<HTML style="FONT-SIZE: x-small; FONT-FAMILY: MS Sans Serif"><HEAD> <META http-equiv=Content-Type content="text/html; charset=windows-1251"> <META content="MSHTML 6.00.6000.16608" name=GENERATOR></HEAD> <BODY> <DIV>Here is something that ran in the Journal a couple of years ago.  You may have missed it.</DIV> <DIV> A Sign of the Times<?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" /><o:p></o:p> By Bruce Dornfeld, RPT<o:p></o:p> Economic Affairs Committee<o:p></o:p> <o:p> </o:p> <o:p> </o:p> In October of 2000, I bought my current tuning mobile: a VW Passat wagon.  One thing was determined before even choosing brand or model was the color.  Because of the signage for the business, it had to be white.  Of course many other factors went into the choice: covered cargo room, space in the back seat for a grand action, reliability, gas mileage and total cost.  I had been talking to the company who does the signage for many local police cars and various businesses even before buying the car. <o:p> </o:p> The logo for my business had been crudely formed in my mind for a few years before it got developed.  The letter D would form the top lid of the grand piano.  It would have an artistic flair and a solid look.  Since I cannot do everything well by myself, my wife, Sally, found a graphic artist that she had worked with who was just starting her own company.  It took months and many rejected drafts before getting it right.  It cost $525 in 1998 and it is on all forms, cards, and checks that the business uses. <o:p> </o:p> I love it on the car!  Previous cars have had other kinds of signs, but to me, the smaller ones, less expensive, or magnetic ones all look kind of cheap.  That is not consistent with the image I want projected for my piano service.  The current signs are custom cut and applied vinyl and can be removed when it retires from being a tuning mobile.  Many clients have seen the car pulling up in front of their house and knew who it was before I even got to the door.  People sometimes look at it as they write out checks to me.  Even on the occasions that the home alarms went off and the police arrived, they had it figured out as they pulled up and kept their guns holstered! <o:p> </o:p> Without doubt, it is the most cost effective advertising I have ever done.  The logo, name, and phone number are on both sides and the back of the car.  It cost $367.  There are twenty clients who told me this is how they found me.  Receipts from these folks total about $7,000.  I know some of them have given my name to others that I have worked for too.  My guess is that a good number of piano owners have seen it and were reminded to call their technician, that’s OK too.  If everyone keeps their pianos in good shape, there is plenty of work to go around!     </DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>Bruce Dornfeld, RPT</DIV> <DIV><A href="mailto:bdornfeld@earthlink.net">bdornfeld@earthlink.net</A></DIV> <DIV>North Shore Chapter</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> </BODY></HTML>