Managing our work flow is as much about managing our people as it is about managing our ideas. And, that’s really part of why this idea of an effective Contact Relationship Management is so important.
Back when I produced news/talk radio in my early twenties, I kept records on every guest I booked in a 3″ x 5″ card file. I had the usuals: name, title, business, address. But what I needed was their phone numbers where they could be found if my news director then wanted them … any time. This was 1983, and cell phones were still the play toy of the rich and famous. For one frequent guest, I had eleven different numbers that I could try. How did I get them? I almost always asked guests, “If this number is busy or you’re not around later … what’s another number I could try you on?” It was the data I needed to do my job. I’m sure that many old guard radio producers are still booking guests on cards today.
Let’s look at an example from Today. You may not believe me … let me tell you what I know about Rosh. I call his cell 99.5% of the time. His cell is on my T-Mobile My Fav’s, so it’s just part of my basic rate plan. In case I can’t reach him, I have his house, business office, cell, his wife’s cell, his daughter’s cell, his mom’s number, his number at the photo studio he shares and I recently almost copied his dad’s business number off his dad’s website. He doesn’t have a fax that I know about, but I’m sure the secretarial service he uses does. I’ve had a number at the newspaper where he’s worked and the presentation center he used to lease. And I don’t bother to keep the numbers of the two Universities where he teaches, since they have switchboards. That too is eleven different phone numbers … and counting! I’ve had to use some of these others as situation requires. Like when his daughter and my daughter have pal’ed around in the past and it’s time to bring my kid back home … and she’s just not picking up her cell phone.
Oh, did I mention all the different email addesses Rosh that has? He has quite a few of those as well, I think about seven or eight. But I use one of them more then the others too …
So, this is one example of data … is it extreme? - Only to make our point. The amount of data you can collect is a useful tool and also a burden. You want to keep the right information. Business cards and hand outs are a great example, but they won’t tell you everything. That’s why we need to have a system.
BTW. did you know that you can get some wonderful land out in Colorado and great personal service, by calling Rosh’s dad, Mal, directly at 719 … 207 … oh wait, that’s his cell number.
– Dean L.
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