My Look at Sales People
As a person who has not been in sales for much of his career, I think I may have a unique perspective on sales. Like most people I’ve never cared much for sales people. You know the classic used car guy or vacuum salesman. They can just be exhausting. My experience here though has given me a new look on the way sales can be done.
I am not a trained salesman by trade so Eastgate pools took a big risk on me. That being said, they let me learn from people who have vastly more experience than I do with the pool and spa industry. They also let me develop my own way of helping customers find what best fulfills their needs, wants, and budget. Yes my income is based on the things I sell, but not in the normal commission way. Here at Eastgate Pools my pay is not based on how much I sell monthly or weekly. I don’t make money off of every item I sell and therefore I am able to approach sales differently. I don’t feel the need or pressure to sell something just for the sake of numbers. I feel it allows me to best fill the customers needs without putting either person through the classic high pressure ordeal that we all dread when making some major purchases. This way I can approach you and truly sell you what you need as opposed to something I want you to buy for the sake of numbers. I invite everyone to come and try the experience even if you don’t purchase a single thing. I promise, our sales representative will make you feel comfortable, un-pressured and happy you took the time to come into Eastgate Pools.
Charles W Kelley
Eastgate pools
Light My Fire!
New at Eastgate Pools this fall…fireglass from American Fireglass. This is a beautiful new product we have that can be used in just about any gas firepit. Even if you didn’t get your firepit here (no, I won’t fault you for that) you can find some really interesting colors to take your gas burner to a new level. Fireglass is tumbled to eliminate sharp edges for safe handling, and it won’t breakdown over time. In addition, fireglass can provide nearly three times as much heat your typical firepit. The refracted light in the pieces of glass greatly enhance the look of the flame and can really make a firepit that much more of an interesting and functional addition to your backyard. We also have firebeads in a variety of colors that have an even different effect. Our Oriflamme firepits have always had fireglass, but this is the first chance we have had to turn more basic lava rock firepits into something more. Stop in and we can fire up one of our demos for you to see just what this new product can do. Hope to see you soon!
Craig
Talking Turkey
This morning, I was driving to work from my eye appointment. I passed a small BBQ place in Newtown and immediately smelled deliciousness. On the fence was a sign advertising that they were taking orders for smoked turkeys for Thanksgiving. If they taste as good as they smell, well there will be some happy people around Cincinnati.
Once I was at my desk, one of the first emails that I opened reviewed a survey from the Hearth, Patio & Barbecue Association reporting that 53% of the respondents said that they planned to cook their turkey on a grill, barbecue or smoker this year. I sense a real trend here and am glad that we now carry Kamado Joe Grills here at Eastgate Pools. I plan to buy a turkey while they are on special, and then sometime soon our demo Kamado Joe is going to be producing the same wonderful smells that I experienced on the way to work this morning. Each time we grill here at the store on the Kamado Joe just reinforces that there will be one on my patio very soon. If you want to talk turkey, smoked of course, stop in and see our Kamado Joe Grills.
Which Side of the Fence do you Fall on?
I think one thing that gets missed in some of these blogs is the request for feedback, and that is the thing I am hoping to receive quite a bit of from this post. As customer input is key this is definitely a question worth asking… How much is convenience worth? I think as a company we are very upfront in discussing the items that are beyond our scope of work, and referring contractors for the customer to contact directly to complete the portions of projects that we do not do. The reason that we do this is quite simply a way to control customer cost, if we work as a general contractor/middle man there is a cost involved. The question becomes is it worth it to you, as a customer, to pay the additional cost for the convenience to have the additional portions done for you? Or is the most driving factor, as it relates to you, the ability to save money by making those connections with other parties? I hope to hear you weigh in with your feelings.
Eliminate “Mom we’re Bored!”
Everyones favorite time of year is about to begin. You know when the weather is bad and you’re stuck in the house with nothing to do. This may happen a lot of the time but I will admit that I love a fresh snow fall. When everything is covered with that sparkling white blanket it makes me feel great. But that is all I like about winter.
Regardles what I like, this season is the best time to think about getting a pool table, dart board, foosball, and even an air hockey table. This can help to entertain when we have one of those ugly gray cold and rainy days. You will stop them saying, “darn it we are stuck inside again and there isn’t anything to do.” Usually “Mom we’re bored!” will become a thing of the past.
Everyone Gets Excited at Lunchtime
As you can see, Max can not wait for lunch here at Eastgate Pools. That face says it all.
Duck Season! Wabbit Season!
This time of year brings hunters out from all walks of life to start the yearly routine. They build their stands, mark their territory and begin the ritual. The greatest part about this season is I always end up with a freezer full of venison, and I don’t even go out to hunt. This year is a little different because I have a new tool to prepare these delicious cuts of venison, the Kamado Joe. Kamado Joe provides recipes for every cut of game, fish, poultry, pork and beef with unending possibilities. You can smoke, grill, bake, sear and even roast your Thanksgiving turkey with the Kamado Joe so no cut of meat is exempt.
We, here at Eastgate, believe that grilling is not seasonal. There is not a day of the year that delicious, slow-cooked or even fast seared meats and vegetables are not desirable. Football season is my favorite time to smoke a Boston butt or grill up some chicken wings and therefore I am getting into full grilling mode. The new Kamado Joe is premium for this season and I am eager to get my unit up and roaring. The limitations are boundless and I know my family is just as eager to get over to my house on Sunday’s and gobble up some good barbecue.
I was brought a number of venison roasts and backstraps last week and I can not wait to fire up the Kamado Joe and get them roasting.So, on Sunday, I will be roasting venison on the Kamado Joe out front of our store and I could not be more thrilled. The versatility of the Kamado Joe is endless and slow cooking venison assures no tough, over-cooked meat. Stop on in this weekend to see one of our new ceramic Kamado Joe ranges in action. Once you come see the abilities of the Kamado Joe you will understand why this is the top charcoal unit in the world.
A Follow Up to a Tough Reds Season
This blog is to follow up on an email before the one game playoff with the Pirates. I was excited and optimistic. I saw Cueto and Marshall coming off the DL and thought they make a run.
Well, Cueto nearly wet his pants from nerves and Marshall was brought in against a right handed bat and was crushed. The two players I highlighted were the goats of the game. Well them and Dusty.
Speaking of Dusty, we must say farewell after a long journey. The fans were pretty hard on him down the stretch. I for one, will look back with fondness on his tenure with the Reds. Before Dusty came to the team, the Reds were terrible. We got used to winning and we wanted more. Not every team can win it all every year, but I do agree with managements decision to release Baker. I think they should have done it last year, instead of signing him to a two year deal however. Now “we” the collective fans that faithfully follow the Reds will have a new skipper. I just hope that the new skipper is as successful as the old one. Odds are, he won’t be.
Why I’ll choose Kamado Joe
I have never been one to view myself as a master chef, nor really a good cook for that matter. I recall a time when my daughter was younger, I told her that I was making dinner and the reply was “but dad you don’t know how to cook”. With keeping the previous statements in mind, and the fact that my daughter has given me a complex about my cooking skills, I have tried to sharpen my culinary skills. Finding recipes on the internet is a great way, but there are no visual techniques shown with this. I have, much to my own amazement, begun to watch some of the cooking shows in order to see some of the techniques applied and see if there are some of these things that I can use myself. As a guy of course I am interested on what can be done on a grill, and how to do some of the things I have never done before. My greatest area of interest recently has been smoking items, which then led me to realize that this is tough to do on a gas grill. When this realization hit me, it then required me to buy a charcoal grill and then realize everything that I thought I knew about charcoal did not relate to smoking. Low indirect heat, and longer cook times tend to give a better flavor. I always knew there were different brands of charcoal, but different types as well? This is one I had never researched, as I was a newbie to grilling on anything other than gas. All of this is leading up to my excitement of our newest product the Kamado Joe line of smoker grills. The trying to determine and maintain low indirect heat in a steel grill body without a heat deflector or thermometer seen from the outside. Kamado Joe smooths out all of the wrinkles that I have encountered trying to use my kettle style grill. Please stop in, check it out, and see the new product line and see how easy smoking at home can be.
Welcome Kamado Joe to the Eastgate Family
Kamado Joe is a ceramic cooker like nothing you have ever cooked with before. Using indirect heat is how this phenomenal barbecue pit works to lock in flavor making your dinners the envy of the neighborhood. The Japanese perfected this style of cooking over 3000 years ago and the process still creates incredibly moist and to-die-for flavors today. Whether you want to grill up some steaks, slow smoke some ribs or even bake a cake, the Kamado Joe is the most versatile outdoor cooking system around.
We got in our unit to cook on and we couldn’t wait. Check out the photos below and come on in so we can show you why Kamado Joe is best.
To Drain or Not to Drain?
Not as poetic as Shakespeare, but a more prevalent question this time of year here at Eastgate Pools. Is there any reason to drain any water out of your pool? Unless you are one of the handful of customers that have a concrete/gunite pool with a true tile border the answer is a resounding no. By removing water from the pool this will put undue stress on the pool cover, thereby shortening the cover life, but also by stressing the cover you run the risk of stretching open the weave. If you open this weave 2 problems will occur, one of them is allowing dirt from the cover surface to filter down into the water, causing the water to be funky at the spring opening. The second issue crops up as you try to remove water from the pool cover over the winter, if the weave has opened up you are not only pumping water off of the surface of the cover, but pumping water out of the pool. Keep in mind it is also better for your wallet each spring to not have to add several thousand gallons of water back to the pool. I welcome you to stop in and see one of our professionals who can guide you through the proper winterizing process.
Dos Loves to Help and Spread Smiles
If you have ever come into Eastgate Pools & Spas, you have likely seen our goodwill ambassador Dos the Cat. She is always available to greet us when we arrive and leave.
She tends to want to enjoy the same luxuries as all of us.
She helps us keep track of our stock (when she isn’t sleeping)
She is always around when we fire up the grill
Her best friend in the store is our warehouse manager Jeff. She loves to lend a helping paw when Jeff needs the assistance.
And she can always find a comfortable spot to sleep.
She works hard to make our lives easy and brings smiles to faces across the Eastgate Pools world. Come on in and pet our little sweetheart and let her show you why Eastgate Pools and Spas has the greatest customer service around.
Welcome the Aquatica X10
We recently added a new spa to our already extensive line-up of spas with the Aquatica X10. This isn’t your typical spa, either. When customers come in and say that want a spa to seat 6 to 7 people that usually means they will get one that comfortably seats 4 but can squeeze in up to 6…not anymore. Measuring 90” x 114”, the Aquatica X10 has 7 clearly defined seats with the ability to get in one more. Each seat offers tremendous hydrotherapy that is supported by a total of 4 pumps. If you are looking for features, I can assure you this model won’t disappoint. With a deluxe LED lighting package, stainless jets, a 4 speaker deluxe stereo system with subwoofer, beautiful cabinet, deluxe cover, and molded bottom there is no stone left unturned. If you are in the market for a spa that fills all your therapy and entertaining needs, look no further. Stop in and see this impressive new model. It may just be the right fit for you and your family…or family of friends.
We also now have the ability to order swim spas for those that want the best of a spa and the ability to exercise without the need of a much larger swimming pool. Training and therapy all wrapped into one beautiful spa. At Eastgate Pools & Spas we continue to offer the latest in quality and innovation and these new models are our latest step in that direction. While we don’t have the swim spas on display I’m sure we can show all that you will need to see if it is right for you. As always, I look forward to seeing you all in the near future. Have a great day!
- Craig
Reds Postseason Dreams
This is the year. I am calling it now. We have been mired in slightly better than mediocrity all year, but here at the end of the season it all has become clear and the pieces are falling into place.
Johny Cueto is back in action and looks like he will be in early season form (which for him is the best portion of the season). Sean Marshall looks like he may be back to befuddle left handed batsman and Billy Hamilton is thieving bases all over the place and the team needs to give Billy Hatcher a starting gun for whenever Hamilton is on base.
I know what your thinking. Your thinking that the Reds have done this before. They’ve given you hope and trashed your dreams. The difference this year is, complacency. We have settled into failed hopes and expect the past to repeat. This is exactly when life decides to mix it up and throw you a Sean Marshall curve ball.
All it takes is to get hot for a couple weeks. Just try not to expect it.
Things That Trouble Me Pt. 1
I like pizza. If you’ve seen me recently, you can easily determine that I like just about anything to eat. But I really like pizza—even not-so-great pizza. To me, a little grease on top is a free extra meant to give garlic bread or breadsticks meaning.
But will someone please tell me why some pizza companies insist on cutting their pies into little squares, kind of like crossword puzzle boxes. It’s okay if you’re getting an edge piece, but once there is no crust to grab on to, now it becomes a ‘dig your fingers into the piece and pry it off the box’ moment.
Pizza is meant to be cut into triangles. It’s why they call it ‘pie’ in New York. You grab it, fold it over, and jam it home. And sorry, but that ultra thin Chicago or St. Louis stuff isn’t real pizza so don’t bring it up!
I think we need to start a grassroots movement to get pizza cut uniformly the same everywhere (or at least where I order). And the ‘same’ means no more crossword block pieces! Someone take the lead in this effort. I can’t. I’m busy eating. –Max
