This is a YouTube interview (host Ramit Sethi) with Erica Vandelinde de Feidner, known as "The Piano Matchmaker," who was Steinway's top salesperson for nearly a decade. Erica describes a client-centered, experience-first approach to piano sales: she emphasizes building trust, matching pianos to clients' lifestyles/personality, and sometimes telling clients to go home rather than pushing a sale. The showroom is curated (sunny, art exhibits, coffee/tea) and Erica leverages rapid observation (body language, tone, eye contact) to predict and match a customer's ideal piano. Price range in her showroom spans from about $2,990 to $180,000, and she knows details (sound, touch, serial numbers) of each instrument in inventory.
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Hey, everybody, Ramit Sethi here from I Will Teach youh to Be Rich. Today I'm speaking to Erica Feidnar. Inc. Called her one of the top 10 salespeople of all time. And she was Steinway's top salesperson for nearly a decade. She is the piano matchmaker. She matches people with their perfect piano. And you're going to learn how she plays a totally different game than everybody else. Let's take a look.
Hey, I'm Erica Vandelinde de Feidner, also known as the Piano Matchmaker. And my passion in life is to pair people to pianos and pianos to people in a way that reflects their lifestyle and their personality. And we just try to make the right fit.
Now, I want to start off by asking about this name that you call yourself. The Piano Matchmaker. Why not Piano Saleswoman? What's the difference?
That's a great question. I've been known to say the word sale is a four letter word. Okay. So yes, I am in sales. There is a transaction. But what I bring to the fore, or what I try to bring to the fore is a wonderful experience for clients in finding exactly the right piano that is in line with their needs and financial comfort zone.
Got it. So you're saying words like client, experience, perfect fit. These are very different than let me sell you something and quickly make my commission.
Right. And much of the time, you know, the showroom that I manage has 96 pianos in it. I also have access to another 150 pianos in our other showroom. And if I feel that the piano that we might be considering isn't perfect, I'll tell them to go home and I will call them when I find the right one. And, you know, it's a little bit of a risk because they could go somewhere else and find something or on the Internet. That's totally changed the landscape of piano sales, by the way. So what I try to do is to really build trust and loyalty with the client. So I tell them a little bit about my background and why I do what I do and how I do it, and we just go from there.
I love it. Just so we can set some context, what are the prices of these pianos? Is this something I buy at my local store or are these different kinds of pianos?
In my showroom we have something at $29.90, $2,990 and another one at $180,000.
$180,000, yes. Okay, got it. Well, I want to know everything between those two numbers. That's a lot what kind of experience am I going to get when I meet you?
Well, what I'm hearing from my clients is they walk in the door and we have a showroom that's completely redone. The Faust family permitted me to help in the design. So it's a very sunny, very happy showroom. We also have an art exhibit up, and we rotate that every six months or so. We have coffee and tea. And so when they come in, I like to greet them with a smile, obviously, and to exchange names and to ask them, you know, what their thoughts are and how can I help you today and that sort of thing. But having grown up in a house with 26 pianos in it from a family of seven pianists and teachers.
Wow.
Where in the summer there were 40 children from around the world that lived with my family. I've been surrounded by people and pianos my whole life. So for some reason, and I don't have a method, but I get a read on people within minutes, and I will know generally which piano they're going to choose before we even begin to talk.
Now, I've heard this. You're famous for being able to instantly predict which piano they're going to end up choosing.
That's right.
Let's start at the reading process, because this is fascinating. Somebody walks in, let's say it's you. Let's say it's me. What are you reading? You know, you say hello, I say hello. I say I'm looking for a piano. What are you reading?
I'm reading body language. Your arms are like this. You look confident, you look interested. So it's difficult to describe truly. I listen to the tone of their voice, the speed of their voice, eye contact or not, because that gives me an idea of. I can often predict what line of business they are in. And that way, once I figure that out, I can speak in a language that they understand best.
What's an example? You might speak A versus B.
Let's say there's an engineer. They're going to want to know everything about the building and the manufacturer of different brands, versus a pianist is really there for a piano. That's that. They're looking for sound and touch. It's a very, very different experience.
I see. So you're versatile enough to be able to speak in different languages for the right audience?
Yes. Done it all my life, because I've been around people all my life.
You ever get it wrong?
What part of it like.
Like maybe you read me as an engineer and we start going down this path and then I'M just like, you know, I don't. It's not resonating with me. Can you tell?
Oh, sure, sure. And again, it's the body language. People, for whatever reason, tend to be very open with me right from the get go. And maybe it's the greeting, maybe it's the showroom. I'm not sure. But we try to make it a very pleasant, positive experience. And so often people will say, you know, I don't know anything about pianos. And my response is, you want to be careful who you say that to, because the piano business is not regulated. And a lot of people take advantage of clients who don't know a lot about pianos. So please be cautious. And that gives them an idea like, well, why would this person be saying that? But it builds credibility and loyalty by planting those seeds of doubt.
I like that. You're also putting them under your protection. Yes, that's very important.
It's very important.
You're not just, here, let me get. Let me sell this piano as quickly as possible.
Yeah, it's. I don't think about selling at all.
Oh, really?
As they walk in, in my mind, I go through the inventory because I know the sound, touch and serial number of every single piano in the building. And also in White Plains, and I just get a read. Like if there were a woman who was maybe 55 and she's always wanted a piano, and her husband's with her, and she plays cocktail music. Okay, well, she might want to play classical, so we need to keep that door open to choose a piano that can do anything. But if she's certain that she wants to play only cocktail music for the rest of her life, then we'll choose a piano that's very lovely, very lyrical, that doesn't have a lot of fire. And also, when they're at the piano, I look at their body language there too, make sure their shoulders are relaxed, that their fingers are comfortable, and I just get a quick read within seconds. Often people will say, I'm so grateful we came in today and met you, because you're the perfect person, perfect place. And they had no idea what they were getting into when they walked in the door.
I love it. I love that you're shining a light on the fact that people can spend money, whether it's 3,000 or 200,000, they can actually feel great about it. In fact, they should feel great about.
It if they don't. I haven't done the right. I haven't done my job.
