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<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2><SPAN class=000453712-11122005>Brett, =
</SPAN></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2><SPAN class=000453712-11122005><FONT =
face=Arial
size=2><SPAN =
class=000453712-11122005></SPAN></FONT></SPAN></FONT><FONT
face=Arial size=2><SPAN class=000453712-11122005><SPAN
class=000453712-11122005>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2><SPAN class=000453712-11122005>You =
can answer many
of these questions by starting with a different perspective of the value =
of your
time. </SPAN></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2><SPAN class=000453712-11122005>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2><SPAN class=000453712-11122005>When =
you realize
that it is your priceless time for sale, you will begin to defend =
it more
now, while you are still young and good-looking. =
</SPAN></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2><SPAN
class=000453712-11122005></SPAN></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2><SPAN =
class=000453712-11122005>OPPORTUNITY
COST</SPAN></FONT></DIV></SPAN></FONT></DIV></SPAN></SPAN></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2><SPAN class=000453712-11122005>On a =
given day, you
have the opportunity of doing 4-6 in home tuning appointments for an =
average of
your tuning fee plus a pitch raise. </SPAN></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2><SPAN =
class=000453712-11122005>Whatever else you
decide to do, for whatever reason, will cost you exactly that amount in =
lost
opportunity for income. <BR>Anything that pulls you away from that =
opportunity, ought to pay you accordingly, or be worth the sacrifice of =
that
loss. </SPAN></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2><SPAN =
class=000453712-11122005>Unfortunately, you
won't really feel the loss, until you are about to retire with nothing =
to show
for the years of giving away your time. </SPAN></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2><SPAN
class=000453712-11122005></SPAN></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2><SPAN =
class=000453712-11122005>SELLING YOUR
TIME</SPAN></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2><SPAN class=000453712-11122005>You =
can view the
value of your time in a variety of ways. </SPAN></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2><SPAN class=000453712-11122005>Most =
technicians
have the problem of valuing their work based upon the actual physical =
things
performed. HUGE mistake. </SPAN></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2><SPAN class=000453712-11122005>It's =
as if we exist
in a vacuum, with no expense incurred for the readiness, tools, =
knowledge,
vehicle overhead, and experience required </SPAN></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2><SPAN class=000453712-11122005>to be =
able to do the
'physical thing' that we eventually charge money for. =
</SPAN></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2><SPAN
class=000453712-11122005></SPAN></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2><SPAN class=000453712-11122005>NICE =
WORK IF YOU CAN
GET IT</SPAN></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2><SPAN class=000453712-11122005>I used =
to play piano
at the Ritz hotel in Boston years ago. A janitor once complained =
about my
hourly rate for piano playing. </SPAN></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2><SPAN class=000453712-11122005>I =
replied that
although my rate for piano playing was higher than a janitor, the =
difference was
that it took 20 years of practice and daily</SPAN></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2><SPAN class=000453712-11122005>skill =
maintenance,
in order to be able to earn that higher hourly rate. A working =
piano
technician is very similar. </SPAN></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2><SPAN class=000453712-11122005><FONT =
face=Arial
size=2><SPAN class=000453712-11122005><FONT face=Arial =
size=2><SPAN
class=000453712-11122005><BR></SPAN></FONT></SPAN></FONT>EVERYTHING IS =
NEGOTIABLE</SPAN></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2><SPAN class=000453712-11122005><FONT =
face=Arial
size=2><SPAN class=000453712-11122005>How do other professionals =
value their
expertise and time? </SPAN></FONT></SPAN></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2><SPAN class=000453712-11122005><FONT =
face=Arial
size=2><SPAN class=000453712-11122005>Look in your checkbook, you =
will find that
you have paid some professional person far more than the physical work =
that they
performed. </SPAN></FONT></SPAN></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2><SPAN class=000453712-11122005><FONT =
face=Arial
size=2><SPAN class=000453712-11122005>You have paid for their time, =
knowledge,
experience, hand skill, industry contacts, patience, willingness to =
teach
you, etc. </SPAN></FONT></SPAN></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2><SPAN class=000453712-11122005><FONT =
face=Arial
size=2><SPAN class=000453712-11122005>Plus parts, mileage, labor, =
insurance, and
whatever else they had to do to be able to provide you that service.
</SPAN></FONT></SPAN></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2><SPAN class=000453712-11122005><FONT =
face=Arial
size=2><SPAN class=000453712-11122005><SPAN =
class=000453712-11122005>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2><SPAN class=000453712-11122005><FONT =
face=Arial
size=2><SPAN class=000453712-11122005>PERCEPTION OF
VALUE</SPAN></FONT></SPAN></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2><SPAN class=000453712-11122005><FONT =
face=Arial
size=2><SPAN class=000453712-11122005>The sooner you remove the =
words "tuning
fee" and "going rate" from your vocabulary, the sooner you will begin to =
be paid
closer to your real value. </SPAN></FONT></SPAN></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2><SPAN class=000453712-11122005><FONT =
face=Arial
size=2><SPAN class=000453712-11122005>(I'll spare you my speech =
about 'tuning
fee', but in short...do you bring only a tuning hammer to an
appointment? </SPAN></FONT></SPAN></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2><SPAN class=000453712-11122005><FONT =
face=Arial
size=2><SPAN class=000453712-11122005>How often do you only just =
tune a piano? I
never do, so I don't quote a tuning fee. I quote for my =
service,
based on what I usually encounter given the =
</SPAN></FONT></SPAN></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2><SPAN class=000453712-11122005><FONT =
face=Arial
size=2><SPAN class=000453712-11122005>time passed since the last =
service
call. In my area, that means pitch raise, tune, screws, lube, misc =
regulation and voicing as time =
permits.)</SPAN></FONT></SPAN></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2><SPAN class=000453712-11122005><FONT =
face=Arial
size=2><SPAN =
class=000453712-11122005></SPAN></FONT></SPAN></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2><SPAN class=000453712-11122005><FONT =
face=Arial
size=2><SPAN class=000453712-11122005>The busier you get as a =
technician, the
more you can begin to charge for the value of your time, based on YOUR
perspective. </SPAN></FONT></SPAN></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2><SPAN class=000453712-11122005><FONT =
face=Arial
size=2><SPAN class=000453712-11122005>As an in-demand concert =
technician, you
are likely in that position already.
</SPAN></FONT></SPAN></FONT></DIV></SPAN></SPAN></FONT></SPAN></FONT></DI=
V>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2><SPAN class=000453712-11122005><FONT =
face=Arial
size=2><SPAN =
class=000453712-11122005></SPAN></FONT></SPAN></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2><SPAN class=000453712-11122005><FONT =
face=Arial
size=2><SPAN class=000453712-11122005>You have to realize the value =
of what you
do; the cost of giving away your future, and then bring the future into =
your
present negotiations. </SPAN></FONT></SPAN></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2><SPAN class=000453712-11122005><FONT =
face=Arial
size=2><SPAN class=000453712-11122005>If you decide that giving away =
this time
is worth it for other reasons, so be it. But, don't be pressured =
by
convention or 'the going rate', or 'what other techs do', etc.
</SPAN></FONT></SPAN></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2><SPAN class=000453712-11122005><FONT =
face=Arial
size=2><SPAN class=000453712-11122005>If you are not in a strong =
enough position
to negotiate hard on this, at least begin to document the real cost to =
your
business. </SPAN></FONT></SPAN></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2><SPAN class=000453712-11122005><FONT =
face=Arial
size=2><SPAN class=000453712-11122005>It will eventually work its =
way into your
thought process and as you negotiate things, you will get stronger about =
it.
</SPAN></FONT></SPAN></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2><SPAN class=000453712-11122005><FONT =
face=Arial
size=2><SPAN =
class=000453712-11122005></SPAN></FONT></SPAN></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2><SPAN class=000453712-11122005><FONT =
face=Arial
size=2><SPAN class=000453712-11122005>We all have this issue of =
wanting to help
people, and the emotional mind rules over the logical business =
mind. Both
are needed, but ultimately</SPAN></FONT></SPAN></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2><SPAN class=000453712-11122005><FONT =
face=Arial
size=2><SPAN class=000453712-11122005>you won't be able to really =
help people
unless you are being paid for what you do. =
</SPAN></FONT></SPAN></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2><SPAN class=000453712-11122005><FONT =
face=Arial
size=2><SPAN =
class=000453712-11122005></SPAN></FONT></SPAN></FONT><FONT
face=Arial size=2><SPAN class=000453712-11122005><FONT =
face=Arial size=2><SPAN
class=000453712-11122005> </DIV></SPAN></FONT></SPAN></FONT>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2><SPAN
class=000453712-11122005></SPAN></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2><FONT face="Trebuchet MS">Best regards,<BR>Brad =
Smith,
RPT <BR></FONT><FONT face="Trebuchet MS"><A
href="http://www.SmithPiano.com">www.SmithPiano.com</A></FONT></FONT><B=
R><SPAN
class=093591015-07122005><FONT face=Arial size=2><B><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial Narrow">|| ||| || ||| || =
||| || |||
|| ||| || ||| ||<BR></SPAN></B></FONT></SPAN><FONT
face="Trebuchet =
MS"><BR><STRONG> </STRONG></FONT></DIV></BODY></HTML>