February 11, 2014 AsktheBuilder Newsletter & Tips
This was going to be an abbreviated newsletter. It was the last thing I did before I left for southern California for the BehrPro Editors Conference.
But then I arrived in sunny and warm Los Angeles, went to the BehrPro reception on Monday night and then ended up in Pete's Sunset Grille in the Hyatt Resort at Huntington Beach, CA. That's where Danielle waited on my buddy Steve and I after the reception. More on Danielle in a bit.
If you open and read this just after it's sent, I'll be getting ready for a full day of discovering what's new with Behr paints, stains and coatings.
They've got a fantastic agenda planned including a great tour of their factory in southern California. I love factory tours!
In an upcoming newsletter, I'll give you a full report on what I discovered at the Behr conference.
You Ask, I Answer
Not a day goes by I don't get an email from someone, it could be you, about things I like and use.
Usually the email says, "Tim, if it's good enough for you, it's good enough for me."
I get it.
Well guess who's going to be gone on Valentine's Day? Guess who's going to be 3,000 miles away from Kathy?
Yep, me. I'll still be in California not getting home until late Sunday, two days after Valentine's Day.
So I'm going to have my buddy Bob pull me out of the fire.
Bob and I go way back. He and I were in an Internet entrepreneur mastermind group together for years. I was one of the founding charter members of this group.
Bob owns FlowersFast.com a great online service you can order flowers from any day of the year, including V Day.
Why should you buy your V Day flowers from Bob?
For starters, he's offering you a 15% discount if you use this promo code:
ATB15
Second, Bob's been selling flowers for years and knows that it's very cool if you send the flowers to your sweetheart's office.
Are you ready for the next hint from Bob?
Include a heartfelt note with the flowers, but say it in French!
Yes, just use the easy translator websites online and once you have the French sentences, paste it into Bob's order form. He'll do the rest!
Order EARLY like TODAY to set the tone and avoid any last-minute flower shortages. This time of year, weather can cause all sorts of delivery-chain mishaps!
If you're sending the gorgeous flowers to her office, you don't want them to arrive Friday. ORDER NOW so she gets to enjoy them for at least three days!
NEVER pay full price. Use the ATB15 promo code!
I'm going to CLICK THIS LINK on Tuesday to order Kathy's flowers!
NOTE: I do NOT get a commission from Bob for telling you about him. I want you to get superb service and flowers like I do whenever I use FlowersFast.com.
Treasure Hunt News
The AsktheBuilder Treasure Hunt starts in just ONE WEEK! Yes, February 18th, you're going to get a very special email with sailing orders.
If you want to be the Grand Prize winner, you can start NOW to work on three things. I'm giving you a HEAD START so you have plenty of time.
Remember, I go to the Grand Prize winner's house for an entire day.
For this event there's only enough money in the travel budget to send me anywhere in the lower 48 US states. Next event I'm going to try to expand where I go.
To win the Grand Prize, here's what you need to do:
1. A 150-word essay titled: Why Tim MUST Come to My Home! You explain why, in your own words, why you need my advice. Extra points for those who have small repair jobs we can do in 15-30 minutes EACH. List those.
This 150-word essay is the ONLY required item you have to submit to be entered to win the Grand Prize.
2. Take three great photos showing what's wrong. Remember the old saying: A picture is worth 1,000 words. What you can't fit in the 150-word essay, let the photos talk.
3. Start working on a SHORT 2-minute video. Use your smartphone. Use a friend's smart phone. Have your kids or grandkids tape it with their phone. Show yourself in the video and what I'm going to look at once I get to your home if you're the winner.
Items 2 and 3 above are NOT REQUIRED. But if you do them you'll have a better chance at getting selected.
Why?
I've got my judges set for the event and they're going to pick three finalists. The finalists' story, and any photos / videos they send it will be posted at a page of AsktheBuilder.com for a week.
Then YOU and the WORLD are going to VOTE for one of the three finalists.
You can see how if there are photos AND a video, that person will have a clear advantage.
I'm giving you nearly a MONTH to put together photos and a video. Just get it done. You can figure out how to do this.
The companies who have signed up to be sponsors so far are below. There's STILL room for your company!
Next week, I'll have more information about the sponsors and links to their websites.
Briggs and Stratton Snowblower Review Video
Mother Nature and I battled on Thursday.
Who do you think won? Yes, I KNOW Mother Nature bats last.
CLICK HERE to watch the video.
Danielle and Hanger 24
Remember my buddy Bob from FlowersFast.com? Well, I'm here in southern California staying with another very good friend, Steve, who I met back in 1999 when he helped start the Internet mastermind group.
Steve and I golfed today and we shot this crazy golf video and then drove to the Hyatt resort in Huntington Beach, CA.
Steve's not attending the Behr conference, he just decided to sit poolside and work at the Hyatt. On Monday night, I went with him to eat dinner after I attended the Behr Paint reception.
We stayed on the Hyatt property and went to Pete's Sunset Grill. That's where we met Danielle.
I used to train waitresses in a former life back when I was in high school and college. That's another story for another day.
Danielle greeted Steve and I, and I could immediately tell this was going to be a great encounter. You could tell by her smile, her voice and everything about her. She's a pro.
My buddy Steve wanted to know if I'd have a beer and I said, "Steve, you know I hate beer. Everyone I've ever tried is bitter."
"You're drinking the wrong beer. Danielle, do you serve Hanger 24 Orange Wheat?"
"Sure, we've got it, would you like some?"
"I'll have a glass and do you give out samples for my friend?"
"Oh yes, I'll bring him a small sampler."
Minutes later, Danielle was back with Steve's giant glass of cloudy beer, the one I'm holding in the photo, and the small brandy glass with about two ounces in it.
"If you don't like it, don't worry about it. But I think you'll find it pretty good," Danielle said to me.
I was prepared to be disappointed but was not. It looks like I might start to drink beer now!
Steve and I chatted with Danielle just as the grille was closing and discovered Danielle is in a Master's program at USC studying to be a professional writer.
Steve and I shared some business and marketing tips with her that hopefully will make her writing dreams come true. As Kenny Chesney said in his hit song, "Only time will tell, but it ain't talkin'."
My money's on Danielle. I'm pretty sure she's going to be a huge success.
Dishwasher Soap Update
CAPS below for emphasis, not SCREAMING. 🙂
Months and months ago, I told you I was going to tell you about what I discovered from my investigation into the dishwasher machine soap damage situation.
I got one of those FUNNY FEELINGS in my stomach when I decided to expose ALL I found out.
The FUNNY FEELING was telling me that some GIANT corporation that spends HUNDREDS OF MILLIONS of dollars with the LARGEST SEARCH ENGINE in the world would not be happy and ask a FAVOR of the SEARCH ENGINE to punish me.
So here's what I'm going to tell you about ANY of the powders or liquid soaps you put in your dishwasher:
MOST, if not ALL of them, contain fine abrasives - usually volcanic pumice.
This is the ONLY WAY these soaps can clean your dishes.
If the machine just squirted hot water on the dishes for HOURS AND HOURS, they'd still come out dirty.
The pumice is the agent that provides the mechanical agitation that's required to produce cleaning.
Would you clean your dishes by subjecting them to a sandblaster? Well, that's what you're doing when you use most / all of the dish-washing machine soaps.
If you want to RUIN clear glasses, china with any pattern on it, mugs with printing or photos, etc. then USE these products.
If you want to SAVE your nice china, plates, mugs, etc. wash them by HAND.
Next Week
Next week the ENTIRE NEWSLETTER is devoted to the Treasure Hunt.
Get ready to have FUN!