Here we are with another newsletter. Thanks again for subscribing and for telling all of your friends about it! We’re getting new subscribers all the time, and I know that there are a ton of different things that we can do to utilize this thing and bring even more value to our members. I’ve been inviting the folks in the group to send me ideas for things we can add, and you have been coming through. I have to say that this is the best professional group of all time!

One example came in a message I received from a group member the other day. The suggestion is that we start featuring one group member’s project each month in the newsletter. This would be a job that is notable in some way or utilizes new technology. I think this is a great idea and would like to get started with implementing it right away.

So, if you're working on something that’s out of the ordinary and you would like to show it off, I would be very interested in learning about it. Your part would be to send some photos and writing an article describing the project. Tell us what it is and what is so special about it. You could send finished photos, before and after shots, or pictures of the project as it's progressing. Naturally, this will be an excellent chance for you to showcase your business, your team, and your skills.

As you know, this is the “Shower Door Professionals” newsletter, so shower doors are a plus (but not mandatory). We're also interested in other types of glass projects, so feel free to send over whatever you have. If this is something that you're interested in but you're really not sure how to get started, feel free to reach out to me and we can talk about it. It's just an idea right now, so there's opportunity to develop this as we go. Let me know what your thoughts are and hopefully will be able to get a featured project in one of the upcoming newsletters – maybe within the next couple of weeks.

-Chris Phillips 

Just in case you missed it, we're going to dive right in and unpack all the details of our latest meetup in cybersspace!

Catching-Up:
We kicked off our talk discussing the arts (and challenges) of installing shower doors on those pretty glass tiles without turning them into spiderwebs! Next, we got into the nitty-gritty of tracking down the best sources of glass and hardware - sharing both the smooth transactions and some of the horror stories of dealing with various suppliers. We wrapped things up with a couple of burning questions from the guys and gals in the gallery about going big with shower doors and the possibility of diving into the HR side of things in a future chinwag.

The Glass Tile Tango:
-Tips to keep ‘em intact:
- Ditch wall mounts for pivot hinges. Fewer holes = fewer worries.
- Nail that pilot hole and ease into the drilling.
- Make sure you're anchoring into those wall studs or solid blocking.
- Gaskets and bumpers are your secret weapons – they help share the load.
- And hey, don't forget to give your customers the heads up about the risk factor. (Maybe even sneak it into the contract).
When the glass tiles inevitably crack?
- Beef up with a thicker tile.
- Edge out threats with sealants or gaskets.

The Hunt for Glass & Gear:
Glass-go-to's:
- Oldcastle's the name, but watch out! Their service and quality can be a mixed bag, depending on where you’re at. Some service centers are better than others.
- For those bespoke gigs? Check out indie champs like Vector.
The dark side of some suppliers:
- Mergers can mess with account transitions.
- Some back off from edgework like miters – “liability” they say.
- Finding mismatched quality across branches is a possability.
- Software over skill? Come on!
Gear Sources:
- Shoutout to FHC: Solid quality, but the price might make you raise a brow. Still, they are masters of customer service!

Crowd Curiosities:
- Going tall with half-inch glass doors? Up to a whopping 108 inches is cool. Just back ‘em up right and you'll see minimal bowing. It can definatly be done!

So, there we have it, folks – a Chris P. deep dive into our latest shower door showdown. Got a take or question on this? Don't be shy! Let’s keep the banter alive! 🚿💬🔩

And if you're craving the full scoop with all the juicy details, don't miss out! You can catch the entire podcast on our YouTube link (just click that bad boy). Hungry for answers or just itching with some shower door thoughts? Shoot over to our page at gep.glass/shower-door-professionals and lay it on us. Always thrilled to hear from our community! Keep it real, and remember, knowledge shared is success squared. Catch you on the call! 🚿🚪🤘🏼

FEATURED ARTICLE  Marketing On A Shoestring....

Marketing on a Shoestring….  When you want to grow your business, you need to get the word out about yourself, your products, your service and your company. Most small businesses don’t have the marketing budget for advertising that the Big Box stores or national companies do, so how do you get your message out and make yourself known, without breaking the bank?

This article will get you thinking in ways to get recognized in very inexpensive ways and watch your sales grow to levels that you have not seen.

1. Press Releases…..one of THE BEST ways to get positive publicity to the public with NO COST. Newspapers, magazines, blogs, chats etc… need content and if you can find an interesting way to get you message out, they will print it.
2. News Stories….. If you host a meeting, sponsor an event, mentor students or speak at a conference, the News wants to cover these types of stories. Even local newspapers or community publications help spread your word.
3. Product placements….Do you do work for tile stores, home improvement stores that need displays?  Most of your suppliers will either GIVE you displays or highly discount display packages for you to promote both their products and your services.
4. Thank you letters, with pictures…. When we purchase trucks, cars or tools, we send Thank you letters, with photos of your lettered vehicles IN A FRAME, for them to post in their showrooms…. THIS IS PRICELESS
5. Social Media, probably the quickest way to get your message out there…either with video content, a photo or a text comment. All of these are a MUST when trying to stay recognized….
6. Joining Trade organizations such as Home Builders or Remodelers Associations. Here, all you need to do is network and get known and make as many relationships as possible. This is another gem !
7. Self promote….hats, shirts, towels, golf balls, truck lettering, vehicle lettering. Some of these do cost some money but you don’t need to do full body wraps, just good crisp, clean lettering…..
8. Host free tours to show your work to the public, We have given tours to schools, chamber of commerce groups, builder associations and young entrepreneurs, We even hosted a group of Girl Scouts (with their parents). 

This should be enough to get you started but there are more in our arsenal for future articles….

Go get ‘em….  

Bill Daubmann
Owner/Founder
My Shower Door

SHOP THE GLASS GADGET STORE! The Solution: The Whitlock Clip is a tool that makes lining up the frameless door with the fixed panel fast and easy. The tool is small enough to fit in a pocket and allows the installer to see the corners of both panel to insure they are at the same height. The Whitlock Clip holds the glass firmly enough to secure it while still allowing the glass to move enough to be adjusted.