<!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.0 Transitional//EN"> <HTML><HEAD> <META http-equiv=Content-Type = content=text/html;charset=ISO-8859-1> <META content="MSHTML 6.00.2900.2802" name=GENERATOR></HEAD> <BODY text=#000000 bgColor=#ffffff> <DIV><FONT face=Arial>Hi John,</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial>Thanks for the encouraging e-mail.  I'm = sorry if I misled anyone in thinking that i"m out to trick customers. E-mail is unfortunately that way, can't put tone ore xpression in it.</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial>As for churches, no such luck. One of my tech = friends has most of the churches, and I've talked to him about tuning them because = he is tired of driving to our community.  I do have some income at least = and we're not starving at least.  God is providing, and we pray on a = daily basis about this tuning. He continues to help me improve my = skills.  i'm curious, what is a strobe tuner?  Is that one of those electronic = chromatic tuners that are real cheap under 100 bucks?  </FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial>Marshall</FONT></DIV> <BLOCKQUOTE dir=ltr style="PADDING-RIGHT: 0px; PADDING-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; = BORDER-LEFT: #000000 2px solid; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px"> <DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial">----- Original Message ----- </DIV> <DIV style="BACKGROUND: #e4e4e4; FONT: 10pt arial; font-color: = black"><B>From:</B> <A title=john@formsmapiano.com = href="mailto:john@formsmapiano.com">John Formsma</A> </DIV> <DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>To:</B> <A = title=pianotech@ptg.org href="mailto:pianotech@ptg.org">Pianotech List</A> </DIV> <DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Sent:</B> Wednesday, January 18, = 2006 5:12 PM</DIV> <DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Subject:</B> Re: One Piano = Per....??</DIV> <DIV><BR></DIV><FONT size=-1><FONT = face=Verdana>Marshall,<BR><BR>Here's what you said originally, "</FONT></FONT> I'm seriously thinking about = calling churches etc and saying, 'Hello, I'm calling to schedule your piano = tuning', and seeing if the take me up on it, or say, 'Oh we have a tuner = already.' "<BR><BR><SMALL><FONT face=Verdana>What you wrote sounds like you = are trying to trick a hapless secretary into thinking you are the regular tuner = for the church who is calling to set up his regular tuning. You may not have = intended it to sound this way when you wrote it, but that is how it appears to me.<BR><BR>I can understand your frustration about needing money at = this time, but if you want to build a legitimate and lasting piano service = business, I would not do it this way. You have to begin somewhere, and right now, = it looks as if you are at the very bottom working your way up. There is nothing = wrong with beginning. But there is everything wrong with expecting to get = tunings immediately (and for full price) when your skills are yet unknown to most.<BR><BR>How about going to the area churches and tuning a few for = almost nothing? At least you would be getting experience, and I bet churches = would be willing to let you do some work, especially if they understand your = need. Many churches have programs to help those in need, and it's not like you're = asking for a handout. You are wanting to work. Even if you could negotiate a = tuning for $15-20, it beats sitting at home earning nothing.<BR><BR>There is = a blind tuner in my area who got one of "my" churches this way, so I know it = worked for him. The music director told me that his work is not as good as = mine, but they are using him to "help him out." But you have to know what you're = doing and prove your skills or you will never last long term. Another newbie = is out there turning pins (probably with a Strobe tuner from the way they = sound), and has tuned some of "my" regulars. No big deal, I'm neither worried nor = bitter because I know that without good training, they will never last long = term. Chances are I'll get the customer again, and if I don't, there is = plenty of work for me to do right now. I'm working on improving my skills and = adding new things to the list of what I can do, so I'll probably be correcting = their mistakes for quite some time. ;-)<BR><BR></FONT></SMALL><SMALL><FONT face=Verdana>Proverbs 14:23 </FONT></SMALL><SMALL><FONT = face=Verdana>says, "In all labor there is profit, But mere talk leads only to poverty." You = cannot talk your way into work. As Dave Ramsey says, you have to leave the = cave, kill something, and drag it home. ;-) Hey, I know it's tough. I don't like = getting out of my comfort zone either. But if you want it, you gotta work hard = to get it and keep it.<BR><BR>Hope this is helpful, Marshall.<BR><BR>John Formsma<BR><BR></FONT></SMALL><BR>pianotune05 wrote: <BLOCKQUOTE cite=mid001d01c61c70$0ba27970$1174b143@eva12marshal0g type="cite"><META content="MSHTML 6.00.2900.2802" = name=GENERATOR> <STYLE></STYLE> <DIV><FONT face=Arial>Hi John,</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial>Why is it dishonest to call and schedule to = tune a piano?  If the have a tuner, they'll tell me, and have told = me.  I guess I'm not seeing the connection.  I'm offering a service to = tune a piano.  As for exploding over night, I agree, it won't do that, = but in a few weeks woud be OK.  </FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial>Marshall</FONT></DIV> <BLOCKQUOTE dir=ltr style="PADDING-RIGHT: 0px; PADDING-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; = BORDER-LEFT: rgb(0,0,0) 2px solid; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px"> <DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: = normal">----- Original Message ----- </DIV> <DIV style="BACKGROUND: rgb(228,228,228) 0% 50%; FONT: 10pt arial; = font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; moz-background-clip: = initial; moz-background-origin: initial; moz-background-inline-policy: = initial"><B>From:</B> <A title=john@formsmapiano.com = href="mailto:john@formsmapiano.com">John Formsma</A> </DIV> <DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: = normal"><B>To:</B> <A title=pianotech@ptg.org = href="mailto:pianotech@ptg.org">Pianotech List</A> </DIV> <DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: = normal"><B>Sent:</B> Wednesday, January 18, 2006 10:23 AM</DIV> <DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: = normal"><B>Subject:</B> Re: One Piano Per....??</DIV> <DIV><BR></DIV><FONT size=-1><FONT = face=Verdana>Marshall,<BR><BR>This might work short term, but think about how it might affect your = reputation down the road. I wouldn't want this to happen to me, and would = feel misled and wouldn't use you again. I think it's a fast way to get a shady = reputation.<BR><BR>Regarding churches, why not something like = this? Make an appointment to meet with the music director PERSONALLY and = explain your situation -- that you're new and wanting to gain experience. Then = ask if you can tune some of the older pianos, either </FONT></FONT><FONT size=-1><FONT face=Verdana>for </FONT></FONT><FONT = size=-1><FONT face=Verdana>free or a reduced rate. (Around here, there are = many infrequently tuned pianos that sit in Sunday School rooms.) Ask = the director to evaluate your work, and negotiate a rate correspondent = with your abilities. I'm thinking maybe about $25-40 per piano, but I'm = guessing because I don't know your abilities. This way, you at = least get some money coming in and/or you are gaining valuable experience = while getting your foot in the door. And, you will have an honest = reputation. If you do good work, you will get some referrals eventually. = <BR><BR>Don't expect your business to explode overnight.<BR><BR>John Formsma<BR></FONT></FONT><BR><A class=moz-txt-link-abbreviated = href="mailto:pianotune05@comcast.net">pianotune05@comcast.net</A> = wrote: <BLOCKQUOTE = cite=mid011820061355.22365.43CE48E80003EF930000575D2200734830CACF0A029A= 9B01020E079F@comcast.net type="cite"> <DIV>James, </DIV> <DIV>I figure I could get some tunings that way by perhaps = catching a few off guard.  They'll schedule me and I'm in.  I'd = hate to step on toes but I guess that's why they make steel tipped = shoes.  Look out, Marshall's comming!</DIV> <DIV>Marshall</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <BLOCKQUOTE style="PADDING-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; BORDER-LEFT: = rgb(16,16,255) 2px solid">-------------- Original message -------------- <BR>From: "James Grebe" <A class=moz-txt-link-rfc2396E = href="mailto:pianoman@accessus.net"><pianoman@accessus.net></A> <BR><BR>> That sounds like a good cold call tactic. = <BR>> James <BR>> James Grebe Piano Tuning & Repair Member of = M.P.T. <BR>> R.P.T. of the P.T.G. for over 30 years. "Member of = the Year" in 1989 <BR>> Creator of Handsome Hardwood Caster Cups, = Piano Benches, Writing <BR>> Instruments <BR>> (314) 845-8282 = 1526 Raspberry Lane Arnold, MO 63010 <BR>> BECOME WHAT YOU = BELIEVE! <BR>> <A class=moz-txt-link-abbreviated = href="mailto:pianoman@accessus.net">pianoman@accessus.net</A> <BR>> = ----- Original Message ----- <BR>> From: "pianotune05" = <PIANOTUNE05 @comcast.net=""><BR>> To: "Pianotech List" <PIANOTECH @ptg.org=""><BR>> Sent: Tuesday, January 17, 2006 8:44 PM = <BR>> Subject: Re: One Piano Per....?? <BR>> <BR>> <BR>> My = curiosity is, if one guy has all of the churchs, another has = all of the <BR>> schools, another has Not! re Dam, the other has = another college, and yet <BR>> another has IUSB, plus their loyal = customer base plus the other tunertechs <BR>> whom I do not know, = how do I <BR>> a. keep from stepping on toes? <BR>> b. find = customers that they don' t have if the store the only one in town = <BR>> cannot hire me? <BR>> Marshall <BR>> ps. Maybe I need = some sort of low vision device in order to see these so <BR>> called = pianos that are out there not being tuned. I'm seriously thinking = <BR>> about calling churches etc and saying, "Hello, I'm calling to = schedule your <BR>> piano tuning", and seeing if the take me up on = it, or say, "Oh we have a <BR>> tuner already." <BR>> (grrr = pulling hair out saying how much I hate this community!) <BR>> = <BR>> ----- Original Message ----- <BR>> From: Brian Doepke = <BR>> To: 'An open list for piano technicians' <BR>> Sent: Tuesday, = January 17, 2006 4:21 PM <BR>> Subject: One Piano Per....?? = <BR>> <BR>&! gt; <BR>> What is the average number of = households that own a piano? <BR>> <BR>> <BR>> <BR>> 1 in 75 ? 1 = in 100 ? <BR>> <BR>> <BR>> <BR>> This is not a quiz, I am = just asking. <BR>> <BR>> <BR>> <BR>> Brian P. Doepke = <BR>> <BR>> <BR>> <BR>> AAA Piano Works, Inc. <BR>> = <BR>> 260-432-2043 <BR>> <BR>> 260-417-1298 <BR>> <BR>> = <BR>> <BR>> <BR>> = _______________________________________________ <BR>> Pianotech list info: <A class=moz-txt-link-freetext = = href="https://www.moypiano.com/resources/#archives">http://www.ptg.org= /mailman/listinfo/pianotech</A> = </PIANOTECH></PIANOTUNE05></BLOCKQUOTE></BLOCKQUOTE></BLOCKQUOTE></BLOCKQ= UOTE></BLOCKQUOTE></BODY></HTML>