Transcript
Baker Plbg: As usual, the Instagram influence world continues to perplex me. was online, as many of us are, and someone asked why I wasn't at the Black and Yellow event.
Baker Plbg: I'm like, the Black and Yellow event? I don't have any idea what you're talking about. And sure enough, you know, a little search later, and DeWalt had their... Build black or built black and yellow event.
Baker Plbg: I had about a hundred people there. looks like, um, and all representing, i don't see anything innovative in there. Didn't really look that hard. i'm not really a DeWalt guy, so I don't really care, but The thing that perplexes me is that they have the same core group, the same 10 sort of the plumbing space guys.
Baker Plbg: I'm sure it's the same for the carpenters and the electricians and whatever else is out there. um It's the same 10. It's the same 10 people that run will go to the Milwaukee Pipeline event, that go to the Viega events, that go to the Rigid event, that go to, you know, ah the Fernco one, ah Pipelining ones, you name it. It's the same 10 or 12 dudes.
Baker Plbg: And then they sprinkle in a couple of extras. You know, it's like the Star Trek thing. You have your yellow shirts, that you know are staples. And then you have the red shirts that may make it, may not. We don't know yet. well We'll see how they work out. See if they're able to promote the product the way that we want to promote it um and say the right things at the right time.
Baker Plbg: How does it feel to know that you're, as a manufacturer, that you're the people that you're willing to bring in You know, set up in a $100 hotel room a night for two or three nights.
Baker Plbg: Buy them a few beers and a steak sandwich. And they will say anything. Promote anything you put in front of them. Right? yeah This is what I use. This is what gets me through the day.
Baker Plbg: It's a strange thing. And i like you say, if you have to do that, you have to do that. It reminds me of a, I went to high school with a guy that runs a couple of successful restaurants and i don't do any of his work, never have.
Baker Plbg: And we crossed paths, you know, six months ago and it sort of came up. He's like, yeah, I know you're in the space, but you know, the guy, the plumber that I use works for steak sandwiches.
Baker Plbg: And beer. So every time he comes in to do a call, clean a drain, fix my hot water tank, he gets a steak sandwich and a beer on the house. You know, it probably cost me four or five steak sandwiches a month in a couple of other restaurants that I run. And it works out great. It cost me next to nothing.
Baker Plbg: He's happy. He's doing his thing. So I think I've come up with a new name for the ah group is the Steak Sandwich Sorority. Yeah.
Baker Plbg: so I don't know. What's another good S word? Steak sandwich oh selenium? that's ah That's a chemical compound. What's the sanatorium?
Baker Plbg: Is that the word? Anyway, I think it's hilarious that these guys and gals, most of the gals have me blocked. for various reasons. i Actually, I don't know the reasons. I truly don't know the reasons.
Baker Plbg: I have never once said or done anything unprofessional or uncouth or demeaning in their anyone's DMs in...
Baker Plbg: yeah Certainly with people that... i The only one that's ever... Everybody knows who I hate, which is fine. And there's a variety of reasons for that. But it's interesting to me that the steak sandwich sorority just sort of goes around.
Baker Plbg: It's like the it's like the the Fish Wives Club. They just sort of go around, promote their little products, go back to work. Like, don't you have... families don't you have a business don't you have uh children you're able to attend all these events i'm here to tell you that i'm not sure how you guys pull that off uh uh the domestic life that you have constructed for yourself must be just don't know maybe you should give some classes on how to make that work
Baker Plbg: I don't know. As usual, those are my thoughts, not yours. um And I will fully admit, i am not a DeWalt guy. I probably have five or six DeWalt tools that I use. Everybody knows that sort of once you choose your platform,
Baker Plbg: It becomes proprietary and you just sort of go down that you make that decision. i made that decision 20 years ago ah Milwaukee seemed to have the best offering for the plumbing mindset and The rest is history. Battery platforms sort of mandate that stuff, which is interesting to me just to finish it off.
Baker Plbg: It's how these individuals, you know, are able to promote this product. They're obviously giving it to it because I, if I had to retool my entire thing with the wall, it would, you know, it would cost me, i don't know what 60, $70,000 for what?
Baker Plbg: So that I can be part of the black and yellow as opposed to the red. Anyway, And i die there it's it's the Ford GM debate. you know They're both so equal that you have to get down to some really niche stuff to determine which one's better and which one you like and why you like it and why you dislike X, y and Z. Anyway, good luck out there, everybody. i hope everybody has a fantastic August. It's hot as hell here and things are great. And I wish everybody the best.
Baker Plbg: And whatever they do, even the people that dislike me, I don't offer if wish any of you any ill will. Have a fabulous day out there. Have a fabulous fabulous evening.
Baker Plbg: All the best and whatever you're up to.
