I regularly meet with business owners and industry contacts and, until recently, I struggled to manage and prioritize contacts. Interesting discussion topics and productive meetings sometimes led nowhere, because of difficulty I had following up with contacts on a regular basis.

Tools like Outlook and Excel are helpful to store contact information but didn’t help me manage when, why, and how to follow-up with people. I often found myself calling contacts when I thought about them, not when I needed to. LinkedIn and other social networking sites are nice tools but they were not helping me manage my process.

A good friend suggested I try CRM (Customer Relationship Manager) software to manage my network. I had implemented CRM before at several companies and immediately realized the value for personal use. Over the past year, I have refined my processes and am amazed at the difference it has made. I now have a simple process that has enabled me to build strong relationships and focus my network on my goals.

Networking is important to do continuously throughout your career, not just when you are job searching.  I put together Nine Networking to share the tools and methods I have developed with friends and colleagues.  I enjoy helping people improve how they network and regularly speak to groups on the methods that have helped me.