<HTML style="FONT-SIZE: x-small; FONT-FAMILY: MS Sans Serif"><HEAD> <META charset=US-ASCII http-equiv=Content-Type content="text/html; charset=US-ASCII"> <META content="MSHTML 6.00.2900.2963" name=GENERATOR></HEAD> <BODY style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial; BACKGROUND-COLOR: #ffffff"> <DIV> <DIV><FONT face="MS Sans Serif">Julia,</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face="MS Sans Serif"></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face="MS Sans Serif">I think that if you do what YOU are comfortable with, then over the years you will collect a clientele which is comfortable with what you do.  Some folks want/need the aggressive followup calls, others resent.  Personally, I am comfortable with one card, which, if ignored, does not get repeated.  My clients love the reminder, sometimes it sits on their fridge for a while before they call, but eventually they call.  If they never call, I don't want them as clients.  Non-responders and their pianos tend to be higher maintenance than they are willing to pay for.  I want clients who are attentive to their pianos' needs, and who appreciate a well-maintained piano.  "I knew it was time to call for a tuning when the third key stopped working."  As a result of my somewhat passive approach, my tuning business is not demanding all of my time, but then I always have at least one rebuild project to absorb the extra time.  So you see it is a matter of personal preference, both yours and the customer's.  And it you are consistently true to yourself, you will eventually gather the clientele that you want.</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face="MS Sans Serif"></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face="MS Sans Serif">Our chapter recently hosted a speaker on "business building" , a tuner from a neighboring chapter.  He would mail a series of cards at 6 months, 12 months, 18 months...  each time escalating the urgency of the message about the consequences of neglecting piano maintenance.  Seemed like a nice compromise between my single card, and the aggressive telemarketing.</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face="MS Sans Serif"></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face="MS Sans Serif">JMO, and YMMV.</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face="MS Sans Serif"></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face="MS Sans Serif">Mike</FONT></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=KeyKat88@aol.com href="mailto:KeyKat88@aol.com"></A></DIV> <DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>To: </B><A title=pianotech@ptg.org href="mailto:pianotech@ptg.org">pianotech@ptg.org</A></DIV> <DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Sent:</B> 10/7/2006 8:06:13 AM </DIV> <DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Subject:</B> Business: getting and keeping customers</DIV> <DIV><BR></DIV><FONT size=2> <DIV>Greetings, </DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>        Is it advantageous to be agressive with customers, ie; sending reminder cards twice or calling if they dont call for a tuning within a month after you'e sent them one reminder? Or....is it a turn off. I tend to think it is a turn off.</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>        Before I was a tuner, when I needed my piano tuned, I simply called my tuner. IMHO, it is something you just <EM>neeeed</EM> as a piano player!  My tuners throughout the years <EM>never</EM> sent me a reminder card.  I do send them to my customers. I usually ask if they want a reminder.  Thoughts?</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>Julia </DIV> <DIV>Reading, PA</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV> </DIV></FONT></BLOCKQUOTE></BODY></HTML>