| |
| |
|
Advertising Information |
|
|
|
Organizing Business Cards for Effective Contact Management
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.
MORE RESOURCES:
Broadband-Internet - Google News |
|
|
|
RELATED ARTICLES
How Well Do Postcards Work? The humble little postcard has been getting a lot of attention in the marketing world. Along with this heightened interest comes some very good questions, such as. Never Be Caught Cardless Again: Five Tips to Help You Remember Business Cards Sorry, I Don't Seem to Have a Business Card With Me.. Why I Like The Ads I Hate! It's been said that the antidote to liking/loving is not hating,but indifference. So, when an ad makes you angry or disgusted orevokes any other strong emotion, it has done it's job. Internet Advertising: How To Use The Golden Rule To Enrich Yourself. What is the golden rule of internet advertising?Give, so you may receive.It is as simple as that. Forgot The Ad Budget? Dont Panic! Bob is excited about his new business. He secured funding. 7 Essential Elements for Profit-Pulling Ads Advertising will make or break your business. It is crucialto your success that you learn to write great ad copy. The Online Equivalent of an Effective Newspaper Advertisement is FREE Ask anybody who has been in business for a long enough and they will tell you how newspaper advertisements have for decades helped to build countless small businesses.The advantages of a newspaper advertisement are many, but what has attracted small business entrepreneurs for decades is the speed at which a struggling entrepreneur (short of funds as many starting small businesses always are, and looking for customers fast) is able to get a very quick response. How to Write Ads that Pull Orders If your ads aren't paying off then you need this quick method in writing ads that get orders. Step 1 - Write a headline that will draw attention to your product or service. 8 Low Cost Ways To Advertise, Promote and Market Your Business We all are looking for ways to market our businesses cost effectively. I have come up with 8 ways to do just that all low cost to free. Advertising Inserts One of the best and easiest ways to advertise without having to worry about shelf life of those who would most likely use your services or buy the products from your small business is to use inserts in your local newspaper. A marketing piece might also be to insert our flyers in the daily newspaper. Create Your Own Business Cards, Part 2 This is the second part of creating your own business card. If you missed the first one, let me know: mailto:webmistress@janes-place. Go Ahead Im Listening In today's fast paced environment, interaction with family and friends is often relegated to a few left over minutes here and there, leaving many people feeling isolated.Radio fills the gap. Online Advertising: 10 High Impact Psychological Triggers To Super-Charge Your Ad If you knew these 10 high impact insider's hidden psychological triggers and plug them into your Ad and website content,you can empower them and ignite a tornado of sales at your website.Read, understand and use them and burst open the floodgate of sales. 100 Excellent Words and 70 Action Getting Phrases for Ad Writing 100 Excellent Words Absolutely. Amazing. How You Can Create Advertising That Sells A well-planned and properly executed marketing program should include a sufficient commitment of capital resources to an on-going, well executed advertising program. Yes, this includes your business. Make Your Business Cards Work What's the cheapest, most under-used marketing tool you have?The answer's no secret .. How To Use Pictures To Immediately Start Increasing The Response Rates Of Your Marketing There should only be one, over-riding reason why you're doing anything in your marketing.Know what that reason is?Of course! To increase the response rates of your sales promotions!Because that leads to. Do Your Adverts Get You More Sales? Philadelphia retailer and US Postmaster General, John Wanamaker, once said, "Half the money I spend on advertising is wasted; the trouble is I don't know which half."If you're spending $10,000 a month on advertising $5,000 is going straight down the tubes. 7 Unique Ways To Get FREE Advertising 1. Give Testimonials When you purchase a product or service and it exceeds your expectations e-mail the business a testimonial. Business Cards: Why Waste Valuable Space? So many business people neglect this valuable asset that may be used for a multitude of messages.Don't fall for the trap of supplying a "scribbler" for others that virtually guarantees your card will be in the "round file" sooner rather than later.
|
|
Home | Site Map | 101InfoLinks.com | Best Book Shop | Sports Fans ONLY 
.
|
| © 2007 |
