An example came this morning. A husband and wife (Mr and Mrs Jon Fortune) and a chess friend are registering for the Chess Clinic (#6). Jon has a Gold Card so all three got the $125 rate! Yes, Barbie Fortune is planning to attend too and with a university student named Andrew Smith from Cheyenne, WY while they are from Oregon... finally some West Coasters again!
Of course the favorable decision is that people with Gold Cards CAN have family and friends ride in on their coattails. As I remarked once before, there are all kinds of reasons for owning a Gold Card.
SPEAKING OF THE GOLD CARD
However, people have been asking me how to get a Gold Card and I've had to tell them that the offer ended, effectively, March 31. They can still be had for $100 but no one wants to pay that (yet). However, a couple weeks ago a thought occurred that I should not be punishing those who have never had a Gold Card nor those who haven't made purchases from me since I re-opened for business in 2009.
Hence, and please pay attention, if you've never owned a Gold Card (say for 2009) nor have you made a purchase from me since Feb. 2009 (a helluva lot of people qualify!!), you can get the Gold Card for 2010 if you pay $50 for it BEFORE August 1, 2010. One MORE deadline.
You will be amazed at how many special offers, private offers, and such are made as a result of owning a Gold Card, and there are more to come. This is something even the MIGHTY Amazon can't match. Their idea of a special offer is not the same idea as mine.
WORKING WITH THE CUSTOMER (me!)
Today (actually, over the weekend) I have found a supplier for the big toner cartridges for my HP ColorLaserjet who will ship the day the order comes in and without sticking me with special taxes and handling charges like CDW (Chicago) does. These are vital components in my business. I ordered a big yellow (6,000 impressions) one last week (really, it was Tuesday) for $150+. It's still not here and I am 160 miles away. I have bought tens of thousands of dollars worth of stuff from them and this has happend like 4 of the last 5 times. They aren't helping me. I am going to the company, today, who will help me get these things when I need them so I can get offers, flyers, mailers, and stuff like that to you. Yes, I will end up owning 2 Yellow toner cartridges, but at least I can use them.
Back in "the old days" I kept extra toner cartridges on hand, anywhere from $500-1000 worth of components. Because I am starting up again I can't quite muscle my wallet to do that, but I suspect the day will come. I've always been about having duplicates of everything... you don't wanna know. I don't think it is UPS, I think it is the shipping department. I've written to my sales rep and he hasn't written back. Sorry Colin, you've just been fired. I don't need Donald Trump. My customers come first.
If you need something from me, you can contact:
bob@thinkerspressinc.com
I met Andrew Smith back at OleChess 2005 chess camp. Very nice guy.
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