What advertising is everyone finding the most effective right now? I am mainly concerned with what everyone is doing for new customers in their area. Most of my customers come from referrals through the university I work for, or the local piano store, but I can remember a few years back a big chunk of my work came from the yellow pages. That however seems to be a thing of the past in my area.

Word of mouth has always been the biggest one of all. A good website works well too.

The trick is to get the word of mouth out there that you have a good website!

Tell piano owners their neighbors are starting to complain. Pets are suffering from indigestion. etc.

I also suggest listing yourself on Yelp and getting your customers to leave you feedback. It's a great (and free!) way to get some extra visibility.

I suggest a web site. Go to Vistaprint and you can have one for free or very, very cheap. Also, I have magnetic signs on my car, they generate quite a bit of business. Since I go all over town anyway it's like a moving billboard. People stop me in parking lots and even in the neighborhood where I'm tuning. They're cheap and effective. Of course be sure to have business cards to give out.

Be sure to go to Google Maps and claim your listing. It's free and if you have a website you can have a direct link to it from there.

Check out Piano Acoustics on the web and again if you have web site you can claim your listing, for $10 a year and it will link right to your website.

I think for the most part the Yellow Pages is a big waste of money.

Music stores that don't sell pianos are a good source for me. Introduce yourself, leave some business cards and try to refer customers to them. I get a LOT of business from a local music store that only sells digital pianos.

The internet has replaced the phone book in most homes. As others have already pointed out, a good website is important. If you can't get your website found in search results then its worth it to spend a little on Google ads.

I find that reminder cards are still a worthwhile investment. They don't just increase calls from repeat customers. I find that they increase referrals. The worst thing that can happen to anyone in this business is to have a satisfied customer forget who it was that did such a good job last time.

Great point Thomson. Make sure the customer knows your name and doesn't forget it!

I used Google AdWords and Bing, the two highest searched engines. I do maintain a Yellow Pages ad, because from a perception point of view from the customer, being in the yellow pages, though obsolete, lends legitimacy to your business. Set up a pay-per-click ad campaign with Google and Bing that draw customers to your site, where they can easily contact/book you.

I also maintain a toll-free 800 number for my out of town clients as a courtesy. Again, toll-free's are dinosaurs in today's world because most people use cell phones and minutes are minutes, but customers do use them and they again add credibility.

Well I tried something new last night, on facebook(at least in this area)there is something called FOR SALE CLAY COUNTY or whatever county you live. Its a group you join on facebook and its just individuals from different counties selling items. I posted my services on there last night and had 4 tunings to line up from it this morning. You might check and see if there are ones for your counties in your states if not you could start a new group. Just FYI, thought it might work for some others.

Advertise on PianoWorld, right here, right now. There is a link to click (upper right on my screen), and you're on your way.This is a highly visible site and bumps you way up on Google searches. It's easy to use, good value for money -- and you're here now, go ahead, use the site to help you! It certainly helped my business when I was searching for new customers -- thanks, Frank (Frank is the site owner and a very good guy).

I recently launched a Directory Website dedicated to piano services. I am a technician here in AZ.

It is free to list your business in your home city and listings are added on a first come, first served basis.

Anyway, it's free exposure if you are looking to get your name out on the web and try and bring in new clients in your area.

Here is the link: www.PianoTunersByState.com

Geotargeting is critical, though. Doesn't make sense to pay to advertise to someone who might live thousands of miles away from me.

Loren D - You are right. Geography targeting is critical. I have set it up so you can list specifically to the category (Piano Tuners) and geography (Your City) you service in PA. I offer free listings as well, not just paid.

I also optimize the landing page for each listing so that it has the opportunity to show and start ranking for online users in your specific area making it laser geo-targeted.

I hope that helps.

I can tell you what doesn't work....putting a sticker with your name on it inside every piano you tune. There are a couple local tuners who do this. Half the pianos I tune seem to have a certain tech's sticker inside. But since I just did the last tuning, apparently it didn't work. The only people who see those stickers, and signatures, are other techs.

I always thought that's what they were for, us..... Otherwise, we'd stick them on the lid. On the outside...

What really gets me is when I go to tune a beautiful concert piano and I look down at the plate and there are ink stamps on it with their name and date of previous techs. Thats vandalism if you ask me.

I agree. I've never been one to sign pianos. Although I kind of enjoy the running service record on some of the old school pianos. I do a good bit of work in Cincinnati Public Schools. There was a guy, Fred Grau, who must have had the CPS contract. He wrote down everything he did, with a date. CPS must have bought a couple truckloads of these blond Wurlitzer studio pianos. They are in every school I've been in.

I agree with pianotune2 too. I hate for any signature to be visible. I do sign pianos, my whole family does, most tuners around here do but, anyone with any valor, signs it some place where only the next tuner sees it. That way, I can see, oh, so, I filed hammers and regulated the piano on this date. I'd forgotten about that or something else...

I LOVE seeing the service records of my grandfather John Groot whom I never met dating back from the 1920's! And my dad, who is no longer living... Sometimes he would write, "HI JER!" In them, that brings back memories.

I don't ever recall putting a signature on any grand piano, and hardly ever run across one with a signature. I will sign most uprights on the keys (behind the fall board, of course)...starting with key #1. I can usually fit 3 signatures on one key. I have signed a couple of old upright plates, but only because the owners saw the 20 other signatures from over the past century, and wanted me to continue the tradition.

I went ahead and signed up for Google Maps. There is a postcard verification thing to wait on. Now I'm having second thoughts. Has anybody signed up for Google Maps and then got deluged with phone and mail solicitations?

I've been on Google Maps for a long time and can say it works great. I did have a problem with having 2 websites one time. One was for the band and both sites were signed up with the same mailing address. Google didn't like this and both sites were not showing up. Google thinks this is spam.

So I changed the band site mailing address to one of the band members. I guess you can't have more than one business with the same address. Anyways everything works fine now.

Does anyone use car door magnets for advertising, if you do how well do they work? Also if you do where did you get it made?

That Guy replied to your post :

They work great! There are times when I'm filling my tank at the gas station when someone will come up and either get my card or schedule an appointment right there.

edit: I get mine through Vistaprint. Good prices, good service, they'll match them to your cards, etc.

I got a set from Vistaprint.One fell off the car the second day which they replaced. within a year the image was coming off and I never had anyone take notice. Last year I had vinyl lettering done to the back hatch and keyboards the the rear side windows of my car.This has generated business and it cost about $150

I'm conflicted ... do I tell my competitors how to get more market share, and thereby sabotage my own success?

I'll tell you what doesn't work:

1 - Yellow Pages.
2 - Welcome Wagons.
3 - Newspaper advertising.

What does work:

1 - Reminder cards in the mail
2 - Followup phone calls
3 - Teacher referrals
4 - Dealer work in exchange for a pittance, and new customers.
5 - Website with google adwords.

I have other secrets that will remain secret for now. But, I will reveal that I'm going to look into social network marketing next.

Does anyone here have experience with Angie's List?

[quote=Randy Karasik]I'm conflicted ... do I tell my competitors how to get more market share, and thereby sabotage my own success?

I tell you what I will stay east of you in Kansas Randy

I am on Angie's list, haven't seen any benefit from it. Still I figure it can't hurt anything being on it, as long as I don't get bad reviews

A couple of years ago, I had a local sign shop make me up some yard signs. I gave my customers (located in high traffic areas) a small discount if they were willing to display my sign in their yard for a couple of weeks, or until I was back around that way to pick it up. Everyone was very happy to do it for me. I only had four signs made up, but would strategically place them in the different towns that I service. I had people tell me, "I see your signs all over town." I never told them that I only have four and just move them around. LOL! Here's a picture of one...



Also, we have a couple of very large basketball tournaments in our area. I made up this ad to run on the tournament program. I have learned that it's always good to be able to track your marketing to see how successful it is, so this year I will be adding a coupon so I can track the ad's success. There is a lot of down time between games, and the only thing people have to do is sit and look at the ads in the program. I even reserve the space below the basket team at the school where I teach.



It also helps to have a professional looking website and facebook presence. Here is the cover photo I created for my facebook fan page...



as well as having a cool logo...



I designed all of these in Microsoft Word. I also have a yellow pages ad. When I set the ad up, the customer service agent asked me if he could call me back after researching how I could set my ad apart from my competitors. (I really don't have any in my area.) I humored him and said sure. In a few days, he called me back said "Well, Mr. Hassell, you really don't have a whole lot of competitors, your ad is probably fine as it is." He recommended a website called www.getlisted.com It is a way to be sure your website and company are found when people do a search online.

I found out last week that Vistaprint does t-shirts and polo shirts. I was able to design what I wanted on my computer and upload it directly to their site. I just ordered one for now to see how I like it. I'm thinking about doing some t-shirts to give to my students at school to help advertise.

Here's what I designed. It will be embroidered on a black polo shirt.

Great work, Ryan. I really like the signs.

My problem with vistaprint is its way to easy, I end up buying all kinds of stuff I really don't need. I have gotten window decals for the car, car magnets, fridge magnets, pens, 4 different kinds of postcards, business cards, poster adds etc.. I have my eye on some shirts now also.

I had a thought the other day...

I always leave my business card on the piano, with the date the piano was tuned. Taking a cue from the oil change people, the next time I get business cards printed, I think I'm going to make a place for "Next service due on__ __ ___" with a place to put the date.

What do you think?

I'd forget without those oil change reminders, so this seems like a great idea!

I loved this post. What a great feeling to start the day.

Forrest

A friend with whom I teach, made me a few of these shirts in exchange for a piano tuning. Pretty good trade off!

I wore one of the above shirts today for the first time and got two new customers, just by them seeing my shirt, one was in a local Chinese restaurant and the other was in my chiropractor's office. Crazy! Why didn't I get these sooner.

Great Job on your marketing Ryan! Those shirts look great! It's a good feeling when you can execute an idea and get new customers from it.

I recently launched a brand new piano tuning directory website that I would like to invite you to check out. I just put up a new video on YouTube explaining it briefly if you want to check it out, it's free.: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3JzH004qcZ8

I do not have any tuners in MO listed yet, so you could be the first...

Thanks Brandon,
I'll give it a look.

At least nobody's giving you any "Hassell" Ryan. I know, you've heard that before... But, the devil made me do it!

What do the shirts from Vista Print cost? I get ink pens from them and pass them out to customers. I prefer the nicer ones over the crappy cheap ones.

Hey Ryan, the shirts look great! I have never had a tuner arrive with a logo shirt. I would be impressed. It conveys pride in your business. A polo shirt is both comfortable and practical. Good Job!

Jerry,
The pictures I posted above are not from Vistaprints. They were done by a friend who was our former FACS (home ec) teacher. She made me four shirts in exchange for a free tuning. I did order one from Vistaprints, and was OK with it when it came in, but after seeing how clean and precise the ones my friend made were, the one from Vistaprints looks kind of crappy now. Apparently when you take a computer generated image and import it into your sewing machine there is a lot of clean up work that has to be done. It appears that Vistaprint didn't do that. Now that my friend has my logo saved in her sewing machine it will be very easy to just make a few more shirts the next time I need them. Maybe like next year when her pianos needs a tuning again. As I recall the Vistaprints shirt was about $30 plus a one time fee to digitize your logo.

Marty,
Thanks! I think I like the blue one more than the black one. After working a day in the black one, it shows a lot of lint and piano dust. Besides that the psychological effect of the color blue is trust...and it brings out my blue eyes...or so I'm told.. :-)

I had some polo shirts embroidered with my logo. I buy the shirts for about $20 each. There was a one time set up fee and I forget how much that was. But I pay $7.00 for each shirt to be embroidered.

Ahhhhhhhhhhhh, that brought a vision of you accompanying Frank Sinatra.

Re: Magnetic signs. I used to have some. Then I splurged and wrapped my car. Well, not completely, but you can see it a mile away. Now people walk up to me at gas stations and once, I was even flagged down as I was driving. Lights flashing, horn honking. She just wanted a card. I thought my car was on fire!

You can buy a Yamaha tee shirt in any good motorcycle shop

Mark,
I've been thinking about doing the car wrap thing too. Will you please post a picture. I would love to see it. The only marking I have is on my back window with white vinyl letters.

Proof that a great website draws in customers...

I got a call from a lady this week. She said she chose me because she saw my ad in the yellow pages and saw the link to my website. (I'm the only technician in the area with a website) She said she liked what she saw and decided to call me.

You can also advertise using Facebook pay-per-click ads.. the little guy that appear on the right hand of Facebook.

Nice thing is you can target people who list "piano" or "playing piano" as an interest and you only pay when they click thru to your site.

If anyone wants me to expand on this let me know.. I set this up for my wife's business and it is really effective (and cheap!) advertising.

I have my own "grumpy cat." LOL!

That looks like MY cat. He bites, you know.........

Print Advertising as it is called in the Advertising business has long since not worked. Something else that is a waste of time are those sign flippers that you see on the sidewalks. For what those business owners pay to have those people out there they could have gotten a nice juicy radio /TV spot during peak hours.

When I get my phone books each year they are the perfect height to prop up a piano with a broken wheel. What works for me are the magnetic signs on the small truck and the big vinyl graphics on the big truck. If I am slow sometimes I will go out and get stuck in rush hour traffic which helps a lot.

Good old fashioned word of mouth is still the best and as far as Angies list goes, I am very skeptical of a " list" that sends me random emails to " Rate" businesses based on their websites or ad profile and tells me it's okay even if I have never used their services ? How many people are rating your business that have never used it ? Sounds pretty shady to me.

A word on advertising. If you have a website, make sure you list the cities you service in your state. You can learn more about Search Engine Optimization (SEO) on YouTube.com for a little free advice.

Also, Facebook now has over a billion (with a "B") registered users and if you have not familiarized yourself with Facebook, now is the time to start. Become friends with your clients and create a "Business Page" that they can follow so you can engage them in conversation online just like we do with each other here on PianoWorld.com. Also, when you comment on Facebook, type your website at the end so it links back to your site.

We recently had a couple more join us on www.PianoTunersByState.com.

I want to welcome Oregon Coast Piano Services who recently joined our directory. Your listing is live here: http://www.pianotunersbystate.com/oregon-piano-tuners.htm

and also a warm welcome to Mastin Piano Tuning & Repair in IL. Your listing is live here: http://www.pianotunersbystate.com/illinois-piano-tuners.htm

It is great to have you both with us!! Happy Tuning!

I personally have had a huge amount of business come in on facebook in the last two weeks. It helped that I changed from having a business facebook page to just a regular one, this allows people to suggest you to friends.
Word of mouth is the only way to build a good customer base in this business. Facebook and Twitter help keep you on their minds.

Referrals .......are more effective than any other means be it internet or yellow pages.

I think a lot of good ideas have been presented. A good recommendation is the best advertising and in today's online climate, Facebook and a web site are an additional necessity. However, beyond those things, you need to consider your locale and potential customer base. How do the people you wish to attract look for professional services? This varies greatly by area. I live in a very small town, so in addition to recommendation (which is always number one)and a web presence, my customers still use the YP and surprisingly or not a local grocery store bulletin board. To those considering the ideas of door hangers or yard signs, check with the local bylaws to make sure they are allowed and again consider the community...here they would be considered an annoyance.

If you choose to post a listing on a directory, I think it is worth your while to post in those directories which actually rank on the first few google pages. I briefly did a search for "piano tuning Illinois". There are plenty of free directories with free listings, such as yelp, yellowpages.aol, bing, angies list etc etc. I looked through the first 150 google listings (15 pages) and pianotunerbystate did not come up.
"Leave no stone un-turned", of course, but turn the big and important ones first.