If you collect business cards from networking events remember not only to add the contacts to your data base, but also to ensure you update your list regularly. Small business owners do have a shelf life, and by that I mean not everyone you meet will either still be in business after a year, or work at the same organization listed on the business card.
Someone mentioned recently they had kept business cards over the past 5 years but not actually checked to see which of those contacts were still in business, so essentially the business cards were gathering dust.
Eliminating any clutter from your business can mean deleting obsolete contacts in your date base and disposing of business cards that are no longer viable because the person can no longer be contacted.
It might seem a good idea to have a pile of business cards propping up your desk, but in reality you are not effectively maintaining business relationships, because you are not keeping in touch with the business card owners.
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