Contact Management 101: Caring for Your Most Important Assets – Relationships

by Chris Fritsch, Client Success Consultant

To help communicate the importance of centralized contact management, we have compiled 10 top tips:

1. Think of contact management as an investment. Contacts are valuable commodities and investing just a little time up front can pay dividends in the future.
2. Value your relationships. For attorneys, there is almost no more important contributor to career success.
3. Capture complete information. Without key details, you can’t effectively communicate with contacts.
4. Update contact information regularly. Up to 30% of contact information changes each year, so it’s
   crucial to keep information current.
5. Delegate it or automate it. It’s not difficult or time consuming; the important thing is to do
   it.
6. Add notes and activities. These help you remember important discussions, details and dates.
7. Communicate consistently with contacts. Share information, communications and invitations.
8. Set reminders so you don’t lose touch. Lost connections are hard to rebuild, so follow up with key
   contacts regularly.
9. Utilize technology. There are a variety of systems and tools to help capture and update contact
   information.
10. Start today. It’s never too late for attorneys to begin focusing on one of their most important
    assets, their relationships.

As with most knowledge that is important to impart, effective and ongoing communication and training
will be critical. Firms will need to regularly reach out to new associates, lateral hires and any other
attorneys who may not be centrally managing their contacts, to communicate the long-term value.
Fortunately, once attorneys understand how easy contact management can be and the benefits they
will receive, most should be happy to learn this lesson.