Marketing Approach

[Greg Casper]

Terry:

I think you just have to level with her. You can't LOSE her business,
because you already did the tuning and aren't scheduled to do anything more.
But she may appreciate your candor and, if you can explain a show her
physically on the piano what you're talking about, decide to use you for
whatever repairs she decides to do. In most cases this turns out to be a
financial decision, and we as techs have to respect that. But it IS our job
to explain what the piano 1- NEEDS, 2- COULD USE, and 3- MIGHT BE NICE. Then
the owner makes the decisions. I make a point to ALWAYS tell my customers
the current condition of their instrument, so that they can plan
accordingly. Like a customer I just saw recently for a tuning. I explained
to her that her bass notes don't sound as clear and deep as they could
because they're old and "gunked up" (another technical term for the
lexicon). I gave her an idea of what it might cost to replace them and told
her that this is something she can plan for in the next year or two as she
does her budgeting.

Hope this helps some.

Greg Casper
San Jose, CA

-----Original Message-----
From: owner-pianotech@ptg.org [mailto:owner-pianotech@ptg.org]On Behalf
Of Farrell
Sent: Monday, May 20, 2002 4:59 PM
To: pianotech@ptg.org
Subject: Marketing Approach


I tuned a small Baldwin grand for a lady today. I would guess it is at least
50 years old. It is not one of their top-teir pianos - it is one of the
cheaper ones. The thing has realy tubby bass strings and the action is way
out of regulation, etc. - your basic worn out older piano.

She informed me that she just moved here and wants to start teaching piano
again. She also plays violin. So of course, I was thinking that I should
mention to her some ways to improve the performance of her piano - if not a
total rebuild/replacement at least new bass strings and a serious action
refurbish/rebuild.

So I asked her how long she has had the piano. She said five years. She
bought it because it has just been totally rebuilt: Hammers may have been
filed, case was crumily (word?) refinished, and plate and tuning pins and
agraffes and strings had been painted gold.

I clammed up at that point and left. Is there any constructive way to sell
her work in light of the recent "rebuild"? Anyone with a clever sales
approach that would cut through the BS that she apparently purchased in the
past?

I've run into similar situations before and really don't know what to say
that might sound constructive and appropriate.

Terry Farrell