<html xmlns:v="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:vml" xmlns:o="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" xmlns:w="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:word" xmlns:st1="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/TR/REC-html40" xmlns:ns1="http://schemas.microsoft.com/office/2004/12/omml"> <head> <meta http-equiv=Content-Type content="text/html; charset=us-ascii"> <meta name=Generator content="Microsoft Word 11 (filtered medium)"> <o:SmartTagType namespaceuri="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" name="PostalCode"/> <o:SmartTagType namespaceuri="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" name="State"/> <o:SmartTagType namespaceuri="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" name="City"/> <o:SmartTagType namespaceuri="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" name="place"/>  <style>  </style>  </head> <body lang=EN-US link=blue vlink=purple> <div class=Section1> My oldest brother was very successful in a variety of businesses and he found that YP ads were not worth the money. After some personal experience I have verified that to my satisfaction.<o:p></o:p> <o:p> </o:p> If you have a business phone (a rip off, an excuse for them to charge you an extra $25/mo) you will automatically get a non-bold single line entry in the yellow pages. Any other phone book company that comes in will by necessity include all of those basic listings. They have to, for if consumers go to use the book and discover it is missing numbers they will lose confidence in it. That is usually their big draw: they include even more numbers than the phone company’s book- usually from surrounding areas. <o:p></o:p> <o:p> </o:p> If you wish to be listed in regional books outside your area that will cost you even for a basic listing. I’ve tried it and it hasn’t been real successful. <o:p></o:p> <o:p> </o:p> Your main source of new customers will be referrals. So my strategy is to cultivate my existing database of customers. They get a mailer from me at least twice a year with my office number, my toll free number, my cell phone number, my email address and my web address. I also leave a business card on every piano I tune with all that info, every time. I print them out myself on my color laser printer- heavy 32 lb ultra bright paper and cut them out on a cutter. <o:p></o:p> <o:p> </o:p> I highly recommend investing in a color laser printer. After getting an HP and being killed on consumable cost I did a lot of research and got a Ricoh C410DN with automatic duplexing. It was rated at lowest consumable cost and my experience concurs. I’ve had it over a year, run 20,000 copies, and still have 25-45% on my toner cartridges rated at 15,000 copies. They cost about $400 to change them all.<o:p></o:p> <o:p> </o:p> My other brother proved to himself that a simple headshot picture of him on his ads was very effective. People like to see who they are going to do business with (of course if you are an unsavory looking character this might be a disadvantage). My color picture is on every piece I produce: post card, business card, thank you card, letterhead, etc. <o:p></o:p> <o:p> </o:p> I also recommend getting a vanity toll free number with matching web address. Get your phone number at <a href="http://www.tollfreenumbers.com/">www.tollfreenumbers.com</a>. Mine is 1-888-DEAN-MAY. It only costs me for the actual minutes that it is used, and it is the same rate as all my long distance minutes. I use Powernet Global, <a href="http://www.pngcom.com/">www.pngcom.com</a> and I think the rate is around 4 cents a minute.<o:p></o:p> <o:p> </o:p> If you have a close by regional area that is long distance, there is an easy way for you to get a local number for those customers if you don’t want to go the toll free route. Just get a pre-paid TracFone for that city. It’ll be a local call to them and you only pay 10 cents a minute when they call. The number won’t, however, be listed in their phone book unless you pay to have it listed. <o:p></o:p> <o:p> </o:p> Get your web address at <a href="http://www.godaddy.com/">www.godaddy.com</a>. You can get a website up with basic contact information pretty easy. An easy to remember phone number and/or web address is very important if you don’t want your customers going to the YP to find you. <o:p></o:p> <o:p> </o:p> Word of mouth referrals is your best source. Work your customers, keep reminding them you are a great guy. ;-)<o:p></o:p> <o:p> </o:p> <div> Dean<o:p></o:p> <u1:PERSONNAME u2:st="on">Dean May</u1:PERSONNAME>             cell 812.239.3359 <o:p></o:p> PianoRebuilders.com   812.235.5272 <o:p></o:p> <u1:PLACE u2:st="on"><u1:CITY u2:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on"><st1:City w:st="on"><u3:place u4:st="on"><u3:City u4:st="on">Terre Haute</st1:City></u3:place></u1:CITY></u3:City> <u1:STATE u2:st="on"><st1:State u5:st="on"><st1:State w:st="on">IN</st1:State></u1:STATE></st1:State>  <u1:POSTALCODE u2:st="on"><st1:PostalCode u6:st="on"><st1:PostalCode w:st="on">47802</st1:PostalCode></u1:POSTALCODE></st1:PostalCode></st1:place></u1:PLACE><o:p></o:p> </div> <div id=u8CA9A052926B740-B0C-16C0>  <o:p></o:p> </div> </div> </body> </html>