![]() |
|
![]() |
|
![]() |
|
![]() |
Now that you've had colorful new business cards printed, and have been distributing them diligently, what do you do with the cards you collect from other people?
If you're like most people, you have a stack of rubber-banded cards floating around you desk. Or you have been using them as bookmarks, toothpicks, and used gum wrappers and they are all over your office, car, wallet and purse?
Without a good filing system, the information on those cards is useless. So clean out your desk and develop a system for prioritizing, organizing, and following up with those contacts.
High Tech or Old School?
There are two choices for organizing business cards:
When you return from a networking meeting or trade show, before you do anything else, update your contacts. Rank the cards you've collected in order of importance before you put them away. Separate warm leads who are likely to bring you business, people with whom you definitely want to follow up, and whose information you want at your fingertips. This can include prospects, people you will refer to others, or who will send referrals to you.
Don't be afraid to throw away cards from people you will never contact or refer. You can file cold leads somewhere else or toss them into the trash.
Know Your ABZ's...
How you alphabetize and file your cards is up to you. Decide how you remember information best -- whether it's by company names, people's names, or by category. Perhaps you are better able to find information if it is organized by region or department. Then, alphabetize them appropriately.
You might also file by date or by the event where you met the person. Just choose one way and stick to it. For instance, don't file some by last name and others by business name, or you'll never find what you're looking for in a pinch.
Electronic = Portable and Duplicable
Storing contact information on the computer keeps your office neater and is one more step toward the paperless office. For most people searching on computer is more efficient than rummaging through paper cards. In seconds, you can run a sort and locate contacts by company, name, dog's name, date you met, etc. If you bring work home with you, it's easy to duplicate your contact list, rather than hauling your entire Rolodex with you.
Storing info electronically is also effective for building mailing lists and printing labels. But remember, backup, backup, backup. I was a high-tech junkie until my hard drive crashed and I didn't have a backup of my computer database. Good thing I kept those hard copies!
There are numerous programs on the market to organize contact information, such as Act or Outlook. I put all of my information in Microsoft Access.
For a low-tech backup, I use a plastic card file box with alphabetical dividers, filing my cards by last name. I also prefer to use transparent sleeves to store business cards in, since I almost always file business cards instead of handwriting the information on blank cards. The sleeves are a uniform size, keeping the box tidy. But you may be different--any system will work, as long as you are consistent with it.
To Keep or Not to Keep?
Some people say you should keep every business card you have ever received, while others think you should throw away the cards you will never use. With the rapidity of people moving around and switching companies today, I throw away cards of contacts I haven't been in touch with for three years. By then their contact information has surely changed, so even if I did want to get in touch with them, it's not likely that I will.
If you insist on holding on to old information, archive those business cards in a separate database or card box. Since I make notes on the backs of cards when I meet people, I always know the date when I first made contact; notes also help refresh my memory of people I haven't been in close contact with.
Finally, remember to follow up with your contacts! Keep a schedule and goals for making contact by phone calls, emails, or snail mail. Periodically go through your filing system and update or delete old information. The reason you store this information is to keep in touch with people -- use your new organizing system to stay efficient and your business will thrive!
Do your business cards work as hard as you do to gain new contacts? If not, you need cards that will grab attention and spur curiousity.
Design or upload full color business cards online and have them delivered to your doorstep in days.
©2004-2005 GreatFX Business Cards. All right reserved.
I recently saw an ad taped to my mailbox, mind... Read More
Different Types of Station ContactReaching radio hosts (for the purpose... Read More
LED video displays give you the power to communicate, to... Read More
Yellow Pages advertising is one of the most popular forms... Read More
To many ad agencies, radio is considered advertising's ugly stepchild.... Read More
Sitting in front of a blank piece of paper? Wondering... Read More
Since most of us are always online and our business... Read More
Here's a fascinating idea.. Having noticed that there always seemed... Read More
Why should I care where I get my printed material... Read More
LED's are becoming more and more popular in all kinds... Read More
Many home improvement contractors attempt to use advertising to expand... Read More
Probably the most interesting thing about brochures and leaflets is... Read More
Imagine tossing a pebble into a crystal clear pond on... Read More
Digital printing has revolutionized the sign industry. Current printers can... Read More
The ability to lead, persuade and influence are integral skills... Read More
Response rates to Yellow Page advertising are decliningThere's no getting... Read More
Several years back the billboard people put a big picture... Read More
Every year thousands of online businesses fail. None of them... Read More
Do you know about the distinction - and it's a... Read More
You may be aware that in a basketball game the... Read More
In 1957, a perspicacious young journalist from Pennsylvania named Vance... Read More
Ask anybody who has been in business for a long... Read More
A correspondent to AdBriefing, my monthly newsletter, has posed a... Read More
First and foremost - You should identify your target market.... Read More
Starting a placemat ad business can create more business for... Read More
Critics conclude that entertaining or "creative" commercials sell better than... Read More
FACT: Most people don't spend anywhere near enough time on... Read More
Any idea? It's a question that more than a few... Read More
More about advertising by BIG Mike McDanielAdvertising is not a... Read More
Here's some easy ways to create signage that will attract,... Read More
Business cards are the most underutilized and misunderstood marketing tool... Read More
In a recent article, I shared five of my top... Read More
There are several ways to advertise and get the word... Read More
Do you know how to design and deploy a marketing... Read More
Advertising on humans using tattoos is rapidly kind of freak... Read More
Cable has grown from 13 houses connected together in 1948... Read More
Have you ever seen an ad on television that was... Read More
If you've been searching around for business cards that will... Read More
Rule One :- The HeadlineThe headline should summarize the whole... Read More
Too many business owners and marketers know that Yellow Pages... Read More
Using flyers is one commonly overlooked method of advertising offline.... Read More
Would you like to know how a car wash chain... Read More
The president of a manufacturing company recently asked me, "Why... Read More
Starting a placemat ad business can create more business for... Read More
The most important aspect of any business is selling the... Read More
Have you ever wondered why your perfectly fine classified ad... Read More
The task of executing successful advertising campaigns for products made... Read More
I caught myself wracking my brain over what kind of... Read More
The most basic answer is the same answer as to... Read More
There have been several ads promoting books and reports on... Read More
Advertising Advertising |