Working on July 3rd?

[Billbrpt@aol.com]

In a message dated 7/4/98 6:10:12 AM Central Daylight Time,
WallyTS@compuserve.com writes:

<<... I would have loved to have been working on the 3rd of July. >>

We've all been there, Wally.  I often work these days when others have off
because that is one of the times that they can have me and I make plenty of
money on these days.  I take other days when the demand is not so high to take
my personal days off.

Of course, you have to have the business but I know there are things you can
do.  For starters, think about all the customers you have and how many of them
do not have humidity control systems.  Get some of the new Dampp-Chaser
brochures and mail them to the customers you think might be receptive and/or
the ones you know have great stability problems with changes of season.  Put
the brochure in an envelope and on your own letterhead write a personal
message, asking them to read the material and invite them to call you if they
are interested or have any questions.   

You may get some immediate calls.  If not or when those have been taken care
of, start calling the customers you have not heard from.  Be friendly and
expect that many will not be interested.  All it takes is a small percentage
for you to suddenly be busy installing systems at a very good profit, probably
better than you can make while tuning during the same amount of time.

Get one of the videos and suggest that you come by and play the video for them
or loan it for a few days.  I have not seen it but I have heard that it does
sell many people on the idea.

Get some of the other PTG informational handouts.  Think about those pianos
you tuned that could really use some extra work.  Write up some form letters
on your word processor that you can customize for each customer.  "When I
tuned your piano, I noticed that it could really use..., etc."  and include
the appropriate PTG information.  This will at least keep you occupied during
the times you have no work.  Sometimes a customer will respond right away,
sometimes it may take even a few years but there should always be a healthy
percentage return on this kind of effort.

Also, think about all the customers for whom you tuned in the winter at going
rates.  It is a rule of business and economics that the rate charged or the
value of a service will fluctuate according to the demand.  Obviously there is
more demand during the winter and many will not want to pay full price for a
summer tuning even though they know  the piano could use it.  Offer a "Summer
Rate" to those customers you did last winter.  20 to 33% less would be in
order.  You will basically only have to lower the middle parts of these pianos
anyway and the rest will fall in line easily.  Lower the middle parts with a
quick pass, then run through the entire piano quickly and easily.  You'll see
that the job will go faster and it will still be worth the money you'll make.

 This will be another opportunity to talk about other work and/or promote
humidity control.  Bring along those brochures, have them watch the video
while you are tuning (or afterwards with you) and emphasize how the piano
might have stayed much more in tune with itself if it had humidity control.
Many of my customers with humidity control still have their pianos tuned twice
a year or more.  In these cases, I can do the very finest, most stable tunings
possible.  In other cases, the people will be happy with your work for long
periods.  This is a good thing, not a bad one.  If people keep having to call
you back frequently because their piano is wildly out of tune in a short
period of time, they may give up on you even if it is not justified.

Customer contact will be important to you.  Direct mail followed by phone
calls will work for you where it might not for other businesses such as carpet
cleaners, photographers and long distance phone carriers.  These people know
you and will generally respond in much more positive ways than to other types
of marketers.  Remember, it will only take about a 10% response out of 100-200
solicitations by mail for you to suddenly be very busy.

If your family can help with the busy work of putting together these mailings,
get them involved.  Let them understand that the more calls you get, the
better you will be able to provide for them.  Youngsters may want to do
something constructive to earn their allowance.  Your wife may also be able to
help with some of the telephoning you need to do.

Good luck,
Bill Bremmer RPT
Madison, Wisconsin