Contact Management Guide

The Goal

To effectively capture information about people you meet, remember key details, follow up appropriately, and build a valuable network.

Why Bother?

Your network is a key asset. Remembering who people are, what you discussed, and following up builds trust, opens opportunities, and strengthens professional relationships.

Phase 1: Before the Meeting

Preparation is Key

• Set Your Goal: Know why you are attending and who you hope to meet or connect with.
• Research (If Possible): Look at the attendee list, company list, or LinkedIn profiles beforehand. This helps you identify key people and potential conversation starters.
• Prepare Your Tools:
  • Business cards (yours)
  • A method for capturing their information and notes:
    • Your phone (notes app, contact app, or a scanning app)
    • A small notebook and pen
    • A system for marking or adding notes to physical business cards you receive.

Phase 2: During the Meeting

Connect & Capture

• Focus on Connecting: Have genuine conversations. Ask questions and listen actively.
• Exchange Information: Swap business cards or connect via LinkedIn/phone contact exchange.
• TAKE NOTES (Crucial Step!): Immediately after (or even during, discreetly) jot down:
  • Context: Where/when did you meet? (e.g., "Marketing Conference, Day 2")
  • Key Discussion Points: What did you talk about? (e.g., "Discussed challenges with SEO," "Mentioned his dog, Max," "Needed intro to [Person X]")
  • Next Steps: What did you agree to do? (e.g., "Send him that article," "Schedule a follow-up call," "Connect him with [Person Y]")
  • Personal Details: Anything memorable or personal that can help you remember them and personalize future interactions. (e.g., "Fan of hiking," "Based in Seattle," "Has 2 kids")

Phase 3: Immediately After the Meeting

Process & Organize

Do this as soon as possible, ideally within a few hours or by the end of the day.

• Gather Everything: Collect all the business cards and notes you took.
• Input the Information:
  • Choose Your System: Where will you store this?
    • Simple: A spreadsheet (like Excel or Google Sheets), a notes app (Evernote, OneNote, Apple Notes), or just your phone's contacts with detailed notes.
    • More Advanced: A dedicated CRM (Customer Relationship Management) tool (like HubSpot, Zoho CRM, etc. - many have free versions).
  • Enter Data: For each contact:
    • Enter their basic info (Name, Company, Title, Contact details).
    • Transfer or expand on the notes you took during the meeting (Context, Discussion Points, Next Steps, Personal Details).
    • Record the date and location/event where you met.
  • Schedule Follow-Up: Based on your notes, schedule the agreed-upon next steps in your calendar or task list.

Phase 4: Follow-Up & Nurturing

Build the Relationship

• Follow Up Promptly: Send initial follow-up messages within 24-48 hours of meeting.
• Personalize: Refer to your conversation, the event, and the specific things you discussed. Mentioning a personal detail from your notes helps a lot!
• State the Purpose: Remind them of the agreed-upon next steps or your reason for reaching out.
• Be Clear: What do you want the outcome of this message to be? (e.g., "Happy to send you that article," "Wanted to connect on LinkedIn," "Would you be available for a brief call next week?")
• Execute Next Steps: Do what you promised (send info, make an intro, schedule the call).
• Stay in Touch (Periodically): Building a relationship is ongoing.
  • Connect on LinkedIn.
  • Occasionally share relevant articles or resources.
  • Reach out when you see something that reminds you of them or their work.
  • Look for opportunities to add value to them.

Simple Templates

Name:
Company/Organization:
Title:
Contact Info: (Email, Phone, LinkedIn Profile URL - whatever you exchanged)
Date Met:
Meeting/Event: (e.g., "Tech Conference 2023," "Team Meeting," "Networking Lunch")
Location: (e.g., "Booth #3," "Conf Room B," "Via Zoom")
Key Discussion Points & Notes: (THIS IS THE MOST IMPORTANT FIELD!)
What did we talk about?
Any personal details?
Initial impressions?
Agreed Next Steps: (e.g., "I send report X," "They intro me to Y," "Schedule call")
Follow-up Action: (e.g., "Send thank-you email," "Send article," "Schedule call")
Follow-up Date Sent/Scheduled:
Status/Relationship Stage: (e.g., "New Contact," "Followed Up," "Call Scheduled," "Ongoing Relationship," "Connect on LinkedIn")
Date of Last Interaction: (Helpful for long-term nurturing)

Subject: Great meeting you at [Meeting/Event Name] - [Your Name]

Hi [Contact Name],

It was great meeting you at [Meeting/Event Name] on [Day of the week/date].

I really enjoyed our conversation about [Specific topic you discussed - e.g., the challenges of remote work, your insights on the panel discussion, your company's new project].

[Optional: Add a specific detail or refer to a next step]
Option A (Agreed next step): As promised, I'm following up to [action, e.g., send you that article on X, schedule that call]. [Add the article/link or propose times for the call].
Option B (Continuing the conversation): Your point about [specific thing they said] really resonated with me.
Option C (Simple connection): I wanted to connect and stay in touch.

[Optional: Call to Action]
If you need something: Let me know if you have any questions about [what you discussed or offered].
If you want another interaction: Would you be open to a brief [call/virtual coffee] sometime next week to discuss [specific topic] further?
If just connecting: I've sent you a connection request on LinkedIn.

Looking forward to staying in touch.

Best regards,
[Your Name]
[Your Title/Company]
[Your Contact Info/LinkedIn URL]

Hi [Contact Name],

It was great meeting you at [Meeting/Event Name] [optional: on Day/Date].

I really enjoyed our conversation about [Specific topic, e.g., the keynote speaker, the future of AI, your work in X].

[Optional: Add a small personal detail or refer to a next step]
e.g., I found your perspective on Y very insightful.
e.g., Looking forward to sending you that resource we discussed.

Would love to connect here on LinkedIn.

Best,
[Your Name]

Key Principles for Success

• Consistency: Choose a system (spreadsheet, app, CRM) and use it consistently for all meeting contacts.
• Speed: Capture notes during or immediately after the meeting. Input data and schedule follow-ups ASAP.
• Detail: The more specific your notes, the easier it is to remember the person and personalize future interactions.
• Personalization: Generic follow-ups are easily ignored. Show you paid attention.
• Value: Look for ways to provide value to your contacts over time, not just take from them.
• Review: Periodically review your contact list. Remind yourself of who they are and consider reaching out if it's been a while (find a relevant reason!).