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<DIV><FONT face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">Hi JOe,</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial>I'll give you a call sometime, but you're number wasn't listed on the post, unless I didn' t see it. </FONT></DIV>
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<DIV><FONT face=Arial>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. </FONT></DIV>
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<DIV><FONT face=Arial>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. </FONT></DIV>
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<DIV><FONT face=Arial>Id like to hear what this Isaac guy taught you about marketing. Take care.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial>Marshall</FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<BLOCKQUOTE style="PADDING-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; BORDER-LEFT: #1010ff 2px solid">-------------- Original message -------------- <BR>From: "Joseph Alkana" <josephspiano@comcast.net> <BR><BR>> Long, and not for the seasoned veteran. <BR>> <BR>> Marshall and everyone looking to make money in the piano business: <BR>> <BR>> I was a late comer to the piano business. Pretty much of a non-player, but <BR>> heavily steeped in music experience looking for an outlet for my musical <BR>> interest and some way to make money too. I could give you the whole story of <BR>> working in this vocation, but writing isn't my forte and besides, the length <BR>> of the tome would make for a great bedtime reader. However, certain things <BR>> remain crucial to starting and maintaining any business. It's not hard to <BR>> come up with ways to develope your business "reach" and you need to take <BR>> some time and reflect on the whole approach to piano service. <BR>> <BR>> PTG offers opportunities to learn, both formal and informal, practically <BR>> just for the taking. Without them and the desire to excel and improve on my <BR>> part I would be hard pressed to have stayed in business very long. Learning <BR>> almost every aspect of piano lore has to be a priority. Consider yourself a <BR>> sponge, soaking up knowledge about personalities, relationships, business <BR>> ethics, business skills, anything piano related and always practicing to be <BR>> the very best technician that you can. At first glance, my opportunities <BR>> seemed limited. There are so many great techs in my area, that one would <BR>> think all opportunities are sewed up. Far from it, I learned that you must <BR>> pursue some avenues that are a bit removed from premium piano work, but you <BR>> can make a very good living if you only try. Quality jobs will come to those <BR>> practicing quality work. Attend an Isaac Sadigursky class and be ready to <BR>> make dollars afterwards. Be ready to work an eight hour day - from eight 'o <BR>> clock to eight 'o clock. (Isaac's wisdom) <BR>> <BR>> Be around pianos, not in front of a TV set. Go to the dealer, schmooze him, <BR>> take an interest in what he sells, how he sells and watch for opportunities <BR>> to jump in and help with a piano. Visit the store using any excuse, just to <BR>> be there. Measure a piano, ask some questions, inspect their used stuff and <BR>> offer to help fix a few things on a beater right then and there. Bring in a <BR>> friend who is a player and show him the merchandise. Sales people love to <BR>> see techs refer customers. Ask the manager if you can vacuum out some of <BR>> the merchandise and polish cabinets and pedals to make the stock more <BR>> attractive. Walk the manager around to pianos you have assessed and show him <BR>> what is needed to improve his merchandise for sale. Leave a stack of cards <BR>> at every visit. <BR>> <BR>> Visit with other techs as often as you can to learn what it is that they do. <BR>> Listen, observe. Offer to help on a project. Can you do simple shop jobs <BR>> well? Offer to clean actions, scrub out pianos, de-string pianos, you get <BR>> the idea. <BR>> <BR>> When you have what you think is nothing to do, read everything piano related <BR>> that you can. Immerse yourself in pianos. Have you read the last 20 years of <BR>> the PTG Journal? Why not? Start out looking for customers that probably will <BR>> turn out to be one timers. So what. Their money all spends the same as the <BR>> Steinway owner's. Most techs have "paid their dues", that is, spent quite a <BR>> bit of time working on inferior instruments, honing skills by doing basic <BR>> jobs over and over again, often in less than pristine surroundings and often <BR>> for a lot less money than the top tech in the area. Consider magnetic car <BR>> signs and park for a while in a shopping plaza or grocery store parking lot. <BR>> Park by the entrance to a large housing development. Put your information up <BR>> on every bulletin board you can find. Offer services no one else does. <BR>> Develope skills no one else has. Be the most congenial person that you can <BR>> be at all times. Make sure you are marketable appearance wise. (Clothes, <BR>> personal grooming, auto presentable) <BR>> <BR>> Brainstorm with others in small business and open yourself up to new ways to <BR>> develope business. Invest heavily in yourself. I fail to understand how you <BR>> have time to pursue another business with money to be made in the piano <BR>> business at hand. Call me and I'll give you ideas to pursue. Marshall, <BR>> believe me, your biggest problem is not that you can't afford a Yellow Pages <BR>> ad! <BR>> <BR>> Joseph Alkana RPT <BR>> <BR>> <BR>> ----- Original Message ----- <BR>> From: "pianotune05" <PIANOTUNE05@COMCAST.NET><BR>> To: "An open list for piano technicians" <PIANOTECH@PTG.ORG><BR>> Sent: Monday, January 16, 2006 8:02 PM <BR>> Subject: Re: Freebees- <BR>> <BR>> <BR>> > Hi Brian, <BR>> > My biggest problem is that I cannot aford a yellow pages ad. In fact, my <BR>> > wife and I are barely making it with the office cleaning accounts we have. <BR>> > So, how's a tuner breaking in to the business get his foot in when there's <BR>> > only one music store in town, and about 9+ tuners in the area, South Bend <BR>> > area. I'm considering relocating just to get business because all of the <BR>> > other tech. are hogging all the work. <BR>> > Marshall <BR>> > ----- Original Message ----- <BR>> > From: "Brian Doepke" <DOEPKEB@COMCAST.NET><BR>> > To: "'An open list for piano technicians'" <PIANOTECH@PTG.ORG><BR>> > Sent: Friday, January 13, 2006 8:15 PM <BR>> > Subject: RE: Freebees- <BR>> > <BR>> > <BR>> >> Hmmmmm??? I get many calls because I am the first in the yellow pages. <BR>> >> I <BR>> >> ask polite questions, try to personable and most of the time get a new <BR>> >> client. <BR>> >> <BR>> >> So, I think the business name that starts with AAA worked well for me. <BR>> >> If <BR>> >> you are going to have expense of being in the yellow pages, be at the <BR>> >> top. <BR>> >> And return phone calls!!! So many others in the book do not return calls. <BR>> >> I <BR>> >> can't understand it...but....it's their loss. <BR>> >> <BR>> >> Brian P. Doepke <BR>> >> <BR>> >> AAA Piano Works, Inc. <BR>> >> 260-432-2043 <BR>> >> 260-417-1298 <BR>> >> <BR>> >> -----Original Message----- <BR>> >> From: pianotech-bounces@ptg.org [mailto:pianotech-bounces@ptg.org] On <BR>> >> Behalf <BR>> >> Of Susan Kline <BR>> >> Sent: Friday, January 13, 2006 2:38 PM <BR>> >> To: pianotech@ptg.org <BR>> >> Subject: Re: Freebees- <BR>> >> <BR>> >> Build a good tuning, and repairs which stay repaired -- relax and forget <BR>> >> about the rest of it, the fussy charges, the contracts in case of <BR>> >> no-shows, <BR>> >> the discounts for booking the next tuning on the spot, the reminder <BR>> >> cards, <BR>> >> the call-backs, the big display ad, the business name starting with AAA, <BR>> >> the chatty little newsletter sent to everyone twice a year "it's time for <BR>> >> your darling piano's next tuning" <BARF>-- just toss all that <BR>> >> time-wasting <BR>> >> irritating trivia -- they will come. <BR>> >> <BR>> >> Really, think about what message you are sending out. Even just a pen <BR>> >> with <BR>> >> your name on it -- "This is someone who was short of work for so long <BR>> >> that <BR>> >> he decided to shell out money for advertising. Either he is brand new to <BR>> >> the trade, or his work is bad enough that he doesn't get much repeat <BR>> >> business. He expects me to throw away his card and forget his name." <BR>> >> People <BR>> >> are naturally polite; they'll respect your professional dignity by taking <BR>> >> your freebee and thanking you -- but they'll react to the hidden message <BR>> >> just the same, maybe not even realizing why they aren't really sure they <BR>> >> want you back. <BR>> >> <BR>> >> If you're going to attempt to manipulate customers, try the opposite tack <BR>> >> -- "Be sure to call at least three weeks in advance, especially around <BR>> >> the <BR>> >> holidays ..." <BR>> >> <BR>> >> ssssssssssssssssssssssssssssnnnn <BR>> >> <BR>> >> _______________________________________________ <BR>> >> Pianotech list info: https://www.moypiano.com/resources/#archives <BR>> >> <BR>> >> _______________________________________________ <BR>> >> Pianotech list info: https://www.moypiano.com/resources/#archives <BR>> > <BR>> > _______________________________________________ <BR>> > Pianotech list info: https://www.moypiano.com/resources/#archives <BR>> > <BR>> <BR>> <BR>> _______________________________________________ <BR>> Pianotech list info: https://www.moypiano.com/resources/#archives </BLOCKQUOTE></body></html>