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<DIV><FONT face="Bookman Old Style" size=2>Hi Paul (and Paul),</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face="Bookman Old Style" size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face="Bookman Old Style" size=2>Am I allowed to respond if my name
isn't Paul? ;-]</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face="Bookman Old Style" size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face="Bookman Old Style" size=2>I second Paul B's ideas below with
one exception. I wouldn't recommend that you buy any names without
condition of acquisition. I had worked out a deal at one time with just
these types of parameters and it worked well. I paid the previous tech for
each client that I actually performed a service for after the introduction
letter went out. I would hesitate to get into an arrangement of paying for
just a list which really as no guarantees. This way, you both know what
the list is really worth, and the previous tech is compensated for that value
accordingly.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face="Bookman Old Style" size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face="Bookman Old Style" size=2>William R. Monroe</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face="Bookman Old Style" size=2></FONT> </DIV>
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<DIV>SNIP</DIV>
<DIV><FONT face="Bookman Old Style" size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV>Have the retiring gent "introduce" you to his (living) clientele. This
may be a mailing that you do in his name (with his blessing, of course) or him
phoning everyone, or something else. </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face="Bookman Old Style" size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV>SNIP</DIV>
<DIV><FONT face="Bookman Old Style" size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV>Definitely you need to acquire his phone number. </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face="Bookman Old Style" size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face="Bookman Old Style" size=2>SNIP</FONT><BR></DIV>
<DIV>My 2c,</DIV>
<DIV>Paul Bruesch</DIV>
<DIV>Stillwater, MN<BR><BR>
<DIV class=gmail_quote>On Fri, Oct 24, 2008 at 7:49 AM, Paul McCloud <SPAN
dir=ltr><<A
href="mailto:pmc033@earthlink.net">pmc033@earthlink.net</A>></SPAN>
wrote:<BR>
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<DIV>
<P></P>
<DIV>List: </DIV>
<DIV> I have been offered first dibs on a piano
business that has been gradually downsized over the past several
years. The owner, retiring at the end of the year, has been a
technician for 60 years, most of which were spent here in San Diego.
He used to have a store location with various new and used pianos, but has
given up piano sales, and does part time tuning. What he's offering is
his customer list, a few rental pianos (returned), tools and supplies, and a
few odd piano benches and other accessories. I know there has been
some discussion in the past about purchasing an existing business or
customer list, but I can't seem to find much in the archives. Maybe I
need a better search keyword. </DIV>
<DIV> I'm leaning towards some kind of arrangement
where I would pay for any customer on the list that actually becomes my
client. Paying for a couple thousand names where most of
them are dead, moved, or otherwise useless to me doesn't make sense.
I've got plenty of those anyway. I'm thinking that I would pay a
certain amount for any client I got from his list that actually became a
customer. I could put out a mailer that would introduce me to his
clients, asking them to call me for their next service. Someone
suggested to ask if he has a list of his most recent customers, and how much
business he has done in the last year with them. That figure would
tell me what I could expect to make if I did purchase his list. I'm
also keen to acqure his telephone number. He has moved into the shop
where I work, and has a corner of the room. When I'm there, I hear his
phone ring and I listen to the p! hone calls that come in as his answering
machine takes messages. </DIV>
<DIV> If any of you could offer advice, I'd be very
glad to have it.</DIV>
<DIV> Respectfully,</DIV>
<DIV> Paul McCloud, RPT</DIV>
<DIV> San Diego,
CA</DIV></DIV></BLOCKQUOTE></DIV></DIV></DIV></BLOCKQUOTE></BODY></HTML>