<html xmlns:v="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:vml" = xmlns:o="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" = xmlns:w="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:word" = xmlns:st1="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" = xmlns="http://www.w3.org/TR/REC-html40"> <head> <META HTTP-EQUIV="Content-Type" CONTENT="text/html; = charset=us-ascii"> <meta name=Generator content="Microsoft Word 11 (filtered medium)"> <o:SmartTagType namespaceuri="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" = name="State"/> <o:SmartTagType = namespaceuri="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" name="City"/> <o:SmartTagType = namespaceuri="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" name="place"/>  <style>  </style>  </head> <body bgcolor=white lang=EN-US link=blue vlink=blue> <div class=Section1> Great = tips,Joe!!! A little update on me: I’m slowing down also,now cutting down to 7 = hour days:From 7 A.M. to 7 P.M. Let’s keep encouraging <st1:City = w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Marshall</st1:place></st1:City>.>There is work on = pianos!!  My best to you!! Isaac<o:p></o:p> <o:p> </o:p> <div> <div class=MsoNormal align=center style='text-align:center'> <hr size=2 width="100%" align=center tabindex=-1> </div> From: pianotech-bounces@ptg.org [mailto:pianotech-bounces@ptg.org] On Behalf Of Joseph Alkana Sent: Tuesday, January = 17, 2006 11:38 AM To: An open list, for = piano technicians Subject: Re: Piano work; = was Freebees-<o:p></o:p> </div> <o:p> </o:p> <div>  <o:p></o:p> </div> <div> LONG ----FOR SEASONED VETERANS ONLY - Just about = making money.<o:p></o:p> </div> <div>  <o:p></o:p> </div> <div>  <o:p></o:p> </div> <div> <st1:City w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Marshall</st1:= place></st1:City>,<o:p></o:p></= p> </div> <div> So glad you are eager to learn and evolve in this = wonderful crazy world of pianos!  My number, which by the way, is in the PTG = guide and on line at their web site, is 425-747-4914. I'm out working until = 4:00 usually, then home for my rest, dinner and return calls. Any evening is = great.<o:p></o:p> </div> <div>  <o:p></o:p> </div> <div> I once was a Boy Scout, trying hard to earn money to = go to Philmont Scout Ranch in <st1:State w:st="on"><st1:place = w:st="on">New Mexico</st1:place></st1:State>. I was depending on mowing lawns, and business just wasn't booming. I = whined to the Scout Leader about how slow things were, and he roared back at me to = get off my butt and go out to the rich end of town and start knocking on = doors and offering to scrub porches and floors. He proceeded to enumerate many = ideas for earning money, all of which sounded so beneath me, yelling all the while = to grow up and pay attention to what was going on around me. He gave me = ideas on getting along with people, jobs to pursue, how life works, etc. What an = eye opener for me. After just trying to get work it seems that jobs just = flew my direction out of nowhere. One person told another that there was this = kid who wanted to work and would clean up garbage areas, pull trash from under = houses, clean basements, weed gardens, wash cars, clean windows, and, yes mow = the lawn as long as I was there, even if there was a  regular kid mowing for = them. Hand clipping, hand raking, non-power mowing for older homes with small = yards. Absorbing the important lesson of "The learning curve for = dealing with older people set in their ways", collecting money owed, asking = for work, and giving an honest day's effort on my part: All of this helped = me to not only earn enough for that trip, but provided me with a whole lot of = growing up and finding out what it takes to survive. I'll never forget that = summer.<o:p></o:p> </div> <div>  <o:p></o:p> </div> <div> Now I'm getting older and health is failing some, so = I ease into retirement and look now for fun things to do and enjoy life. So = much work keeps coming my way that it's hard to slow down, = though!<o:p></o:p> </div> <div>  <o:p></o:p> </div> <div> Quickies:<o:p></o:p>= </div> <div>  <o:p></o:p> </div> <div> + Can you tune in a day care center and keep = smiling?<o:p></o:p> </div> <div> + Challenge yourself to tune with a noisy = refrigerator screaming at you. Or washer. Or dryer with tennis shoe in = drum.<o:p></o:p> </div> <div> + Horrible piano?  Enjoy the people and develope friendship or sell them a new piano at the dealer and make = spiff.<o:p></o:p> </div> <div> + Make friends with child who plays piano, teach = child what is going on with piano and child will be the one asking for you to come = back and service piano.<o:p></o:p> </div> <div> + Set sample key perfect and show player how = much better note plays. Say piano will play better with regulation and = you'll throw in free vacuum, too.<o:p></o:p> </div> <div> +Clean fallboard of shiny piano with Cory Piano = Polish while customer is writing out check. Sell bottle of polish and pay for  = nice lunch.<o:p></o:p> </div> <div> + Sticky upright action after move? Problem is = moisture. Borrow customer hair-dryer and free up 80% of problem notes. Sell Dampp Chaser, use Protek and go to nice restaurant with wife and = kids.<o:p></o:p> </div> <div> + Ask customer if they have piano in church; ask for introduction to pianist. Get 7 pianos to tune next = week.<o:p></o:p> </div> <div> + Learn to do one new service or repair every day. = Each item worth maybe one hour average. Rate x time x number working = days of year gives you that many dollar raise for year potential. Would you = settle for half even?<o:p></o:p> </div> <div> + Don't play piano? Learn. Learn one new simple song = every month. Play one hundred times. Perform like = expert.<o:p></o:p> </div> <div>  <o:p></o:p> </div> <div> OK, it's time for my = nap.<o:p></o:p> </div> <div> Joseph Alkana RPT<o:p></o:p> </div> <blockquote style='border:none;border-left:solid black = 1.5pt;padding:0in 0in 0in 4.0pt; margin-left:3.75pt;margin-top:5.0pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:5.0pt'= > <div> ----- Original Message ----- = <o:p></o:p> </div> <div style='font-color:black'> From:</span= > <a href="mailto:pianotune05@comcast.net" = title="pianotune05@comcast.net">pianotune05@comcast.net</a> <o:p></o:p> </div> <div> To: <a href="mailto:pianotech@ptg.org" title="pianotech@ptg.org">An open = list, for piano technicians</a> <o:p></o:p> </div> <div> Sent: Monday, = January 16, 2006 9:41 PM<o:p></o:p> </div> <div> Subject: Re: = Piano work; was Freebees-<o:p></o:p> </div> <div> <o:p> </o:p> </div> <div> Hi JOe,<o:p></o:p> </div> <div> I'll give you a call sometime, but you're number = wasn't listed on the post, unless I didn' t see it.  = <o:p></o:p> </div> <div>  <o:p></o:p> </div> <div> You have interesting ideas for sure, some of which I = tired, and others I have not.  I have years of cleaning experience.  = Perhaps I should offer to clean out a piano.  In fact, a lady my wife used = to clean for, asked about having her piano cleaned out.  = <o:p></o:p> </div> <div>  <o:p></o:p> </div> <div> The tricky part is JOe, will these ideas work in an = area heavily saturated with piano techs much more experienced than I, but = some of which not as well groomed.;)  I'll never wear jeans to any tuning = even my practice tunings.  Nice Dockers and a sweater or shirt work for = me.  A tie is too confining.  <o:p></o:p> </div> <div>  <o:p></o:p> </div> <div> Id like to hear what this Isaac guy taught you about marketing.  Take care.<o:p></o:p> </div> <div> <st1:City w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Marshall</st1:= place></st1:City><o:p></o:p> </div> <div>  <o:p></o:p> </div> <blockquote style='border:none;border-left:solid #1010FF = 1.5pt;padding:0in 0in 0in 4.0pt; margin-left:3.75pt;margin-top:5.0pt;margin-bottom:5.0pt'> -------------- Original message -------------- From: "Joseph Alkana" <josephspiano@comcast.net> > Long, and not for the seasoned veteran. > > Marshall and everyone looking to make money in the piano business: = > > I was a late comer to the piano business. Pretty much of a = non-player, but > heavily steeped in music experience looking for an outlet for my = musical > interest and some way to make money too. I could give you the whole = story of > working in this vocation, but writing isn't my forte and besides, = the length > of the tome would make for a great bedtime reader. However, certain = things > remain crucial to starting and maintaining any business. It's not = hard to > come up with ways to develope your business "reach" and = you need to take > some time and reflect on the whole approach to piano! service. > > PTG offers opportunities to learn, both formal and informal, = practically > just for the taking. Without them and the desire to excel and = improve on my > part I would be hard pressed to have stayed in business very long. Learning > almost every aspect of piano lore has to be a priority. Consider = yourself a > sponge, soaking up knowledge about personalities, relationships, = business > ethics, business skills, anything piano related and always = practicing to be > the very best technician that you can. At first glance, my = opportunities > seemed limited. There are so many great techs in my area, that one = would > think all opportunities are sewed up. Far from it, I learned that = you must > pursue some avenues that are a bit removed from premium piano work, = but you > can make a very good living if you only try. Quality jobs will come = to those > practicing quality work. Attend an Is! aac Sadigursky class and be = ready to > make dollars afterwards. Be ready to work an eight hour day - from = eight 'o > clock to eight 'o clock. (Isaac's wisdom) > > Be around pianos, not in front of a TV set. Go to the dealer, = schmooze him, > take an interest in what he sells, how he sells and watch for opportunities > to jump in and help with a piano. Visit the store using any excuse, = just to > be there. Measure a piano, ask some questions, inspect their used = stuff and > offer to help fix a few things on a beater right then and there. = Bring in a > friend who is a player and show him the merchandise. Sales people = love to > see techs refer customers. Ask the manager if you can vacuum out = some of > the merchandise and polish cabinets and pedals to make the stock = more > attractive. Walk the manager around to pianos you have assessed and = show him > what is needed to improve his merchandise f! or sale. Leave a stack = of cards > at every visit. > > Visit with other techs as often as you can to learn what it is that = they do. > Listen, observe. Offer to help on a project. Can you do simple shop = jobs > well? Offer to clean actions, scrub out pianos, de-string pianos, = you get > the idea. > > When you have what you think is nothing to do, read everything = piano related > that you can. Immerse yourself in pianos. Have you read the last 20 = years of > the PTG Journal? Why not? Start out looking for customers that = probably will > turn out to be one timers. So what. Their money all spends the same = as the > Steinway owner's. Most techs have "paid their dues", that = is, spent quite a > bit of time working on inferior instruments, honing skills by doing = basic > jobs over and over again, often in less than pristine surroundings = and often > for a lot less money than the top tech ! in the area. Consider = magnetic car > signs and park for a while in a shopping plaza or grocery store = parking lot. > Park by the entrance to a large housing development. Put your = information up > on every bulletin board you can find. Offer services no one else = does. > Develope skills no one else has. Be the most congenial person that = you can > be at all times. Make sure you are marketable appearance wise. = (Clothes, > personal grooming, auto presentable) > > Brainstorm with others in small business and open yourself up to = new ways to > develope business. Invest heavily in yourself. I fail to understand = how you > have time to pursue another business with money to be made in the = piano > business at hand. Call me and I'll give you ideas to pursue. = <st1:City w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Marshall</st1:place></st1:City>, > believe me, your biggest problem is not that you can't afford a = Yellow Pages > ad! > > Joseph Alkana RPT > &! gt; > ----- Original Message ----- > From: "pianotune05" <PIANOTUNE05@COMCAST.NET>> To: "An open list for piano technicians" <PIANOTECH@PTG.ORG>> Sent: Monday, January 16, 2006 8:02 PM > Subject: Re: Freebees- > > > > Hi Brian, > > My biggest problem is that I cannot aford a yellow pages ad. = In fact, my > > wife and I are barely making it with the office cleaning = accounts we have. > > So, how's a tuner breaking in to the business get his foot in = when there's > > only one music store in town, and about 9+ tuners in the area, = South Bend > > area. I'm considering relocating just to get business because = all of the > > other tech. are hogging all the work. > > <st1:City w:st="on"><st1:place = w:st="on">Marshall</st1:place></st1:City> > > ----- Original Message ----- > > From: "Brian Doepke" <DOEPKEB@COMCAST.NET>> > To: "'An open list for piano technicians'" <PIANOTECH@PTG.ORG>> >! ; Sent: Friday, January 13, 2006 8:15 PM = > > Subject: RE: Freebees- > > > > > >> Hmmmmm??? I get many calls because I am the first in the = yellow pages. > >> I > >> ask polite questions, try to personable and most of the = time get a new > >> client. > >> > >> So, I think the business name that starts with AAA worked = well for me. > >> If > >> you are going to have expense of being in the yellow = pages, be at the > >> top. > >> And return phone calls!!! So many others in the book do = not return calls. > >> I > >> can't understand it...but....it's their loss. > >> > >> Brian P. Doepke > >> > >> AAA Piano Works, Inc. > >> 260-432-2043 > >> 260-417-1298 > >> > >> -----Original Message----- > ! >> From: pianotech-bounces@ptg.org [mailto:pianotech-bounces@ptg.org] On > >> Behalf > >> Of Susan Kline > >> Sent: Friday, January 13, 2006 2:38 PM > >> To: pianotech@ptg.org > >> Subject: Re: Freebees- > >> > >> Build a good tuning, and repairs which stay repaired -- = relax and forget > >> about the rest of it, the fussy charges, the contracts in = case of > >> no-shows, > >> the discounts for booking the next tuning on the spot, the reminder > >> cards, > >> the call-backs, the big display ad, the business name = starting with AAA, > >> the chatty little newsletter sent to everyone twice a year "it's time for > >> your darling piano's next tuning" <BARF>-- just toss = all that > >> time-wasting > >> irritating trivia -- they will come. > >> > >&g! t; Really, think about what message you are sending = out. Even just a pen > >> with > >> your name on it -- "This is someone who was short of = work for so long > >> that > >> he decided to shell out money for advertising. Either he = is brand new to > >> the trade, or his work is bad enough that he doesn't get = much repeat > >> business. He expects me to throw away his card and forget = his name." > >> People > >> are naturally polite; they'll respect your professional = dignity by taking > >> your freebee and thanking you -- but they'll react to the = hidden message > >> just the same, maybe not even realizing why they aren't = really sure they > >> want you back. > >> > >> If you're going to attempt to manipulate customers, try = the opposite tack > >> -- "Be sure to call at least three weeks in advance, = espe! cially around > >> the > >> holidays ..." > >> > >> ssssssssssssssssssssssssssssnnnn > >> > >> _______________________________________________ > >> 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 = <o:p></o:p> </blockquote> </blockquote> </div> </body> </html>