Sunday Marketing.

[Paul B. 523]

This past Sunday I took my dad to the ballgame (Reds vs. Indians). We had decent seat for $35 each on the 3rd base side behing the visitor dugout. This seat, in comparison to the $9 seat in the last row of the upper deck made bionocular use unnecessary. (I did see a descendant of Bob Uecker sitting in the last row all by his lonesome.) Four section of seats behind home plate are nice for a different perspective on the game, but at $200 per seat, we passed on them.

We got there about an hour and a half before the games start to watch the players warm up, take batting practice, and sign autographs. My dad and I think The Great American Ball Park is nice, but we still like old Crosely, Wrigley or Tiger stadiums better for the close and personal feel in almost any seat you chose.

A few years ago I visited Tiger stadium for the last time with my better half as we were in Detroit at Belle Island for the Grand Prix. We chose last row seats with the bleecher bums over much better seats behind either dugout. The atmosphere was great and we had a great time cheering for the home team. Tigers won!

Throughout the game, a score of food and drink vendors ran up and down the stairs selling $6 beers, $4 bottles of water and $3.50 hot dogs. The best deal they offered (in my opinion and a few kids near by) were the cups of ice cream for $2.75.

Between a couple of innings I went upstairs to the consession stands and I offered my business card discretely to people exiting the beer line. Handed out about 50 cards. I figured anyone that is willing to pay $6 for a beer can certainly afford some of the services I offer. Who knows, maybe I'm wrong - they're most likely saving the deck restoration money for the next ballgame.

[MeiersEnterprises 14]

Any calls from that Paul???

[RyanH 14]

Your writing style is similar to Lewis Grizzard's or Andy Rooney.

[Mike 64]

I'll be seeing a few games at Great American ballpark this summer myself.

[Mike 64]

Your writing style is similar to Lewis Grizzard's or Andy Rooney.

Similar he is, but Lewis he is not. ;)

[RyanH 14]

Similar he is, but Lewis he is not. ;)

[Mike Williamson 198]

Your writing style is similar to Lewis Grizzard's

Boy I miss his columns.

[Paul B. 523]

Guys,

If you'd warned me in advance I would have, I could have done a better job. Now you're stuck with my bulletin board version. (Now you also have me looking up every other word to make sure it's spelled correctly.)

When I was younger, they told me I was funny. Now they say I'm sometimes satirical but most often just plain old sarcastic. "Sarcastic old fart" (may substitute "******* or s.o.b." for "fart", if you please).

Side note: There is this fella that actually changes his name to "They Said" - thinks someone should take credit for all the uncredited quotes. Have thought many times of changing mine to "Genesis" ...easier to spell, would save time answering the phone, and less confusing when I answer the phone at home.

Can't say I've read anything of Lizzard's (seen some of his books that are out of print ...may have read his column without knowing his name???).

I have written a short story of sighting Elvis and Frank Zappa on a Conch Train in Key West (My friends enjoyed it, but then again, you it was one of those "You had to be there" situations).

I'm mostly interested now in the older writers (mostly dead, older writers) such as Aleichem, Bunin, Gide, Kafka, Nabokov, Proust, Exupery, Sartre, Pushkin....well anyway, you get the picture. I have read all of Vonnegut's books (I think) and most of Heller's (nothing can touch the classic "Catch-22"). I'm in process of finishing Ray Bradbury's 100 most celebrated tales (short stories). I like his Mars stories the most.

If you like funny sport stories, I highly recommend "The Umpire Strikes Back" by Ron Luciano (& David Fisher) - some of you old timers may remember his umpiring style in the American League (at 6'4" and 300 pounds he was hard to mistake for anyone else, and between innings you could catch him munching on a hot dog from one of the vendors in the stand). I believe his first book is the funniest - the second was "Strike Two". ....He talked about how fast Nolan Ryan was throwing the ball... I believe he said: Ryans fastballs were so fast he had to call them by ear.

Mike,

When you go, make sure to take a satchel full of money with you. I heard the average cost to take a family of 4 to the ballgame runs about $260.

Cincinnati is below the average (very conservative town) and Boston is at the top (obvious, after winning the series).

Meiers,

I have so far received one call for siding cleaning - doing estimate this afternoon.

[Bob Gates 14]

When I think of Lewis G I always think of his definition of Naked as opposed to Nekkid...Ha Ha!

[Paul B. 523]

Results are slowly coming in:

Our first call from the ballgame (if you recall) was for washing the back side of a house. When I went to look at the property I was initially very frustrated because it looked like the only area on the house that needed cleaning was the second story portion in the back. Looked like about 30-45 minutes worth of work. After looking around a bit I noticed the front concrete walkway was dirty along with the 3000 sq ft driveway. I also noticed he had a small deck in the back by the pool that was in sad shape.

I called the customer later that day and told him that the work he was looking to have done was about $50 worth and my minimum was $150. I told him he could opt for the minimum or I could clean the deck and or the concrete also which would make up some of the difference. As we talked, it came out that he was actually wanting the deck torn down so he could build a much larger one. He asked if I knew someone reliable that build decks. (Last year I partnered with an old friend in another business venture where we do building restoration, fire damage work, insurance work, roofing, exterior/interior painting, drywalling, concrete work and deck building, etc. - ...One call, we do it all!)

Bottom line ends up that after setting an appointment, my partner and I went out to his house. After our session, we came out with an extensive amount of work scope. We took our sketches and notes and spent the rest of the day and most of the night finishing our estimate(s).

We now have approved contract(s) to proceeed on. Scope of work:

- Tear down existing deck.

- Design and build new deck.

- Stain deck after wood dries.

- Concrete work around pool area (tear out and new pour).

- Clean and seal all concrete around home (walkways, driveway, pool apron).

- Wash house siding

The $50 ($150 minimum) work turned out to be well worth the trip.

My dilemma has always been one between frustration and joy. Should I tell a customer we have $100 plus minimum or should I go anyway and look for myself, look to see what other work can be had. Bottom line is if you don't go, you don't know what other opportunities you could miss out on with that customer or others in the neighborhood. I do a modified version of customer screening. Ask a lot more questions and remind the customer that we do just about any kind of work.

I have had a few more calls fro the baseball game including an estimate to clean a town hall and a couple homes in an exlusive part of town (homes start at $1MM - lots of old money).

I think I may go to another game and maybe sit in the $200 seats next time.

(I don't think so! I just can't support that pricing structure.)