Competitive Rates

[Tom Servinsky]

Historically, for me, it's been about 1-5%. Don't use the yellow pages with the hope of gaining loyal customers. You are likely to generate some business to pay for the add, and out of that a small percentage might remain loyal. For the most part the yp is designed for price shoppers and reference listings.
 I  find that  yp is an excellent way of keeping your name in the public idea. There is nothing worse than a customer who has lost your phone number and can't find it. What's worse is if they look in the yp and you aren't listed. It gives the customer a sense that you aren't credible. I keep a simple listing which is free with any business phone number.
As a normal policy I was always ask the new customers where they got my name. 90% of time  it's usually a referral from another customer. Every now then it's someone who is new to the area and looked in the yellow pages. Since my name begins with an S, I'm the last listing for tuners, which means they have gone through all of the numbers before they have gotten to my name, which usually makes me suspect.
My 2 cents
Tom Servinsky
  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: Willem Blees 
  To: pianotech at ptg.org 
  Sent: Wednesday, June 11, 2008 4:17 AM
  Subject: Re: Competitive Rates



  In a message dated 6/5/2008 9:55:55 A.M. Eastern Standard Time, toddpianoworks at att.net writes:
    Can you guesstimate the customers you have gained based on your yp add?  I am talking about good clients, not price shoppers.

    Thanks,
    Matthew

  Matthew

  YP ads should not be used to gain new members, as much as to keep "old" ones. Although you will get some new customers from the YP, especially those who move from other parts of the country and are looking for an RPT, (although many are now using the PTG web site), you should keep your name in the YP so that your "old" customers can find you. They may have lost your reminder card, or for some reason are not on your reminder list, so they should be able to look in the YP to find you. Also, about 25% of your customers move every year, so they might not get your reminder notices, or you will get a phone number that has been disconnected, (if you call your customers). You don't necessarily need half inch column, but you should at least have your name in there. 

  Willem Blees




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