Drumming up business

[Willem Blees]

This is an interesting discussion about calling and post cards. 

When I first started, I was told to call. So I did, but I got the same as one of you mentioned, "I have to ask my daughter, husband, teacher, the dog, etc."
Then someone suggested I send a post card saying I will call. That brought good results, because they were able to ask the daughter, teacher, the dog. 
Then I went to a seminar, and it was suggested I send out post card asking to be called. So I did an experiment. Over a 6 months period, one month I sent out a post card saying I would call, and the next month to please call me. After doing this for 6 months, I looked at my tuning income, and could not see any significant difference. So I stopped spending 10 hours a month making phone calls. That was 25 years ago. 

But things have changed. As I said, here in Hawaii customers like the personal touch, and don't respond well to post cards or letters. That is why I am doing both, sending out post cards and following up with phone calls. I do pre-schedule appointments 6 months or a year, and I send them a reminder post card. The next step is the courtesy call. I'm working on that.  


Willem (Wim) Blees, RPT
Piano Tuner/Technician
Honolulu, HI
Author of 
The Business of Piano Tuning
available from Potter Press
www.pianotuning.com


-----Original Message-----
From: AlliedPianoCraft <AlliedPianoCraft at hotmail.com>
To: Pianotech List <pianotech at ptg.org>
Sent: Mon, 14 Apr 2008 2:48 am
Subject: Re: Drumming up business



Gerald, after 40 years in business, I have tried every method in both the north and south. The one you describe below has been the most effective for me. If I can't reach them by phone, I do follow up with a card. We don't call after 5:00pm.

 

Al Guecia

 


----- Original Message ----- 

From: mccleskey112 at bellsouth.net 

To: Pianotech List 

Sent: Monday, April 14, 2008 8:21 AM

Subject: Re: Drumming up business




Gregor: One thing about reminder cards is that they are non-threatening and safe. But they are expensive and time consuming over the long haul. Be brave and use the phone. You are already paying for it, use it. Here's how it works. When you finish tuning, ask the customer how often they would like to have their piano tuned. Then ask if they would like a reminder call. If the answer is yes, then schedule that call when you get home. When that date comes, make the call. 

Gerald McCleskey 


----- Original Message ----- 

From: Gregor _ 

To: Pianotech List 

Sent: Monday, April 14, 2008 4:04 AM

Subject: RE: Drumming up business



Reminder cards work better than phone calls for me. When I call on the phone I often hear: my mom is not at home. Or: that´s my husbands decision. Or something like that. I have reminder cards which shows on the front side the same like my business card, just a little bit greater. On the backside it reads: short reminder: your piano was not tuned for more than 1 year. Pianos should be tuned each year. Then they sound best. I have immediate resonance of 10 % within 2 weeks. But most of my customers have that post card on their pinboard for a long time and one day they call me. I send this card to a customer every 12, 24, 36 and 48 month. If I get no response, I delete the customers data. I think that in the long run this is better than phone calls.

Gregor


Date: Sun, 13 Apr 2008 14:10:45 +0100
From: ljinno at googlemail.com
To: pianotech at ptg.org
Subject: Drumming up business


Hi, 

I am in the process of trying to revive my business, kids need shoes, wife needs new outfit etc.  I have been sending out reminders but its not very effective......Well what I mean is, customers, when they eventually get in touch say "I got your note" but this is very often over a year after I sent it to them!.  

So, can any of you give me guidance on effective wording for a reminder.

 

Also, if anyone has a database that throws up names and addresses of customers due for tuning and is willing to share it, many of us would love to here from you.

 

Thanks in anticipation

Lee


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