<!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.0 Transitional//EN">
<HTML><HEAD>
<META http-equiv=Content-Type content="text/html; =
charset=us-ascii">
<META content="MSHTML 6.00.2800.1170" name=GENERATOR></HEAD>
<BODY>
<DIV><FONT lang=0 FAMILY="SANSSERIF"><FONT size=2><SPAN
class=999591623-01052003><FONT color=#0000ff>Wim says: =
</FONT></SPAN>If the
customer AND the friend got a $5 discount, then it might work. But then, =
why not
just lower your price across the board?<SPAN =
class=999591623-01052003><FONT
color=#0000ff> </FONT></SPAN></FONT></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT lang=0 FAMILY="SANSSERIF"><FONT size=2><SPAN
class=999591623-01052003></SPAN></FONT></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT lang=0 FAMILY="SANSSERIF"><FONT size=2><SPAN
class=999591623-01052003><FONT color=#0000ff>I think for the same =
reason car
dealers, piano stores, and other 'big-ticket" =
retailers</FONT> <FONT
color=#0000ff>generally quote prices high and let the customer =
"negotiate" a
"deal." Makes people feel good and also less powerless in the sales
situation.Two stores: One advertises Cheerios at $3.25 the other has a =
$3.75
shelf price and advertises 75 cents off or has a 75 cent coupon -- I =
think more
people will be attracted by the chance to pick up a
"bargain."</FONT></SPAN></FONT></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT lang=0 FAMILY="SANSSERIF"><SPAN =
class=999591623-01052003></SPAN><FONT
size=2><SPAN class=999591623-01052003><FONT
color=#0000ff> </FONT></SPAN></FONT></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT lang=0 FAMILY="SANSSERIF"><FONT size=2><SPAN
class=999591623-01052003><FONT color=#0000ff>Wal-Mart (and others) =
play this
game: They display multiple unit prices like "2 for $5.00" =
and,
amazingly, most people pick up 2 items; whereas, if they listed them at =
$2.50
each, people would more often only buy one
item.</FONT> </SPAN></FONT></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT lang=0 FAMILY="SANSSERIF"><SPAN =
class=999591623-01052003></SPAN><FONT
size=2><SPAN class=999591623-01052003><FONT
color=#0000ff> </FONT></SPAN></FONT></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT lang=0 FAMILY="SANSSERIF"><FONT size=2><SPAN
class=999591623-01052003><FONT color=#0000ff>Also, by using discount =
programs,
the store (or the tuner) is not locked in. The program can be modified, =
dropped,
or used arbitrarily in different towns, etc. So maybe that's an =
argument
for tuner-techs offering discounts or =
coupons.</FONT></SPAN></FONT></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT lang=0 FAMILY="SANSSERIF"><FONT size=2><SPAN
class=999591623-01052003></SPAN></FONT></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT lang=0 FAMILY="SANSSERIF"><FONT size=2><SPAN
class=999591623-01052003><FONT color=#0000ff>I also did the church =
coupon thing;
drove all over creation</FONT> <FONT color=#0000ff>putting very =
nice
packages of information in the hands of church musicians, secretaries, =
and
pastors. I think I got three clients that way, including one the other =
day from
my efforts of two years ago--they hadn't had the piano tuned since 1990. =
Urgh,
it was awful. But of course they had a guest musician coming in, so only =
because
of that do they think to tune it (bring notes up that were =
anywhere
from 25 to 111 cents flat!) . I =
digress.</FONT></SPAN></FONT></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT lang=0 FAMILY="SANSSERIF"><SPAN =
class=999591623-01052003></SPAN><FONT
size=2><SPAN class=999591623-01052003><FONT
color=#0000ff> </FONT></SPAN></FONT></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT lang=0 FAMILY="SANSSERIF"><FONT size=2><SPAN
class=999591623-01052003><FONT color=#0000ff>Haven't tried discounts =
for
referrals. I do better with uncomplicated systems as I am =
definitely
paperwork-challenged.</FONT></SPAN></FONT></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT lang=0 FAMILY="SANSSERIF"><FONT size=2><SPAN
class=999591623-01052003></SPAN></FONT></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT lang=0 FAMILY="SANSSERIF"><FONT size=2><SPAN
class=999591623-01052003><FONT color=#0000ff>Alan
Barnard</FONT></SPAN></FONT></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT lang=0 FAMILY="SANSSERIF"><FONT size=2><SPAN
class=999591623-01052003><FONT color=#0000ff>Salem, =
MO</FONT> </SPAN><BR>
</FONT></FONT></DIV></BODY></HTML>