<font color='black' size='2' face='Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif'> <div>As a follow up on the Yellow Pages. Up until a couple of years ago, I was a great proponent of the YP, and considered it the main stay of being in business. But with the advent of the Internet and web searches, I think in a few more years the YP is going to be a thing of the past . </div> <div> </div> <div>When I first moved to Hawaii I placed a 3" column ad in the YP. If got me quite a few customers. But as my reputation grew, and more and more customers were calling me from referrals, I reduced the ad considerably. I now only have my name and phone number. But because my business phone is my cell number with AT&T, and not a land line from the local phone company, I have to pay for this listing, which is $34 a month. It might pay for itself, but maybe not. I might consider not renewing it next year, and see what happens. <br> <br> My local Yellow Pages company (Berry) has been after me to set up a web site, because they realize they are not going to make any money from their print pages too much longer. I'm still amazed at how many companies still have full page ads in the book. It must cost them a fortune. </div> <div> </div> <div>If you don't already have a web site, it might be worth considering talking to your Yellow Page Rep. I have mine through a company in Idaho, but in a few months, I'm switching to a local guy, who's been my computer consultant for 5 years.  </div> <div> </div> <div>Wim</div> <div style="CLEAR: both"> <div> </div> </div> <br> <br> <div style="FONT-FAMILY: arial,helvetica; COLOR: black; FONT-SIZE: 10pt">-----Original Message-----<br> From: Bruce Browning <justpianos@gmail.com><br> To: pianotech <pianotech@ptg.org><br> Sent: Thu, Jun 21, 2012 3:26 pm<br> Subject: Re: [pianotech] Yellow pages<br> <br> <div style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #fff; MARGIN: 0px; FONT-FAMILY: Tahoma, Verdana, Arial, Sans-Serif; COLOR: #000; FONT-SIZE: 12px" id=AOLMsgPart_0_75c2eaa5-b1ff-44e2-a458-205cdaa201ac><PRE style="FONT-SIZE: 9pt"><TT>Terry et al, I have a very active, one-person business and most of my new business comes either from my website or word-of-mouth, but I continue to contact my regular customers by 'phone each year. I follow each appointment call with a confirmation letter, on the rear of which is a newletter. This newsletter, changed four times per year, gives tips to looking after the piano, placement in the home and encouragement to further repair or upgrade their existing piano. The newsletter is sent annually to inactive clients, as a way of letting them know I am still in business, or have changed address/phone number or added a website/email. The rear of this newsletter can be printed with useful simple tunes for them to collect. ie. Happy Birthday, Auld Lang Syne, etc. The enormous cost normally spent on Yellow Pages can easily be put towards this, with change. Some customers prefer email, at little cost to you. I also offer a discount voucher, for their next tuning, to anybody who refers me on to friends and family. This usually encourages further tunings and expands my customer base. Just a few business suggestions....... Bruce Browning The Piano Tuner </TT></PRE></div> </div> </font>