A Losing Card Game

Friday December 26th, 2008 - Lake Villa, IL

The holidays have now come and gone and I didn’t send out one single greeting card. If you were expecting one and felt slighted or forgotten about please don’t. Nobody else got one either and I have no excuses. Time got away from me this year and it’s too late now.

Whatever my personal feelings about Christmas may be it’s still a golden opportunity to reconnect with friends and especially business associates. Most years I’m very good about sending out cards or emails or making personal phone calls but this year I totally blew it.

I’m sorry I did too. It’s not smart business. Not only is it fun to get mail it’s also a cheap and effective advertisement that keeps my name on top of a booker or club owner’s list to consider for bookings next year. I always try to find the funny cards that attract attention.

Last year I think I sent over 200 funny cards to everyone I could find an address for and it was a very smart move. I received emails and calls back saying how funny the card was and it was a chance to reconnect on a personal or professional level. It was really worth it.

I did receive quite a few cards this year along with emails and calls and even a few text messages too. I appreciate everyone who thought of me and I will answer all of them but I feel like I blew a great opportunity to hit the ground running in 2009 by blowing this off.

I won’t do it again. It just doesn’t feel right. I’m allegedly in the entertainment business. That’s the ultimate people friendly business and if I don’t keep my name out in front of as many people as possible they’ll forget about me but quick. I can’t and won’t let it happen.

2009 is the year I am planning to launch Uranus Factory Outlet. I’ll be in front of many new people I haven’t done business with before and it’s up to me to not blow my chances of getting repeat business in 2010 by passing up a chance to stay in contact like I just did.

This was a wake up call and I got the message loud and clear. Next year I won’t make a mistake like this again. If I’m smart I’ll keep a running tally of who I work for and with as the year goes along and when it’s time to send Christmas cards I’ll have a list ready to go.

The same goes with birthdays too. I’m pretty good at remembering them but if I can get a system down where I don’t let anything fall through the cracks it will serve me well as it has in the past. Many times nobody else remembers a birthday and if I do I’m the genius.

All of this is smart business and has nothing to do with being funny but if I do it I know it will lead to more comedy work. Being an entertainer doesn’t just include being onstage. It’s a complete package and part of that package is maintaining a constant client contact.

Comedy is really just a glorified sales job and I’m the product. There are a lot of people who can do 45 minutes on stage and it doesn’t really matter who’s better. It matters who a booker or club REMEMBERS when it comes to hiring. I can‘t afford to ruin my chances.