Organizing Your Business Cards

How to Organize all those Business Cards you collect at networking events for Effective Contact Management

by Alan Case

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 your 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 or help you find a job does it?

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.

Personally, I try to write something on the back of all the cards to remind me. Definitely put the date, then where I met them, then something important about them, and then what follow up I need to do with them. For instance, if I said I’d email them an article or get the name of someone for them; make a note of it.

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 the 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. Have back up copies in case your hard drive crashes and then you’re ready with a backup of your computer database.

I suggest a business card scanner like the CardScan that I use. I come home scan all of the cards into the scanner. The CardScan program reads all of the information on the card and puts it into the appropriate boxes like name, phone number, address, etc. Yes, you still have to go through all of the cards and verify the information. Trust me; it’s a lot easier and more accurate then typing all of the information in. Then you’re ready to transfer the information to a contact management program like Outlook or my favorite, ACT! The CardScan program will also upload the contact information and send out emails periodically to make sure the information is updated. This is so cool.

For a low-tech backup you can use a plastic card file box with alphabetical dividers, filing cards by last name. Or you can also use sheet protectors that are designed to hold business cards in 3-ring binders. Remember, any system will work, as long as you stay consistent.

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 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!