueous, so the mixture is homogeneous.
Tom Driscoll
--Forwarded Message Attachment--
From: pianoboutique at comcast.net
To: pianotech at ptg.org
Date: Mon, 27 Jul 2009 20:36:46 -0400
Subject: Re: [pianotech] promo pens
John,
One habit I have taken up is qualifying my
customers. I most always ask, how did you hear about me.
I keep a line in my database of customers to put how they found me and every
once in a while I do look at the numbers to see where people come
from. About a third is word of mouth. About a third is
from the phone book. And the last third is all the other ways like
Signage and web page and such.
William
----- Original Message -----
From:
John
Musselwhite
To: pianotech at ptg.org
Sent: Monday, July 27, 2009 3:45 PM
Subject: Re: [pianotech] promo pens
At 09:37 PM 20/07/2009, Wim wrote:
At the convention, Jerry Groot
gave me a pen with his name, etc. on it. (Thanks Jerry, nice looking pen).
Randy Potter gives them out, too.
For those who like
to collect things I see a whole new area. Piano Technicians pens!
I, as I am sure
others, have been approached many times by pen salesmen who want you to buy
them for customers.
I might mention that my wife is a
promotions consultant who is one of those "pen salesmen" so I'm biased in that
area.
For those of you who
give them out, what is your return of investment? Do you actually get calls
from people who saw your name on the pen? Or do you just do it for good
will, like buying an add in the high school chorus concert program.
There are a couple of things to consider. One is that
you are allowed a certain deduction for advertising so anything you spend on
things like pens with your name on them is a tax deduction for you. Good will
is definitely another factor. Plus, of course, anything you can do to get your
name and phone number out there is a good thing.
I buy a real nice
high-quality pen for about $2.75 (CDN) each that comes with a box and I give
them out with my invoices and to some other people just for the exposure.
Every client has been happy to accept a nice quality pen and quite often they
exclaim that "this one's a keeper!" The old 79 cent pens I used to buy often
just went into their pen cup, possibly never to be seen again.
The
R.O.I. on them hasn't been lucrative but I do get a few new tunings out of
each batch that I buy so it's been enough to pay for them.
I've
attached a picture of my pen and the box. Email me if you'd like more
information.
Regards...
John
-------------------------------
John
Musselwhite, RPT - Registered Piano Technician
Musselwhite
Piano Services - Calgary, Alberta Canada
Office/cel (403) 246-7717 Fax
(403) 255-5268
Outside of Calgary call Toll Free: 1-866-95-PIANO
(1-866-957-4266)
"Three Generations of
Experience"
--Forwarded Message Attachment--
From: mkurta1 at comcast.net
To: pianotech at ptg.org
Date: Mon, 27 Jul 2009 19:45:13 -0500
Subject: Re: [pianotech] promo pens
Hey Wim:
From one Crystal Lake person to
another, it was good to touch base with you in GR. With regard to promo
pens, I can relate a personal experience. Every year I have my cars
detailed by a fellow working out of his home. When I would get the cars
back there was always a pen clipped to his bill. I had accumulated
several. They were always the same style and color, and as soon as I saw
each one around the house, I would associate them with him even without reading
the printing. I was reminded of him and his service many times through the
year. They were good pens too. Just my 2 cents.
Mike
Kurta
--Forwarded Message Attachment--
From: aaapianoworks at verizon.net
To: pianotech at ptg.org
Date: Mon, 27 Jul 2009 21:47:11 -0400
Subject: Re: [pianotech] promo pens
For me, I just give them to clients or their kids.
Maybe you could just “accidentally” leave some around the rehearsal
hall, or in the men’s bathroom, and even the ladies bathroom, but you’ll
probably need an accomplice to get them in there. Maybe bring in a box of
pencils and make it known that if anyone forgot their pencils for rehearsal,
there is a box of them available for them . I don’t like the “hard
sell” of “Here, take one of my pencils”. But that’s
just me.
From:
pianotech-bounces at ptg.org [mailto:pianotech-bounces at ptg.org] On Behalf Of wimblees at aol.com
Sent: Monday, July 27, 2009 7:43 PM
To: pianotech at ptg.org
Subject: Re: [pianotech] promo pens
Since this subject has
been resurrected, let me ask you guys a question. First of all, it
just so happen that one of my clients who I tuned for just last week is in the
promotional business. Obviously they think it's great idea to give out
pens, pencils, anything. If I'm going to do this, I think I'm going to go with
mechanical pencils, to give out to not only to my clients, but also to members
of three choruses I sing with, the Honolulu Symphony Chorus, the Honolulu
Chorale and church choir.
The question is, how many do you buy at a time, and how often? And do you give
the same pencil to the same clients year after year. What about to the members
of the chorus. Should I do that, or is that "verboten"?
Wim
-----Original Message-----
From: John Musselwhite <john at musselwhite.com>
To: pianotech at ptg.org
Sent: Mon, Jul 27, 2009 9:45 am
Subject: Re: [pianotech] promo pens
At 09:37 PM 20/07/2009, Wim wrote:
At the convention, Jerry Groot gave me a pen with his name,
etc. on it. (Thanks Jerry, nice looking pen). Randy Potter gives them out, too.
For those who like to collect things I see a whole new area. Piano Technicians
pens!
I, as I am sure others, have been approached many times by
pen salesmen who want you to buy them for customers.
I might mention that my wife is a promotions consultant who is one of those
"pen salesmen" so I'm biased in that area.
For those of you who give them out, what is your return of
investment? Do you actually get calls from people who saw your name on the pen?
Or do you just do it for good will, like buying an add in the high school
chorus concert program.
There are a couple of things to consider. One is that you are allowed a certain
deduction for advertising so anything you spend on things like pens with your
name on them is a tax deduction for you. Good will is definitely another
factor. Plus, of course, anything you can do to get your name and phone number
out there is a good thing.
I buy a real nice high-quality pen for about $2.75 (CDN) each that comes with a
box and I give them out with my invoices and to some other people just for the
exposure. Every client has been happy to accept a nice quality pen and quite
often they exclaim that "this one's a keeper!" The old 79 cent pens I
used to buy often just went into their pen cup, possibly never to be seen
again.
The R.O.I. on them hasn't been lucrative but I do get a few new tunings out of
each batch that I buy so it's been enough to pay for them.
I've attached a picture of my pen and the box. Email me if you'd like more
information.
Regards...
John
-------------------------------
John Musselwhite, RPT - Registered Piano Technician
Musselwhite Piano Services - Calgary, Alberta Canada
Office/cel (403) 246-7717 Fax (403) 255-5268
Outside of Calgary call Toll Free: 1-866-95-PIANO (1-866-957-4266)
"Three Generations of Experience"
A Good Credit Score is 700 or
Above. See
yours in just 2 easy steps!
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