Do you know how they corral wild zebras? White plastic sheeting stretched around clothesline. The zebras can't see past the plastic, so they never challenge it. I never just tune....hence I do not quote "a tuning" fee. People will pay for good service, done with a good attitude, competent and prompt as promised. STOP quoting a tuning fee alone, unless you only take a hammer, fork and mutes to a tuning. Dare to challenge the 'low price' plastic sheet! Talk to yourself... Some day, I'll be paid what I'm worth....? What would have to change for me to begin charging what I'm worth? What would be different about me, if I were to be worth the highest price in town? If you have a thousand reasons to stay at cheap rates...as Yogi Beara says....who can stop you? Save the typing of excuses. Do the things that you believe warrant higher prices. i.e. Get RPT, do ten regulations, tune for a concert in 40 minutes, rebuild an action, take stock of your valuable skills, quantify how much you've really helped your customers. Earn value in your own mind, you'll never go back. Cheap prices cheat your future and your present. As Peter Grey told me: "You'll train your customers that prices go up, or you'll train them that prices never change". If you can't seem to charge the old faithful customers real money, then start charging the new people a real rate. Then, gradually bring the old along. Get creative about solving it, rather than creative about justifying it. http://www.smithpiano.com/pricing.htm Best regards, Brad Smith, RPT www.smithpiano.com
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