[pianotech] What do you say?

[Paul McCloud]

    I use Constant Contact to make a monthly newsletter, which my customers appreciate.  I put an article on some topic, like what to look for in a used piano, how to clean/polish the cabinet, etc.  There's always a special offer coupon, and a personal note from me.  Sometimes I'll try to post some current events in town, reprinted from a local paper.  Of course, a link to my website.  It keeps my business in their minds, not really a direct reminder, but it helps.  I've got about 450 emails, but a lot more I need to collect.  People are reluctant to give out their email address because of all the spam they get.  If you make a "free drawing" and link it to their email, you'll get a good response.
    Constant Contact is only about $15/mo., and they supply software for making the email look like a website, and in fact will help you turn it into a website, too.  They will call you and ask if they can help, and hold local seminars in a hotel to show how to get started.  You can learn quite a bit there.  If you're design-challenged, you can hire an expert to design for you.  I'm very impressed with their operation.  There are other email programs for the same thing.  The program is very careful to allow anybody to opt out at any time, after which you won't be able to send Constant Contact email blasts to them.  Management of your emails is extremely easy, as you can upload from any list, Excel file, manually or whatever, and it will cross check for duplicates, etc.  
    FWIW.
    Paul McCloud
    San Diego



----- Original Message ----- 
From: Dean May 
To: pianotech at ptg.org
Sent: 02/01/2011 6:54:26 AM 
Subject: Re: [pianotech] What do you say?


We should all be collecting email addresses, I hope you all are. Redesign your database form if you have to, to include an email address field. Make sure you ask for it when filling it in for a new customer. Ask for it when you have an existing customer on the phone and the form is up in front of you. And while you're at it, get their cell phone numbers. It is hard to get in the habit of collecting these. I still forget and I've been getting them for almost 20 years now. 

Email is a great way to communicate with your customers, it's free and it doesn't interrupt your customer's life like a phone call. They can read it and respond at their leisure. Using a mail merge program it is super easy to send monthly reminders. My active customers get a reminder every three months, inactive ones get one once a year. 

Get with the 90s, err, 21st century. Electronic messaging is increasingly the preferred method of communication. I not only email, but I also sometimes use texting with the cell numbers I collect. For example, I'll text if there is a schedule problem and I'm having trouble reaching them by phone, or to let them know when I'm 15 minutes away. But you've got to have the cell phone number first to be able to do this.

Dean



Ask them for an email address. You may be able to write an email that will automatically send the day before. If your email program won't do that, then write out the email, save it to drafts, set a reminder on your calendar, then send it from the drafts. Sending an email is easy.

Dean



That's a great idea, that will be easier to do. Most people read their e-mail at least once a day, even when they are on the mainland. 

Thanks, Dean

Wim
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