<html><body> <DIV>Hi Ron,</DIV> <DIV>i"m anxious to join thePTG, and yes, can't wait until I master the repairs as well so I can become an RPT. That's my goal by all mean, and I can hardly wait.  The awesom part is, when I went out of town a couple of weeks ago, the RPT there said that I was well on my way after hearing me tune a temperment, and said that aside from his small tweak, it was very good, passing if I were taking an RPT exam.  Isn't that encouraging.  </DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>I use our city bus system, and today I'll be out and about headed to the thrift store to work on strip muting a Jansen verdical piano and tuning it.  If I see a church along the way, I'll stop and hopefully someone will be there.  I like the in person approach, but it makes me nervous at the same time, an eye sight issue I think.  </DIV> <DIV>Marshall</DIV> <BLOCKQUOTE style="PADDING-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; BORDER-LEFT: #1010ff 2px solid">-------------- Original message -------------- From: <ronmay_rpt@bellsouth.net> > Hi Marshall and all you other associates > > > When and if you get involved with your PTG group. Get together with one of your > old RPT tuners, someone that has tuned at least 10 years. Have them listen tO > your tuning and if they say you are any where ready, go spend the (I Think > $90.00) and take the RPT tuning exam. The people giving the exam have only your > interest at heart and it will be the best money you have spent learning your > trade. Don't expect to pass it the first time through. Look at it as a learning > experience. As I recall about half fail it the first time. But you will come out > of the testing knowing your weak and strong areas. In other words the areas that > you need to concentrate. When you pass the exam you will receive a burst of > confidence the likes of which is hard to describe. You will probably find as I > and many other RPTs have discovered your income will immediately jump for no > other reason than the confidence you eminate and have in yourself. YOU > ASSOCIATED THAT ARE JUST DRAGGING YOUR FEET ARE HURT! > ING NO ONE BUT YOURSELVES. > > As for phone solicitation, I have done my share. It isn't fun. I don't like it > when someone calls me cold. I usually just hang up and it is deflating for the > one making the call.But remember Marshall, It isn't a cold call if someone else > opens the door for you such as ("HELLO MRS JONES, THIS IS MARSHALL, I JUST TUNED > A PIANO FOR YOUR FRIEND MRS. SMITH AND SHE TOLD ME YOU HAVE A PIANO AND MAY NEED > TO HAVE IT TUNED. IF THAT IS SO, COULD i HELP YOU WITH THAT.") The phone call is > no longer cold Mrs. Smith told you to call. > > Another trick I used in the beginning was to go to the criss cross directory at > the library and write down the names and address of four or five homes around > that ones that I would be tuning. I would then either call them or send them a > card telling them I was going to be in the area. There were times that I tuned > three pianos on one street in a given day. > > As the man said "Have a Plan and Work the Plan. > > Good Luck Marshal We are all watching you. > > Ron May,RPT (AND VERY PROUD OF IT) > > > > From: "pianotune05" <PIANOTUNE05@COMCAST.NET> > > Date: 2006/01/27 Fri AM 08:11:09 EST > > To: "Pianotech List" <PIANOTECH@PTG.ORG> > > Subject: Re: prospecting for customers from an old pro > > > > Hi Ron, > > Thank you so much for your insight. I like your ideas especially of walking > > into a church, school etc. What is yoru take on cold calling by phone as > > well? Maybe you mentioned it, but I didn't see a post about what you were > > taught about cold calling. I'm going to that thrift store today to do a > > practice tuning on a Jansen, if I see a church etc. I'll try that approach > > and stop by. I"ll let you guys know what happened. > > Marshall > > ps. I agree with you about being late and telling them. Since I use our > > city bus system, I explain to anyone I meet whom I give a card to that I > > don't drive, etc, and they seem understanding and appreciative at the same > > time. > > ----- Original Message ----- > > From: <RONMAY_RPT@BELLSOUTH.NET> > > To: "Pianotech List" <PIANOTECH@PTG.ORG> > > Sent: Thursday, January 26, 2006 10:59 PM > > Subject: prospecting for customers from an old pro > > > > > > > OK Marshall and list > > > > > > Now you are in my ball park from another life. > > > > > > Over my past many years I've done a number of things and 2nd only to being > > > one of the last students of Braid White one of my biggest assets in this > > > business has been sales and prospecting skills learned in several sales > > > positions. The best being the Life Insurance Industry and a lot of > > > training from a fellow every good salesman knows by the name of Dale > > > Carnagie. This training has helped me in building two very good and > > > successful piano service businesses. One in Columbus, OH and now again in > > > Vero Beach,FL and continues to help me everyday in this business. > > > > > > First of all the best sourse of business be it piano tuning or selling > > > cookies is that of a third party influence. Otherwise known as a referral. > > > Marshall you should never leave anyone's home without the name of several > > > of your customers friends that own pianos. "Mrs. Jones, I am just > > > beginning my piano tuning business and I need your help, Can you give me > > > the names of a couple of people you know that own pianos and may need them > > > tuned" Once you get them it is simple to call or send a card to the > > > referral and say "I tuned your friend Joe's piano and he suggested I > > > contact you" > > > When you get good enough to take care of Piano Teachers, ASK FOR a > > > referral to their students and give them a bunch of cards. IF YOU DON'T > > > ASK-YOU PROBABLY WON'T RECEIVE > > > > > > Second nothing takes the place of a cold call. As you are driving down > > > the street and pass a church or private school, Walk in the door with your > > > card in hand. Ask for who ever is in charge of the music department or > > > pianos tell them what you do and ASK FOR THEIR BUSINESS. I guarantee you > > > that no other technician has done that. > > > > > > Third make up a simple post card with your advertisement on it and mail it > > > to all the churches, nightclubs schools, etc. > > > > > > Fourth Take care of your customer like they are GOLD because they are. > > > > > > If you do these things, you will be further business wise in 1 year than > > > most will be in 5. > > > That is one reason that 20% of the salesforce sells 80% of the > > > merchandise. > > > > > > Fifth: Get Dale Carnagie's book "How to win friends and influence people > > > and practice what it says. > > > > > > Sixth: Do what my kindergarten Sunday School Teacher taught me to do with > > > my first Bible lesson: > > > "Do unto others as you would have them do unto you" If you are > > > running late for an > > > appointment, call them etc. etc. etc. > > > > > > Good Luck Marshall > > > > > > Ron May, RPT > > > Vero Beach > > >> > > >> From: "pianotune05" <PIANOTUNE05@COMCAST.NET> > > >> Date: 2006/01/26 Thu PM 10:24:57 EST > > >> To: "Cy Shuster" <CY@SHUSTERPIANO.COM>, "Pianotech List" > > >> <PIANOTECH@PTG.ORG> > > >> Subject: Re: prospecting for customers > > >> > > >> Cy, > > >> Thanks. Do I need to be a member to access it? My membership app. is in > > >> progress everyone. I"m excited. > > >> Marshall > > >> ----- Original Message ----- > > >> From: "Cy Shuster" <CY@SHUSTERPIANO.COM> > > >> To: "Pianotech List" <PIANOTECH@PTG.ORG> > > >> Sent: Thursday, January 26, 2006 9:51 PM > > >> Subject: Re: prospecting for customers > > >> > > >> > > >> > Marshall, > > >> > > > >> > The PTG has a "Business Resource Manual" that answers many of your > > >> > questions: > > >> > https://www.ptg.org/store/product_info.php?cPath=26&products_id=74 > > >> > > > >> > --Cy-- > > >> > > > >> > > > >> > > > >> > _______________________________________________ > > >> > Pianotech list info: https://www.moypiano.com/resources/#archives > > >> > > >> _______________________________________________ > > >> Pianotech list info: https://www.moypiano.com/resources/#archives > > >> > > > > > > _______________________________________________ > > > Pianotech list info: https://www.moypiano.com/resources/#archives > > > > _______________________________________________ > > Pianotech list info: https://www.moypiano.com/resources/#archives > > > > _______________________________________________ > Pianotech list info: https://www.moypiano.com/resources/#archives </BLOCKQUOTE></body></html>