<font color='black' size='2' face='arial'><FONT face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"></FONT><br> <div style="FONT-FAMILY: arial,helvetica; COLOR: black; FONT-SIZE: 10pt"> <BLOCKQUOTE style="BORDER-LEFT: blue 2px solid; PADDING-LEFT: 3px"><SPAN class=093545018-01072011><FONT color=#0000ff size=2 face=Arial>Less than half of our membership are full time technicians, check the surveys</FONT></SPAN></BLOCKQUOTE></div> <div>Not only that, but our median age in almost 60. That means there are part time technicians for whom this profession is a second career, which they got into after retiring form another lucrative career, from which they are receiving retirement benefits. They belong the to PTG for a variety of reasons, but if the dues become more than they think justifies their benefits, they will drop their membership.  <br> </div> <div>I agree with Dale, a $100 increase in dues will drop our membership to below 3000, if not 2500. Yes, these will be the most dedicated members, but unfortunately, we can't afford such a drastic cut in income. <br> </div> <div>We need to come up with better ways to increase attendance at conventions, and increase membership. I've made some suggestions, but we need more input from more members. Someday, someone will come up with a magic solution, and we'll all say. "Now why didn't I think of that?" </div> <div style="CLEAR: both"></div> <div> </div> <div>Wim<br> <br> </div> <div style="FONT-FAMILY: arial,helvetica; COLOR: black; FONT-SIZE: 10pt">-----Original Message-----<br> From: Dale Probst <dale@wardprobst.com><br> To: pianotech <pianotech@ptg.org><br> Sent: Fri, Jul 1, 2011 1:01 pm<br> Subject: Re: [pianotech] [OT] Right Here, Right Now (was Stuff Which Should Really Be on PTG-L)<br> <br> <div id=AOLMsgPart_1_8e7011e8-c793-4055-b55c-50fc1da24022> <div><SPAN class=093545018-01072011><FONT color=#0000ff size=2 face=Arial>Less than half of our membership are full time technicians, check the surveys. I don't think you should underestimate the downside to raising dues 100%. I'm in favor of rational increases, I voted for and campaigned for every dues increase while on the board . I'm in favor of doing our best to close the gap without losing many of our valued members who have other professions. You are assuming less members and more money, will make this a "top notch organization". </FONT></SPAN></div> <div><SPAN class=093545018-01072011><FONT color=#0000ff size=2 face=Arial></FONT></SPAN> </div> <div><SPAN class=093545018-01072011><FONT color=#0000ff size=2 face=Arial>I don't buy it.. </FONT></SPAN></div> <div><SPAN class=093545018-01072011><FONT color=#0000ff size=2 face=Arial></FONT></SPAN> </div> <div><SPAN class=093545018-01072011><FONT color=#0000ff size=2 face=Arial>DP</FONT></SPAN></div> <div><SPAN class=093545018-01072011> <div align=left><FONT size=2>Dale Probst RPT</FONT></div> <div align=left><FONT size=2>Registered Piano Technician</FONT></div> <div align=left><FONT size=2>Ward & Probst, Inc.</FONT></div> <div align=left><FONT size=2><A href="http://www.wardprobst.com/" target=_blank>www.wardprobst.com</A></FONT></div> <div align=left><FONT size=2><A href="mailto:dale@wardprobst.com">dale@wardprobst.com</A></FONT></div> <div align=left><FONT size=2></FONT> </div> </SPAN></div> <BLOCKQUOTE style="MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px"> <div></div> <div dir=ltr lang=en-us class=OutlookMessageHeader align=left><FONT size=2 face=Tahoma>-----Original Message-----<br> <B>From:</B> <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>On Behalf Of </B>Ryan Sowers<br> <B>Sent:</B> Friday, July 01, 2011 1:39 PM<br> <B>To:</B> <A href="mailto:pianotech@ptg.org">pianotech@ptg.org</A><br> <B>Subject:</B> Re: [pianotech] Right Here, Right Now (was Stuff Which Should Really Be on PTG-L)(OT)<br> <br> </FONT></div> Like our piano service businesses, when you raise your rates, you mostly lose the lowest level of your clientele and keep the bottom feeders out of range. I think most technicians underestimate what they can charge. I don't think we should underestimate members willingness to pay for a top notch organization. <br> <br> If you are a full time technician $450 a year is a drop in the bucket in your yearly expenses. <br> <br> Ryan Sowers<br> <br> <br> <br> <div class=gmail_quote>On Fri, Jul 1, 2011 at 10:05 AM, Coleman, Jim <SPAN dir=ltr><<A href="mailto:jcolem21@utk.edu">jcolem21@utk.edu</A>></SPAN> wrote:<br> <BLOCKQUOTE style="BORDER-LEFT: #ccc 1px solid; MARGIN: 0px 0px 0px 0.8ex; PADDING-LEFT: 1ex" class=gmail_quote> <div lang=EN-US vlink="purple" link="blue"> <div> <div class=MsoNormal><SPAN style="COLOR: #1f497d; FONT-SIZE: 11pt">Alan & All,<U></U><U></U></SPAN></div> <div class=MsoNormal><SPAN style="COLOR: #1f497d; FONT-SIZE: 11pt">About 3 years ago my report to Council stated that for PTG to be a dues based operation the dues would have to be around $350.  Since then the cost of doing everything has gone up.  In today’s dollars they would probably need to be $400-$450.<U></U><U></U></SPAN></div> <div class=MsoNormal><SPAN style="COLOR: #1f497d; FONT-SIZE: 11pt">Personally I think that is where we should be (and it  would still be a bargin) but as Dale Probst has stated, we do not know what the fall-out would be in terms of losing members.<U></U><U></U></SPAN></div> <div class=MsoNormal><SPAN style="COLOR: #1f497d; FONT-SIZE: 11pt"><U></U><U></U></SPAN> </div> <div class=MsoNormal><SPAN style="COLOR: #1f497d; FONT-SIZE: 11pt">See you in KC!<U></U><U></U></SPAN></div> <div class=MsoNormal><SPAN style="COLOR: #1f497d; FONT-SIZE: 11pt"><U></U><U></U></SPAN> </div> <div> <div class=MsoNormal><SPAN style="COLOR: #1f497d; FONT-SIZE: 10pt">Jim Coleman, Jr   RPT<U></U><U></U></SPAN></div> <div class=MsoNormal><SPAN style="COLOR: #1f497d; FONT-SIZE: 8pt">  Staff Piano Technician<U></U><U></U></SPAN></div> <div class=MsoNormal><SPAN style="COLOR: #1f497d; FONT-SIZE: 8pt">     University of Tennessee<U></U><U></U></SPAN></div> <div class=MsoNormal><SPAN style="COLOR: #1f497d; FONT-SIZE: 8pt">     Knoxville, TN<U></U><U></U></SPAN></div> <div class=MsoNormal><SPAN style="COLOR: #1f497d; FONT-SIZE: 8pt"> <A value="+18657480998">(865) 748-0998</A><U></U><U></U></SPAN></div> <div class=MsoNormal><SPAN style="COLOR: #1f497d; FONT-SIZE: 8pt"><A value="+16029890005">(602) 989-0005</A><U></U><U></U></SPAN></div> </div> <div class=MsoNormal><SPAN style="COLOR: #1f497d; FONT-SIZE: 11pt"><U></U><U></U></SPAN> </div> <SPAN style="COLOR: black; FONT-SIZE: 10pt"></SPAN> <div> <div class=h5> <BLOCKQUOTE style="MARGIN-TOP: 5pt; MARGIN-BOTTOM: 5pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0in"> <div> <div> <div> <div> <div> <BLOCKQUOTE style="MARGIN-TOP: 5pt; MARGIN-BOTTOM: 5pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0in"> <div></div> </BLOCKQUOTE></div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </BLOCKQUOTE></div> </div> </div> </div> </BLOCKQUOTE></div> <br> <BR clear=all><br> -- <br> Ryan Sowers, RPT<br> Puget Sound Chapter<br> Olympia, WA<br> <A href="http://www.pianova.net/" target=_blank>www.pianova.net</A><br> </BLOCKQUOTE></div> </div> </font>