How to Organize Business Cards for Effective Contact Management
by Linda Elizabeth Alexander
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 & but that doesn't help you build your
business.
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:
- The traditional way of keeping them in a card file
- The contemporary method of keeping contact info on a
computer file
When you return from a networking meeting or trade show, before you
do anything else, update your contact information. 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 stay consistent.
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!
Contact LB Printery today to discuss your
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