<HTML><HEAD> <META content="MSHTML 6.00.2900.2873" name=GENERATOR></HEAD> <BODY> <DIV> <DIV><FONT face="MS Sans Serif" size=2>I once analyzed and considered this question for several days. The results of my pondering?</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face="MS Sans Serif" size=2></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face="MS Sans Serif" size=2>I would NEVER under any circumstances pay anyone, ever, for any client list. I believe it has almost no value, whatsoever.</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face="MS Sans Serif" size=2></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face="MS Sans Serif" size=2>Wow!</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face="MS Sans Serif" size=2></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face="MS Sans Serif" size=2>In any business, a customer or client list has only limited loyalty to the company. If the company changes---especially if the company is one person---ALL of that loyalty instantly disappears. The new owner (or in this case, any new tuner) must build his own lists and loyalties and referrals one customer at a time.</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face="MS Sans Serif" size=2></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face="MS Sans Serif" size=2>There was a piano store, Baldwin dealer, in my little town for four generations. They offered to sell to me. No, thanks, says I: Your piano business is supporting your small, dying retail business and I don't want to sit in a building trying to sell guitars and such against much larger stores not too far away and against the growing Internet.</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face="MS Sans Serif" size=2></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face="MS Sans Serif" size=2>But, says them, you'd get our piano customer list! Whoop-di-doo. No thanks.</FONT></DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face="MS Sans Serif" size=2>They sold to a non-piano person who really wanted to sit there and sell guitars---no real interest in learning the piano tech line. He went under chop-chop.</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face="MS Sans Serif" size=2></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face="MS Sans Serif" size=2>Meanwhile I, who really do not advertise in any way other than business cards and word of mouth, have gradually built up a base of customers as loyal as can be expected, i.e., some very loyal, some casually loyal, some fickle, and a few whom I'll probably never see again. And my list includes many from the old piano shop.</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face="MS Sans Serif" size=2></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face="MS Sans Serif" size=2>Moral: If you leave town, the other piano guys will QUICKLY gobble up your list. And someone who paid you for a sneak peak---even with aggressive telemarketing to announce "Ta Daa" that you are in business---will have very little advantage.</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face="MS Sans Serif" size=2></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face="MS Sans Serif" size=2>Sorry, that's how I see it. In another business life, I used to share an office building with a business brokerage firm and they flat told me: A purely service or consulting business has no real value beyond it's tangible, physical assets---and even they must be discounted severely to attract a buyer.</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face="MS Sans Serif" size=2></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face="MS Sans Serif" size=2>Now I know that some have sold and others have purchased tuning businesses, and I think it would be great if they'd share their thoughts and experiences. But from what I learned, and from my own experience, I wouldn't pay dime.</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face="MS Sans Serif" size=2></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face="MS Sans Serif" size=2>Alan</FONT> Barnard</DIV> <DIV> <DIV>Salem, Missouri</DIV> <DIV> </DIV></DIV></DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <BLOCKQUOTE style="PADDING-RIGHT: 0px; PADDING-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; BORDER-LEFT: #000000 2px solid"> <DIV style="FONT: 10pt Arial">----- Original Message ----- </DIV> <DIV style="BACKGROUND: #e4e4e4; FONT: 10pt arial; font-color: black"><B>From:</B> <A title=innuuuu@yahoo.com href="mailto:innuuuu@yahoo.com">Terence Miller</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> 05/25/2006 9:39:02 AM </DIV> <DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Subject:</B> What's It Worth?</DIV> <DIV><BR></DIV><FONT size=2>Dear List:<BR><BR>Suppose you're an experienced Technician and you came into a new area. It wasn't easy but over 5 years you built up a practice from the ground up, in this rural/suburban setting, of 500 or so of the usual mix of clients: great, good, and maybe not-so-good. Something has come up, and you've got to leave town.<BR><BR>There are a couple of Technicians in the area, and a couple of tooners. Your 'book' isn't huge, but it would be a boost to any of them.<BR><BR>You want your clients to be well taken care of.<BR><BR>You could use some cash.<BR><BR><BR><BR><BR>What's running through your mind?<BR>What's it worth?<BR>What should you sell it for?<BR>What kind of deal makes sense?<BR><BR>OR<BR><BR>If you were one of the Technicians or tooners:<BR>What should you pay?<BR>How and when should you pay it?<BR><BR><BR><BR><BR>Terry Miller<BR><BR>(think succession planning)<BR><BR><BR> <P> <HR SIZE=1> Do you Yahoo!?<BR>Get on board. <A href="http://us.rd.yahoo.com/evt=40791/*http://advision.webevents.yahoo.com/handraisers">You're invited</A> to try the new Yahoo! Mail Beta. </FONT></BLOCKQUOTE></BODY></HTML>