The essential ingredient in new client development is more contacts. A few might be referral partners, potential clients or people ready to assist in other ways. Get their information off their business cards, website and through your conversations. There is gold in new contacts if their information and relationship is well managed.

After learning directly and indirectly

• Lead source
• Business sector
• Notes and comments, correspondences
• Date first contacted
• Their situation and need; their urgency
• Date of “Engaged Conversation”
• Cost of need / value of solution
• Decision-makers and influencers
• Date of presentation & assessment
• Results of proposal
• Notes and summary of conversations
• Records of correspondences
• Next contact date
• Next action

If you can prosper with less than 50 contacts, then a paper system might work. However, there are some excellent Contact Management Systems, drip campaign and other “relationship management” programs available. Just like any other software program, you want to choose the one your people will use, not a hugely complex package. Also make sure the reporting is relevant and easy.