Every business should have a relationship management system. This system records everything you need to remember about your clients and prospects, vendors, service providers, anyone you need to contact in order to run your business.

In the old days, the Rolodex was the tried and true device that contained contact information. A business card was usually all the information you had. Maybe you would jot down a note on a card such as “Enjoys baseball.” But other than the business card getting glued into its spot, the Rolodex didn’t offer much in the way of tracking, and enhancing your relationship with your contacts.

I would be lost without ACT, which is my preference for client database software. In ACT, you can enter not only the client’s name address and phone, but you can keep notes on every conversation. “Bill thinks he will want our product in November.” “Sara will be on vacation next week, returning on Monday the 4th.” I update my prospect notes each time I have a sales call, because that way I transfer important information to the database while it is fresh in my mind.

You can also group each contact with others who share a common distinction. Create a group such as “Prospects for Special Product” or “Accounting Clients”. Contacts can be members of any number of groups. You can send e-mails to individuals, groups, or the entire database at once. The possibilities are endless.

Your relationship database is indispensible as a sales tool. It is impossible to remember every conversation, every order and every preference of all your clients and prospects. Your clients will be impressed when you can tell the date and time of when you last spoke, and you can keep the sales process moving forward with confidence. When you have all the information you need right at your fingertips, you are ready to win the game of sales.