The $500 January Bonus Prize!

Just a quick reminder to all our Japan Holiday participants:  For the month of January, we'll have another drawing for the $500 Bonus Prize.  But this time, the more Kawai instruments you sell, the better your chances of winning!   Each Kawai instrument you sell gives you one entry in the drawing. Six sales will give you six chances to win; ten sales will give you ten chances to win.  The more you sell, the better your chances!

So, be sure to report all your sales by this Friday, February 1st. We'll have the drawing on Tuesday, February 5th.  Best wishes and thanks for selling Kawai!  

Leavin' on a Jet Train...

On the third day of our Japan Holiday, we'll leave beautiful Hakone National Park by motorcoach for a short commute to Mishima Station, where we'll take our first ride on the Shinkansen, also known as the "Bullet Train."  The Shinkansen is a network of high-speed railway lines that connects most of the major cities on the larger islands of Japan. These trains are some of the fastest in the world, moving at maximum speeds from 149-186 miles per hour.  

Standing on the platform as one of these trains whizzes by is an awe-inspiring experience.  The visual impact of ground-based object moving that fast within 25 feet of you is pretty spectacular; but the sound it makes as it goes by is even more interesting.  If you've seen the "Lord of the Rings" movies, do you recall the high-pitched shrieks of the Black Riders as they terrorized Middle Earth?  Okay, bullet trains are NOT that bad.  But they're close.  Imagine one very long, metallic shriek at a volume that is pretty scary (but, thankfully, not overwhelming).  The local folks are used to it, but first-time hearers will want to cover their ears!

 

On the inside, bullet trains are as calm as can be.  The ride is surprisingly smooth and peaceful; and the views of the surrounding countryside can be both interesting and beautiful. If it's your first time on a bullet train, you'll likely consider it one of those "life experiences" that you can now take off your bucket list. 

We'll arrive in Hamamatsu in the early afternoon and make our way to Kawai's Ryuyo Grand Piano Factory, where we will be the honored guests for a grand tour!

Announcing Our TWO Bonus Prize Winners!

A happy new year to you all!  As promised, we've drawn two winners from the hat containing the names of all salespersons who sold six or more Kawai instruments during the month of December.  And the happy winners of the two $500 Bonus Prizes in our Golden Anniversary Japan Holiday Contest are...

Brad Blair

Brad Blair of Frank and Camille's East in Long Island, New York and Tom Helmer, Jr. of SoCal Pianos in San Marcos, California.  Our sincere thanks to Brad, Tom, and everyone who qualified for the December sales drawing for doing such a great job selling Kawai throughout the holiday season!  We appreciate your outstanding efforts in representing our brand.

Tom Helmer, Jr.

For the month of January, we'll have another drawing for one $500 Bonus Prize -- but with a little twist.  This month, the more Kawai instruments you sell, the better your chances of winning!  Each Kawai instrument sold gives you one entry in the drawing.  Six sales will give you six chances to win; ten sales will give you ten chances to win.  Be sure to report all your sales by Friday, February 1st.  We'll have the drawing on Tuesday, February 5th. 

Wishing you a great start to the new year!

A DOUBLE Bonus!

TWO $500 Bonus Prizes for December!  Just a quick reminder that we'll be drawing two names to receive $500 Bonus Prizes for sales that take place between December 1 and December 31.  So, your chances are twice as good that you'll win a prize!

 

Just sell six or more Kawai acoustic or digital pianos during this month to qualify. Be sure to report all your December sales by January 2, 2013. We'll be announcing the winners on January 7th in the new year. Happy selling!

 

P.S. If you haven't read our post on "Day Two" of the Japan Holiday, please click HERE or click the link for "Next Stop: Beautiful Hakone National Park" in the Blog Archive on the right. 

Next Stop: Beautiful Hakone National Park

After a whirlwind day in Tokyo, we'll move from the frenetic pace of a world-class city to the tranquil serenity of one of Japan's most scenic places, Hakone (hah-KOH-neh) National Park near legendary Mt. Fuji.  Once we reach the Hakone area by motorcoach, we'll take a relaxing boat cruise on beautiful Lake Ashi. If it's a clear day, we'll enjoy some stunning views of Japan's highest peak (12,388 feet) as we soak in the natural beauty of one of Japan's most visited lake regions. 

Next, we'll board the mile-long aerial tramway to Ōwakudani (which is translated as "Great Boiling Valley"). Ōwakudani is an area known for its active sulphur vents and hot springs.  If the weather is clear and sunny as we ascend, we'll see more spectacular landscapes, including the striking image of Lake Ashi with Mt. Fuji ascending gradually behind it.  If you've never been on an aerial tramway before, it will be an exhilarating experience! 





Once we reach the hot springs of Ōwakudani, you may hear about a local speciality called kuro-tamago ("black egg"), which is an egg boiled in the hot springs. When boiled, the eggs turn black and smell slightly sulphuric. Local folklore says the eating one kuro-tamago will add 7 years to your life. Eating two-and-a-half can give you up to 17 years--but that's supposedly the limit. {Editor's Note: Now, that's one clever marketing tool for selling hard-boiled eggs!}  

At the end of the day, we'll check into a traditional "ryokan" hotel for some rest and relaxation. The term ryokan describes an inn or cottage that incorporates traditional Japanese elements such as tatami floors, futon beds, Japanese-style baths and local cuisine. After an authentic Japanese meal, you can take full advantage of the natural hot spring baths that are extremely popular with Japanese and foreign guests alike. It will be a restful conclusion to a day of natural beauty and cultural exploration.

 

The Leaderboard

We know it's still very early in the game, but we thought we'd give you a quick snapshot of the Leaderboard after the first two months of reporting.  First, here's a brief reminder about the prizes that await the eventual winners: 

For Large Market Dealerships:  The top nine salespersons who earn the highest number of trip points will each receive a trip-for-two to Japan.  For Smaller Market Dealerships:  The top two salespersons in a Medium Market and the top salesperson in a Small Market who did not finish in the top nine will each receive trips-for-two.  
 

THE EARLY LEADERBOARD  

The lists below are in numerical order (not ranked in order of points earned) and use the participant number you should have been sent recently.  If you have not yet received your participant number, contact Joe Deleski at:  jdeleski@kawaius.com.

 

Large Market Leaders (pursuing one of the nine trips-for-two):

1054, 1365, 2123, 2220, 2644, 2765, 3359, 3397, 3489, 3509, 3760, 3978, 4061, 4425, 4563

 

Small/Medium Market Leaders (pursuing one of the three trips-for-two):

2307, 3064, 3679, 3918, 4981

 

If you're not on the Leaderboard yet, don't be discouraged!  Anything can happen between now and February 28, 2013.  So, keep on striving!   And, if you're already on the Leaderboard, great job so far!  But don't let up. There are many others right behind you who are chasing the prize!  

 

Our thanks to all of you who are participating on our Golden Anniversary Japan Holiday Contest.  Wishing you great success during the busy holiday selling season!

 

 

Our $500 Winner for November!

Why is this man smiling?  It's because he just won the $500 November Bonus Prize in our Japan Holiday Contest!  Congratulations to Rick Rice of SoCal Pianos in Ontario, California for selling six or more Kawai instruments during the month of November and being selected in our monthly drawing.  Thanks, Rick, for your faithful support of the Kawai brand!

TWO BONUS PRIZES FOR DECEMBER QUALIFIERS!  As a special holiday bonus, we'll be drawing TWO names from the hat to receive $500 Bonus Prizes for the month of December.  Just sell six or more Kawai acoustic or digital pianos during this month to qualify.  Be sure to report all your December sales by January 2, 2013.  We'll announce the winners on January 7th in the new year.  Happy selling!