[pianotech] Yellow pages

[Dean May]

>>do you mean that somehow you can get your current land-business-line
number assigned to your cell phone (and drop your land business line also)?
 
Yes, that is exactly it. I initially ported (porting is what they call it)
my number to Tracfone years ago, then to Net10, now to StraightTalk. I also
have my toll free number (888-DEAN-MAY) forward to my cell as well. Power
Net Global handles my toll free number for dirt cheap. To get your own
vanity toll free number check out www.tollfreenumbers.com. I used it to see
that the number I wanted was available and Power Net Global was able to
secure it for me for free, I think (it was a few years ago). I also got one
for my brothers carpet cleaning business, 877-MARK-MAY
 
 
Straight Talk has a $45/mo unlimited everything (3G, text, talk) for their
Android phones. They sell a few Droid phones at the WalMart phone center,
but I think they use a limited network coverage. Straight Talk also offers a
SIM card for any unlocked GSM phone (like AT&T). I picked up a used Samsung
Infuse, ordered the SIM card from Straight Talks web site ($14.95), then on
activation I told them I wanted to port my old number. I got my wife's phone
from the WalMart center and my Infuse has way better coverage. It may be
different now, but I know the AT&T phones work and they use the AT&T
network. And they don't even have to be unlocked to use the Straight Talk
SIM card. 
 
The only downside to using Straight Talk is if you don't add air time and
let it lapse for as little as 4 hours, you can loose your number and it is a
royal pain to get it back, DAMHIK. 
 
I like the Infuse as it has a very nice big screen, easy for my fat fingers.
I have a handlebar mount for my motorcycle to use the GPS, Bluetooth
headphones for taking calls or listening to internet radio, Pandora, or my
music files. 
 
Android phones work very seemlessly with Google products. So when I add an
appointment to the Google Calendar on my laptop, I put the address in the
location field and phone numbers in the description field. Then it shows up
on the phone. I touch the address and it pulls up the map, touch Navigation
and it navigates me to it using GPS. Or I can touch one of the phone numbers
and the phone dialer pops up. Pretty nice. 
 
You can pick whatever number you want for frequency of mailings. Mailings
are pretty cheap and I just wanted to keep my name in front of the customers
which is why I picked 4 times a year. I used to do it twice a year. I also
found a rural trash collection service in an outlying area with a customer
base of 6000 who includes my flyer in their invoice envelope. my flier also
has my brother's carpet cleaning business, so he helps pay for the mailing. 
 
We invested in a pretty nice Richo C430DN color laserjet printer. It does
auto duplexing (prints both sides at once). This enables us to produce a
very professional looking piece, and mail merge individual customer info on
each page (last tune date, address, salutation, etc). I created the ad copy
myself using Adobe Photoshop, but you can get good results just using
Microsoft Word or your favorite graphics program. 
 
We print to a full sized 8.5x11, fold in half with address on outside, slap
a stamp on, and mail. I use a good 30 lb paper and never have any trouble
with post office. With lighter paper, you get trouble with their sorting
machines. I have used card stock in the past and cut out 4x6 postcards. You
can save a little on postage doing that, but I like the impact of the bigger
sheet. 
 
I also collect email addresses from all my clients. Probably 40% of my
active customers I have an email address for. So when I send their mailer at
the first of the month they also get an email. I get 10 to 15 a month that
respond to the email with dates that work for them. I pick the best date for
me and respond to their email to confirm the appoitment. Way easier than
phone calls. 
 
I have an email template in Word. Word allows mail merging to a printer or
to email. 
 
My post office Word template is 2.7 MB file size so I don't want to post it
to the list, but will be happy to send it to any who request. Or just send
me your snail mail address and I'll pop one in the mail to you. Please
respond off list so we don't clutter up the list. 
 
Thanks,
 

Dean

Dean W May                (812) 235-5272 voice and text

PianoRebuilders.com    (888) DEAN-MAY

Terre Haute IN 47802

 

  _____  

From: pianotech-bounces at ptg.org [mailto:pianotech-bounces at ptg.org] On Behalf
Of Terry Farrell
Sent: Thursday, June 21, 2012 11:13 AM
To: pianotech at ptg.org
Subject: Re: [pianotech] Yellow pages


Hi Dean.  

I'm hoping to justify dropping the Yellow Pages in the near future. Can you
please explain exactly what you mean by "port your business number to your
cell phone" - do you mean that somehow you can get your current
land-business-line number assigned to your cell phone (and drop your land
business line also)? 

Also, you say your "Active customers (within the last 5-8 years) get a
mailer 4 times a year, inactive get it once a year."

What form does your mailer take and what information is in it? And why 4
times per year for active customers? How often do most of your regular
customers have their piano tuned (down here in Florida it's once per year
for most folks)?

Thanks!!

Terry Farrell


On Jun 21, 2012, at 8:17 AM, Dean May wrote:



 


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