Every Contact is Golden

Success happens as a direct result of how we interact with other people, period. True leadership means being able to inspire and motivate others to reach their full potential, and to contribute to others in a meaningful way. Unless we consider some of the great writers and artists, very few success stories have been hermits.

So what does this mean? It means that everyone you meet has potential to influence your future in some way. Let me repeat this – everyone you meet has potential to influence your future in some way. An oft quoted corporate saying is, "Be nice to the janitor, he may be your boss someday".

Every contact you make should be treated with the utmost respect. In Asian countries, it is customary to grasp a business card with both hands when offered, and admire it lovingly for some time before placing it in a safe location within a portfolio or briefcase. Yet many American businessmen grab cards abruptly, misplace them, or scatter them carelessly about their desks.

Business cards are a treasure trove, and represent a person's public façade. Every time you receive a new contact, you should place the card into a folder AND make an entry into a computerized CRM application or spreadsheet for future reference. Review this collection often, and make sure that you have the most up-to-date information for each contact.

Make a back-up copy of every contact you have so that any hard drive crashes, power failures, or theft issues will not cause you to lose your most important asset – your contacts. This back-up should be kept in a safe place, preferably in another location.

Some excellent applications include Salesforce.com, SugarCRM, and ACT – these are designed to help you store and easily retrieve large amounts of customer and contact data in a paperless format.

The original business cards serve as another form of backup, and should be kept indefinitely.

Remember, no matter what your job title – we are ALL in sales!

About The Author John Hersey John Hersey is a successful business owner, published author and motivational leadership speaker. John writes one of the most recognized leadership blogs in the business world: http://www.JohnHersey.com/blog