<HTML><BODY><DIV style='font-family: "Verdana"; font-size: 10pt;'><DIV> <DIV>Liszt, </DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>Jumping in midway in the discussion...</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>Speaking from terms of similar marital experience--in terms of attempts, anyway--I'll speak up for the "separate but equal" method of going about our daily lives.  Gives us each something to contribute  at the dinner table, rather than discussing the same events of the day from completely different perspectives!  </DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>As for yellow page ads, as Andrew stated, large ones are money down the drain, imho.  Most of the calls I get from my little ad are from price shoppers.  In a large metropolitan area, that seems to be what people use the phone book for.  That's why I have a tiny little box in there, in case a client has lost my contact info.</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>In a smaller community, if there are only two or three piano tuners listed, it might be a different story.  </DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>Dave Stahl<BR></DIV> <BR>-----Original Message-----<BR>From: Robin Blankenship <tunerdude@comcast.net><BR>To: Pianotech List <pianotech@ptg.org><BR>Sent: Fri, 26 May 2006 08:50:00 -0400<BR>Subject: Re: yellow pages ad/James<BR><BR> <STYLE> .AOLPlainTextBody { margin: 0px; font-family: Tahoma, Verdana, Arial, Sans-Serif; font-size: 12px; color: #000; background-color: #fff; } .AOLPlainTextBody pre { font-size: 9pt; } .AOLInlineAttachment { margin: 10px; } .AOLAttachmentHeader { border-bottom: 2px solid #E9EAEB; background: #F9F9F9; } .AOLAttachmentHeader .Title { font: 11px Tahoma; font-weight: bold; color: #666666; background: #E9EAEB; padding: 3px 0px 1px 10px; } .AOLAttachmentHeader .FieldLabel { font: 11px Tahoma; font-weight: bold; color: #666666; padding: 1px 10px 1px 9px; } .AOLAttachmentHeader .FieldValue { font: 11px Tahoma; color: #333333; } </STYLE> <DIV id=AOLMsgPart_3_9a38bf94-4e0c-4072-b916-f313570aaf03> <STYLE></STYLE> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Based on my own personal experience, I can attest to the notion that husband and wife working together in a business can bring a much deeper sense of joys and unity and togetherness and bonding in the marriage.</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>It can also bring on much greater opportunity for mischief and attorney fees during the divorce.</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>I've tried it three times so far and always gotten the same results!! LOL.</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Robin Blankenship, now learning how to use the telephone himself</FONT></DIV> <BLOCKQUOTE 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=tvaktvak@sbcglobal.net href="javascript:parent.ComposeTo('tvaktvak@sbcglobal.net');">Tom Sivak</A> </DIV> <DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>To:</B> <A title=pianotech@ptg.org href="javascript:parent.ComposeTo('pianotech@ptg.org');">Pianotech List</A> </DIV> <DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Sent:</B> Friday, May 26, 2006 8:44 AM</DIV> <DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Subject:</B> Re: yellow pages ad/James</DIV> <DIV><BR></DIV> <DIV>James,</DIV> <DIV><BR>Now that's an interesting idea, but how?  I mean, there ain't no payroll!  I, myself, don't get a 'paycheck' from my own business, I get checks from the clients, made out to me, and I deposit them in our joint checking account.  <BR><BR>Perhaps I'd have to incorporate to be able to legitimize this.  I like the thinking behind this concept, though...</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>Tom Sivak<BR><BR><B><I>Pianoman <pianoman@accessus.net></I></B> wrote:</DIV> <BLOCKQUOTE class=replbq style="PADDING-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; BORDER-LEFT: #1010ff 2px solid">PLUS you can put her on the payroll and YOUR income that is taxed will go <BR>down.<BR><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,Table Timepieces<BR>(314) 845-8282 1526 Raspberry Lane Arnold, MO 63010<BR>Researcher of St. Louis Theatre History<BR>BECOME WHAT YOU BELIEVE!<BR>pianoman@accessus.net<BR>----- Original Message ----- <BR>From: "Tom Sivak" <TVAKTVAK@SBCGLOBAL.NET><BR>To: "Pianotech List" <PIANOTECH@PTG.ORG><BR>Sent: Thursday, May 25, 2006 8:05 PM<BR>Subject: Re: yellow pages ad<BR><BR><BR>> Marshall,<BR>><BR>> I get on the average, about 50-60 calls from the Yellow Pages each year. <BR>> That has been pretty consistent over the past 10 years. And that was with <BR>> just a listing, no ad, no bold type. From what I understand, the Yellow <BR>> Pages are changing their format/boundaries this year. They are combining <BR>> several areas together into one larger book that will cover a larger area. <BR>> So, we'll have to see how that impacts things. We'll get wider coverage, <BR>> but there will be more tuners listed in each book.<BR>><BR>> I know you're eager to start and grow, as a business and as a technician. <BR>> I wish you luck.<BR>><BR>> Now here's something that kept me going, through the years, when times <BR>> were leaner.<BR>><BR>> I kept statistics on the growth of my business. Total number of tunings, <BR>> by the year, and by the month. New business vs. repeat business. <BR>> Referrals vs. Yellow Pages. (I never kept track of grands vs. verticals. <BR>> I'm not that anal!)<BR>><BR>> All this not only helped me to understand how to help my business grow in <BR>> the future, but it helped me, psychologically, as I looked at the meager <BR>> sum I had earn ed this past year. At least knowing that it was 150% of the <BR>> amount I made last year helped. Sometimes I'd feel like business was down <BR>> and I'd look at my 'progress chart' and realize that although 'X' tunings <BR>> wasn't enough this past month, it was more than I had ever made in that <BR>> same month of any year previous.<BR>><BR>> As long as we're on the subject, I just had my best month, ever, this <BR>> past February, where I tuned 65 pianos. My previous best was 38. WooHOO! <BR>> It may not be the 80 pianos I would liked to have had, but it's closer <BR>> than ever! (I have to credit my wife for this surge in business. She <BR>> lost her job, so she's at home answering the phone, making my <BR>> appointments, and calling our clients whose pianos are due to be tuned. <BR>> She has increased my business by about 40% since starting with me in <BR>> January.)<BR>><BR>> Been in business about 10 years now,<BR>> Tom Sivak<BR>> Chicago<BR>><BR>><BR>> pianotune05@comcast.net wrote:<BR>> HI Terry,<BR>> My name is listed in the piano tuning and repair section. It's just a <BR>> listing.<BR>> Marshall<BR>><BR>> -------------- Original message -------------- <BR>> From: "Farrell" <MFARREL2@TAMPABAY.RR.COM><BR>> "just my name phone number "<BR>><BR>> Is it an ad? Does it say you are a piano technician? Is it listed in the <BR>> Piano Technician (or Tuning) section?<BR>><BR>> Terry Farrell<BR>> ----- Original Message ----- <BR>><BR>> Well, the new 2006 ATT phone books are out. I have a listing in it, just <BR>> my name phone number and our town abbreviated, although some people think <BR>> that South Bend is a city. Anyway, I'm curious as to how long it took you <BR>> guys out there to get your first call from your first yellow pages <BR>> listing. This way I'll know roughly what to expect and not set my <BR>> expectations too high. Thanks all.<BR>> Marshall<BR>><BR>> <BR><BR><BR ></BLOCKQUOTE><BR> <DIV> <HR> <DIV></DIV>No virus found in this incoming message.<BR>Checked by AVG Free Edition.<BR>Version: 7.1.394 / Virus Database: 268.7.1/348 - Release Date: 5/25/2006<BR></BLOCKQUOTE></DIV> <DIV class=AOLPlainTextBody id=AOLMsgPart_4_9a38bf94-4e0c-4072-b916-f313570aaf03><PRE><TT>No virus found in this outgoing message. Checked by AVG Free Edition. Version: 7.1.394 / Virus Database: 268.7.1/348 - Release Date: 5/25/2006 </TT></PRE></DIV> <SCRIPT> if ((parent != null) && (parent.ProcessCommand != null)) parent.ProcessCommand('bodyLoaded', true); </SCRIPT> </DIV></DIV></BODY></HTML>