<div> In a culture notorious for it's shortsightedness, it may not at first make sense that turning down work that is below your standards is the best way to build a client base.  Dean's testimony below is consistent with what I have observed over three decades in this business: the best technicians don't advertise at all, and they get referrals when stores (or whomever) want to be associated with "the best."  You may need to eat some mayonnaise sandwiches in the short run, but if you desire the rewards of doing the best possible work on good pianos for people who know the difference and are ready to pay for it, today is the day to start heading in that direction.  It's a choice we all have to make.<br> <br> Alan Eder<br> </div> <div> <br> </div> <div> <br> </div> -----Original Message-----<br> From: Dean May <deanmay@pianorebuilders.com><br> To: 'Pianotech List' <pianotech@ptg.org><br> Sent: Thu, 19 Jul 2007 6:40 am<br> Subject: RE: Wanting to do it right<br> <br> <div id="AOLMsgPart_2_243dfcd8-5cbb-421b-9256-2d1a59ed4264"> <style></style> <div class="Section1"> <div class="MsoNormal"><font color="navy" face="Arial" size="2"><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Arial; color: navy;">In the early years of developing my business I had a pretty tough time securing customers. The dealer relationship was by far the easiest way to do it. After 25 years in the business I don’t even have a yellow page ad anymore. I just work my existing client base with mailers and somehow I keep getting new customers. </span></font></div> <div class="MsoNormal"><font color="navy" face="Arial" size="2"><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Arial; color: navy;"> </span></font></div> <div> <div class="MsoAutoSig"><b><font color="navy" face="Bradley Hand ITC" size="6"><span style="font-size: 22pt; font-family: "Bradley Hand ITC"; color: navy; font-weight: bold;">Dean</span></font></b><font color="navy"><span style="color: navy;"></span></font></div> <div class="MsoAutoSig" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><font color="navy" face="Times New Roman" size="3"><span style="font-size: 12pt; color: navy;">Dean May             cell 812.239.3359 </span></font></div> <div class="MsoAutoSig" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><font color="navy" face="Times New Roman" size="3"><span style="font-size: 12pt; color: navy;">PianoRebuilders.com   812.235.5272 </span></font></div> <div class="MsoAutoSig" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><font color="navy" face="Times New Roman" size="3"><span style="font-size: 12pt; color: navy;">Terre Haute</span></font><font color="navy"><span style="color: navy;"> IN  47802</span></font></div> </div> <div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;" align="center"><font face="Times New Roman" size="3"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> <hr align="center" size="2" width="100%"> </span></font></div> <div class="MsoNormal"><b><font face="Tahoma" size="2"><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Tahoma; font-weight: bold;">From:</span></font></b><font face="Tahoma" size="2"><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Tahoma;"> <a href="mailto:pianotech-bounces@ptg.org">pianotech-bounces@ptg.org</a> [<a href="mailto:pianotech-bounces@ptg.org?">mailto:pianotech-bounces@ptg.org</a>] <b><span style="font-weight: bold;">On Behalf Of </span></b><a href="mailto:ITUNEPIANO@aol.com">ITUNEPIANO@aol.com</a><br> <b><span style="font-weight: bold;">Sent:</span></b> Thursday, July 19, 2007 6:43 AM<br> <b><span style="font-weight: bold;">To:</span></b> <a href="mailto:pianotech@ptg.org">pianotech@ptg.org</a><br> <b><span style="font-weight: bold;">Subject:</span></b> Re: Wanting to do it right</span></font></div> </div> <div class="MsoNormal"><font face="Times New Roman" size="3"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span></font></div> <div> <div class="MsoNormal"><font color="black" face="Arial" size="2"><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Arial; color: black;">Sorry, Dean, I couldn't disagree more.  A tech/dealer relationship is a business one.  Just as a dealer demands a fair price for a piano, a tech is due fair compensation for his work.   Any extra work should be compensated at a reasonable price.  Every time I've worked for a store, it's been my most expensive source of new customers compared my other sources.    Any store demanding a tech do work and not get paid is ripping the tech off.  Bob.</span></font></div> </div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12pt;"><font color="black" face="Arial" size="2"><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Arial; color: black;"><br> <br> </span></font></div> <div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 7.5pt; text-align: center;" align="center"><font color="black" face="Arial" size="2"><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Arial; color: black;"> <hr align="center" size="2" width="100%"> </span></font></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 7.5pt;"><font color="black" face="Arial" size="2"><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Arial; color: black;">Get a sneak peek of the all-new <a target="_blank" href="http://discover.aol.com/memed/aolcom30tour/?ncid=AOLAOF00020000000982" title="http://discover.aol.com/memed/aolcom30tour/?ncid=AOLAOF00020000000982">AOL.com</a>.</span></font></div> </div> </div> </div>  <div class="AOLPromoFooter"> <hr style="margin-top:10px;" /> AOL now offers free email to everyone. 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