Best approach for acquiring new business.

[Paul T Williams]

All this...and don't call on Mondays! ;>)  If you have the time and a full 
tank of gas..dropping into the church offices can pay off down the line. 
Pick large churches  that are apt to have many pianos.

Paul



A440A at aol.com 
Sent by: pianotech-bounces at ptg.org
10/20/2008 10:25 AM
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Re: Best approach for acquiring new business.






Shawn asks:

<< 1: Sending out postcards to most or all of the churches in my area.  2: 

Good old fashion cold calls.  I have not tried the cold calls method for a 
few 
years, but I recall that it didn't work vary well for me previously.  On 
the 
other hand I don't want to waste money on sending out maybe 1000 postcards 
to 
get one tuning on a old Baldwin 243.  Why we all know nothing is a sure 
bet when 
trying to get new business we know some things work better than others. So 

what do you think the best and most profitable approach has been for you? 
>>

Greetings, 
     With the price of postage, and the flood of junk mail that seems to 
clog 
mailboxes these days, I would question the return on investment of sending 

cold post cards. The cold call is difficult, but if I was a music director 
at a 
church, and a service person contacted me about giving me more bang for 
the 
buck, I would listen, at least.  You can warm up these calls a little by 
having 
a name they know as a reference. 
    You may need to offer a tuning for his/her consideration.  Make it on 
the 
basis of "If this piano doesn't sound great, you don't need to pay me." Be 

aware that often the choir director has their own personal tuner doing the 

church pianos, too, and there is little chance you will break that 
arrangement. 
   The most profitable approach for me was to not only do high quality 
work, 
but make sure the customer understood the difference between that and 
mediocre 
work. Bill Garlick always told us that educating the customer was a big 
part 
of the job.   I was sorta prideful and stupid in the beginning, thinking 
that 
advertising was just for those whose work wasn't up to snuff.  That is a 
dumb 
approach for someone early in their career, but what did I know?!  A 
chance 
encounter with Harold Bradley,(a big name in Nashville), broke me into the 

recording studios and a month later, I was swamped.  I have been as busy 
as I 
wanted to be since. 
   For the long term, putting the customers interest first is the best way 
to 
guarantee a successful career.  If you do this, customers will talk about 
you 
to their musical friends. This is the best way to get new business. There 
will be a few cases where it costs us money, but the investment is a sound 
one. 
 
    If you are sure of yourself, willing to look out for the customer's 
interest, and have the skills to do quality work for a fair price, the eye 
contact 
will transmit most of the important information.  Remember also that music 

teachers have far too much authority,(in the eyes of the parents of the 
kids 
taking lessons), and often have a musical ego to match.  They might be 
proud of 
that Acrosonic that they have taught lessons on for the last 20 years, so 
be 
careful about telling them it is a worn out piece of junk. 
    Ultimately, we need to remember that 90% of meaningful communication 
with 
most customers is non-verbal.  They make their decision primarily on how 
the 
feel about you, personally.  Honesty transmits itself, and sincerity is 
hard 
to fake.  It helps to not carry the stench of your last cigarette into the 

home,  and to not track mud across their rug.... 
 
Ed Foote RPT 
http://www.uk-piano.org/edfoote/index.html
www.uk-piano.org/edfoote/well_tempered_piano.html
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