Instead of lowering your prices do a little extra service. I'm assuming everyone vacuums the piano when they tune? Adjust the pedals? How about cleaning the keys? Play a nice little piece when your done? I don't automatically do this, but I might start pulling the action (grands) and vacuuming the keybed/keyframe. A little lube on the keybed, knuckles. All this might add 15 minutes to the service call...whatever you do, make sure the customer knows it! David Ilvedson, RPT Pacifica, CA 94044 Original message From: wimblees at aol.com To: pianotech at ptg.org Received: 3/17/2009 7:17:56 PM Subject: Re: [pianotech] Tuning in a down economy David I'm not going to disagree with your reasoning or line of thinking. But there is one big difference. You've been in your same home town for a long time. If I was an established tuner in Hawaii, I probably would do what your doing. But I've only been here for a year and a half, so I don't have a long standing relationship with my customers. Of the 550 post cards I sent out, only about 80 went to customers who only had me once, more than a year ago, The rest were customers of the tuner who died before I got here, and who I never saw. Calling them was almost as bad as calling everyone in the phone book. That is why I didn't get much response. Wim -----Original Message----- From: David Love <davidlovepianos at comcast.net> To: pianotech at ptg.org Sent: Tue, 17 Mar 2009 3:41 pm Subject: Re: [pianotech] Tuning in a down economy Overall, I agree with Dean’s message. Also, you just sent out 550 cards and got 12 responses—not all of which were bookings. One booking for every 15 calls would give you a much better return. Phone manner and approach can be tricky but since these are people you already have a relationship with it’s a bit easier. You will get some people who won’t call back if you leave messages and it’s probably best not to leave messages. If you talk to a secondary person with whom you are leaving a message it’s probably better to ask when is a good time to call back and leave a message only that you called and you will call back. Some won’t respond but some will. You don’t expect 100% re turn. I’m not trying to suggest how you should conduct yourself in this enterprise, everyone has their own comfort level, but for those reading this thread and who are considering the options you have outlined I would encourage them to think it through carefully and look at alternatives to blanket discounting. It’s not quite the same as an airline. Dialing for dollars is never fun but we’ve all done it at one time or another and when I have done it I’ve found that calling definitely produced a higher return than a postcard. A postcard followed by a call is the best of return since it covers both. Include on the postcard date of last service. When you call it won’t come as a total surprise. Play it low key, checking in to see how things are with the piano, have a conversation. When people feel you have some relationship other than just trying to sell them a service and that they can put it off without feeling awkward you keep the door open for another follow up. If they don’t want it now then ask them if they would like you to follow up again in another ___ months. They should feel like you are providing them with information so they can make an informed decision, not so much that y ou are trying to sell them something. Don’t put them in the position of feeling like they need to avoid you. David Love www.davidlovepianos.com From: pianotech-bounces at ptg.org [mailto:pianotech-bounces at ptg.org] On Behalf Of wimblees at aol.com Sent: Tuesday, March 17, 2009 6:22 PM To: pianotech at ptg.org Subject: Re: [pianotech] Tuning in a down economy When you slash your price like that you can send the wrong message and it can hurt more than help. It puts into question your initial pricing and makes people wonder how much more they might get if they just put it off a bit longer. Make it personal, offer to help them out and they’ll be more likely to remember you when times get better. David Love www.davidlovepianos.com So when the airlines discount their tickets to get more people to fly, it makes you question when the "bottom" hits. I just bought two round trip tickets to Grand Rapids because they were as low as I thought they were going to get. The next week, they were $500 less. Yes, I am disappointed, but I am not canceling my flights. Most people don't answer their phone anymore because of all the phone solicitation. So you leave a mssage, never to hear from them again. And=2 0when they do answer, and you tell them who you are, their immediate response is, "I don't need it now," or "I will think about it". Or, a son, father, or friend will answer, and forget to give the message. For me phoning has not been worth the effort. I tried it for a while last year, and I had to make 15 phone calls for every appointment. A post card gets put on the refrigerator, or on a desk, and the customer will call at their convenience if they want to get their piano tuned. I have found the same people who will say yes to a phone call will also call you when they get the post card, if not more. Offering a discount is not going to work for everyone. I realize there are many other ways to drum up business. I just wanted to share my experience. Wim From: pianotech-bounces at ptg.org [mailto:pianotech-bounces at ptg.org] On Behalf Of wimblees at aol.com Sent: Tuesday, March 17, 2009 5:05 PM To: Pianotech at PTG.org Subject: [pianotech] Tuning in a down economy Tuning in a down economy A little while ago we discussed our work during this slow economic time. While some of you are busier than ever, there are quite a few who are experiencing a significant decline in income. I wrote that I was considering lowering my tuning fee by 40% in an effort to get more business. Some of you stated that I shouldn’t lower my rates, and that I should only charge what I am worth. That’s fine, but exactly what am I worth? I know what I should be charging, but I also know what the other piano tuners in Hawaii are charging. Although my “normal†rates are more than the others, I wasn’t getting enough business to pay the bills. So I had a choice to make: starve, or lower my rates. I chose=2 0the latter. On Good Morning America last week they interviewed a couple of people who had been laid off from their high paying corporate jobs. These people were now=2 0flipping hamburgers, walking dogs, and doing yard work to help pay the bills. The money they were earning didn’t come close to what they had been making before, and they were obviously way over qualified to do this kind of work. But the alternative was not to pay to bills. That’s kind of how I feel. My tunings are as good, if not better, than the other piano tuners on this island. Although I have had some clients tell me they have never heard their piano sound this good. for the most part, I know I am way over qualified to work on the majority of pianos. But, I have bills to pay, and if the only way I can do that is to tune a spinet for less than I am worth, then that’s what I have to do. Two weeks ago I sent out over 550 post cards to customers who hadn’t had their piano tuned for a year or more, announcing a 30% discount. In two weeks an ad will appear in several community magazines offering the same discount, and even free estimates. Although I have had about a dozen call, I have not had the number of appointments I anticipated. I even had some clients who asked what the discounted price would be, say thank you, and hung up. I guess it wasn’t “low enoughâ€. But if I don’t t ry to get some business, it will be a long dry summer. This is my way of telling those of you who are seeing a decline in your business that there is nothing wrong with offering your services at less than what you are worth. Hopefully the discounts will only be temporary, and we can all go back to charging what we are worth. Wim PS: Despite the decline in income, I was able to save up enough money to book a flight to Grand Rapids. I might wind up sleeping on a park bench, but going to a PTG Convention is not an option. It’s a requirement. I hope to see all of you there. Willem (Wim) Blees, RPT Piano Tuner/Technician Mililani, Oahu, HI 808-349-2943 Author of: The Business of Piano Tuning available fro m Potter Press www.pianotuning.com The Average US Credit Score is 692. See yours in just 2 easy steps! The Average US Credit Score is 692. See yours in just 2 easy steps! The Average US Credit Score is 692. See yours in just 2 easy steps! -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... 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