Contacts "revisited".

In a sales position, over the course of a year, one has contact with many people. Does anyone have any hints, methods or techniques they use which allows for those contacts to be retained and brought to mind. In the busyness of the role, the contacts tend to dissolve into the ether, for time and ordinary workload has one concentrating on the contacts of the day. Do I just accept it as a fact of life that it is near impossible to maintain links with a majority of people one sees over a year? Just looking for a "tool" that will work. Hints please.
Frizzle :confused:
 
Hi Frizzle,

Showing my age here but depends how keen you are.

I used to create an index card for anyone I thought could/would be a a prospective client.

These days I guess you create a data base of names with whatever info you can remember.

Sounds like it may be a lot of work but it isn't really, if you stay in the same industry in the same town/city in a year or two you start to meet the same people all over again, it is amazing what you can "remember" about people :)
 
Hi Frizzle,

Showing my age here but depends how keen you are.

I used to create an index card for anyone I thought could/would be a a prospective client.

Macca, we must be of similar age because before writing the post this morning, I had pulled out the index card box in my drawer ... and wondered if there was another tool available. I guess I am thinking along the lines of "something" that will jog my memory on a regular basis about the contact and the need to initiate a call and say Hello. Perhaps I could add the name into the calendar into my phone with a "reoccurence" reminder every month or so. I was feeling that I must lose opportunities because these contacts slip behind/away .... while I am dealing with newcomers.
Frizzle :(
 
What about in your email programme? There's usually a field for writing notes as well as the usual contact info.

I used to keep an A-Z book and just used to write info that I thought was useful and might need some day e.g. we often had people ring up looking for something which wasn't one of our products but once I found out where it came from I made a note of it and it was easy to put my hands on it in future. the same went for people I came in contact with.

I've always taken my A-Z books with me when I've left a job and they've come in handy in future jobs or when actually looking for a job.
 
What about in your email programme? There's usually a field for writing notes as well as the usual contact info.

Olly, thanks. I am thinking that I might make more use of the alerts on Outlook. My phone is linked to the email programme so the calendars correspond and the alerts pop up on the computer. One way of jogging me into action.
Frizzle
 
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