As the number of qualified prospects may decrease, every single client contact - every call, will become more precious. It's in our best interest to consider every way we can maximize the chances of success with every call. There are so many ways to do this. Here's a simple one.

The typical business card is about 3 inches long and 2 inches deep. It's printed on one side. I think we're missing a bet. When a prospect says, Give me one of your business cards, that's an opportunity. A double sized card, folded over and printed on both sides is called a Tent. It can become your Personal Pocket Media Kit. If you Google Tent Business Cards you'll get a couple dozen results. Check the pricing. I found a couple that offer 1000 cards, on good stock with full color printing on both sides, for less than $75 bucks. I'm sure there's shipping and a few other charges - but that gives you a general idea.

What goes in it? Here are some ideas:

Photos. On the outside, a posed portrait bust shot of you with a nice big smile, then on the inside another picture of you with the morning team.

Logos. Logos of your station(s) and perhaps logos of the clients you've served over your ENTIRE career, not just the ones on your current list. If you're in a one-college town, and you're an alumnus, I'd add that logo. It'd be safe to put on a UT logo if you're in Austin or Ol' Miss if you're anywhere in that state.

Station graphics. Pix of any station ad material like billboards and bus signs. Whatever you have handy that works for you.

Here's what I can do for you! A bullet-point list of all the mundane stuff you already do every day for clients, like . . .

• Create sales promotions.
• Create and construct advertising campaigns.
• Copy writing (Even if you hate doing it. There's plenty places you can find it.)
• Create and execute on-location broadcasts.
• Ongoing monitoring of ad campaigns.
• Introductions to "spokesmen." (your jocks)
• Web and Online promotions.

A couple short quotes from a couple clients will help also. Shirley worked hard for us - harder than anybody else. She's a pro. Or, Don is reliable, gave us some great ideas.

Make it super-easy for them to contact you. On both sides: office number, cell number, e-mail and if you're really on your game - the url of  your own personal website or blog.

It's just another opportunity to max the chances of every client contact.
 

I subscribe to over 40 listener clubs, and am continually impressed by the innovation - especially in small market stations. But that's another article.

I donated a modicum of money to both presidential campaigns - ONLINE - to see how they operated - Online. You know the answer. McCain, publicly noted that he didn't know how to operate a fax machine or the he didn't know much about the net. It showed.

Of course we all know the other story. When I made the exact same contribution on the Obama site - Boom! First there was a thank you (which McCain did also) and a pitch for more money (which McCain did also.) But then came a daily e-mail asking if I wanted to volunteer to knock on doors. It gave me contacts in my zip code. Shortly afterward, the contacts called me. Then more thank you notes and a pitch for a couple more bucks. One asked if I'd like a bumper sticker, another asked about putting a sign in the front yard. On election day there was an e-mail and a text reminding me to vote. But the best was yet to come.

On election night I (like millions of others) was glued to the TV and doing some half-hearted work on my laptop.  I'll never forget it. Charles Gibson, on ABC-TV made the call at exactly 11PM Eastern Time. But that's not the moment I'll remember most. While watching the celebration at Grant Park, at 11:37 PM there was a ding showing I had an e-mail IT WAS A THANK YOU NOTE FROM OBAMA - THIRTY SEVEN MINUTES AFTER THE ANNOUNCEMENT.

Now THAT'S impressive. These are people who understand the power of the Internet and how to use it. I wish more broadcasters understood the incredible amount of untapped potential on the Internet. So many give half-hearted attention to their station Listener Club not understanding the huge revenue potential therein.

We're getting hammered with decreases in traditional spot billing - while the answer to our prayers is being demonstrated right in front of us. I hope we can take advantage of it soon.

P.S. The Thank You e-mail also contained a pitch for more money.

And speaking of the net, every attendee receives a questionnaire via a website called Zoomerang. We can instantly poll attendees asking their exact concerns then, within hours turn around an online workshop - addressing today's specific problems. Amazing.

You can still sign up below.