<!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 6.00.2900.2873" name=GENERATOR> <STYLE></STYLE> </HEAD> <BODY bgColor=#ffffff> <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="mailto:tvaktvak@sbcglobal.net">Tom Sivak</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> 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 earned 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> <P> <HR> <P></P>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></BODY></HTML>