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<DIV><FONT size=2>At each appointment I ask the customer if they would =
like me
to send them a reminder notice for the next appointment. It gives =
an
opportunity to discuss the frequency of tunings and their particular
needs. Almost always they say yes. I always send cards a =
week or so
prior to the month in which they are due for service since I am usually =
booked
out 3-4 weeks. If I don't hear from them, I call prior to the next =
month's
cards being sent to "follow up on the reminder I sent". I often =
pick up
several that way from those who put the card on the shelf and forgot =
about it or
who just needed a little prodding. If they don't want the piano =
tuned I
ask if they would like me to send them another reminder at one year or =
whenever
(I generally send them out every six months). That keeps me in =
touch with
the customers. I prefer to send cards first because I don't =
particularly
like phone solicitations. It gives them a chance to respond on =
their own
time. If they don't, I feel justified in calling to make =
sure they
got the card because they asked me to send it in the first
place. </FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2>David Love</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<BLOCKQUOTE
style="PADDING-RIGHT: 0px; PADDING-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; =
BORDER-LEFT: #000000 2px solid; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px">
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial">----- Original Message ----- </DIV>
<DIV
style="BACKGROUND: #e4e4e4; FONT: 10pt arial; font-color: =
black"><B>From:</B>
<A title=ilvey@sbcglobal.net =
href="mailto:ilvey@sbcglobal.net">David
Ilvedson</A> </DIV>
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>To:</B> <A =
title=pianotech@ptg.org
href="mailto:pianotech@ptg.org">pianotech@ptg.org</A> </DIV>
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Sent:</B> September 07, 2002 12:42 =
PM</DIV>
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Subject:</B> Re: New Question re: =
Potential
Customers</DIV>
<DIV><BR></DIV>
<P align=left><FONT face=arial,helvetica><FONT =
size=2></FONT></FONT>I like the
idea and have some PTG postcards but I have yet to</P>
<P align=left> give it a try...what do you do with those that =
don't
reply? </P>
<P align=left>David I.</P>
<P align=left> </P>
<P align=left><FONT face=arial,helvetica><FONT =
size=2></FONT></FONT> </P>
<P align=left><FONT face=arial,helvetica><FONT size=2>----- =
Original message
----------------------------------------><BR>From: <<A
href="mailto:Wimblees@AOL.COM">Wimblees@AOL.COM</A>><BR>To: =
<<A
=
href="mailto:pianotech@ptg.org">pianotech@ptg.org</A>><BR>Received: =
Sat, 7
Sep 2002 15:17:37 EDT<BR>Subject: Re: New Question re: Potential
Customers</FONT></FONT></P>
<P align=left><FONT face=arial,helvetica><FONT size=2><BR>In a =
message dated
9/7/02 6:14:43 PM !!!First Boot!!!, mathstar@salemnet.com writes:
<BR><BR><BR></P>
<BLOCKQUOTE
style="PADDING-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; BORDER-LEFT: #0000ff 2px =
solid; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px"
TYPE="CITE">I've noticed several references to sending out reminder =
cards,
etc. <BR><BR>I have been calling people when it's time (or when I =
think it's
time) to <BR>tune. Sometimes I get put off indefinitely or =
vaguely--they
think the piano <BR>sounds fine or don't want to spend the $, I =
suppose.
<BR><BR>This feels like I used to when I sold insurance and called =
to set
<BR>appointments ... I don't like the feeling BUT I just think there =
would
be <BR>more procrastination and forgotten schedules if I leave it to =
the
customer <BR>to call--also more pitch adjustments to deal with, etc. =
<BR><BR>Your thoughts? <BR><BR></BLOCKQUOTE><BR><BR>We've talked =
about this a
couple of times in the past. But it never hurts to talk about it, =
especially
since we have a lot more newbies on the list. <BR><BR>The need for =
piano
tuning is like the need to get your teeth cleaned. 6 moths or a year =
goes by
in a hurry. And just like your teeth, it is difficult to realize =
something has
gone awry, since it happens so gradually. That is why a gentle =
reminder is
n<BR><BR>But, as Alan said, customers don't always respond to a cold =
call.
Most of the time customers hang up without really listening to who you =
are, or
what your are trying to "sell" them, because to them, you're just =
another
phone solicitor. <BR><BR>That is why I send out reminder post cards. =
There are
some available from the home office, or you can make your own. The =
reminder
card is a non invasive way to let your customers know that it has been =
6
months, or a year, since you were there, and tha<BR><BR>It is also a =
time
saver for you. I used to call my customers. I even sent them a post =
card
telling them I was going to call them. Then one year, over a six month =
period
of time, one month I sent out a post card telling the customer I would =
call
them, <BR><BR>That was about 20 years ago, and I have never called a =
customer
to ask them to get the piano tuned. They always call me, and I'm =
saving about
3 - 4 hours a week to do other things. The other advantage to the post =
card is
that it will get put on the re<BR><BR>For the little amount of money =
the post
card cost, they are a great way to build up your clientele. =
<BR><BR>Wim
<BR><BR></BLOCKQUOTE></FONT></FONT></BODY></HTML>