Creative ways to find new customers

[Conrad Hoffsommer]

At 20:36 1/14/2005, you wrote:
>On Jan 14, 2005, at 10:18 AM, Matthew Todd wrote:
>>Dave Nereson <davner@kaosol.net> wrote:
>>-some technicians claim a magnetic sign fastened to their car gets them
>>new business
>>
>>
>>Doesn't the magnetic sign on your car say, "Hi, I am a piano technician, 
>>and I have valuable tools to steal.  I am also a moving target to get 
>>sued."  What is everyone's thoughts on this??
>
>I suppose it depends on where you work -- not too many car break ins in 
>the neighborhoods where I work, fortunately. Likewise, the "moving target 
>to get sued" seems overly paranoid to me, but your neighborhood must vary 
>from my experience. Plus, when you go into a risky neighborhood, it just 
>takes a moment to put that magnetic sign in the trunk.
>
>Patrick Draine


Many years ago, when I was tuning at an old, large church in a not-so-nice 
section of a large city, I found that people are going to break into your 
vehicle WHETHER OR NOT you have a sign "inviting" them.

I found that you are a target:
1. If they see you get out of the car and you don't look like any of the 
indigenies.
2. If your car doesn't look like it belongs in the neighborhood.
3. If there is anything visible which looks inviting.

What I've done since:
1. Always have my appointment book with me
2. Always have receIpts from previous tunings that day with me
- the above are now much easier for me to do since I have my RCT on a 
laptop and all the above are in it's carrying briefcase.

Later, at another location, I found that the "target" criteria work the 
other way, too.

I went to a church located in a converted row home, in a really rough 
section, which was located directly across from a body shop.  I waited 4-5 
minutes before the contact person came to unlock the 4 locks on the iron 
bar door and the 3 deadbolts on the regular door.

I set to work on the piano, after first disconnecting the snare of the drum 
in the trap set.  I hadn't actually yet set hammer to pin when there was a 
knock at the door and the contact went to answer it.  In a few minutes, the 
contact came to me and explained that one of the guys at the body shop was 
inquiring as to who _I_ was.
It was explained that I was OK and was invited there to do work in the church.

At that point, I think that I could have had a $100 bill sitting on the 
front seat, the window open, door unlocked, key in ignition and everything 
would have been there when I got back out.

Paranoia has it's place, I suppose, but awareness will serve you better.

Incidently, I _do_ have a license plate "pno2ner".
;-}






Conrad Hoffsommer

Early to rise: early to bed;
Makes a man healthy, and socially dead.