Creating an Online Names list and sync it

Doesn’t matter what company you are with in what marketing or sales department. Without a network or contacts to approach / prospect, it’s going to be hard to make them an offer they cannot refuse

When I got started in network & affiliate marketing in 2004, my initial list was 50 people, but once I found out a names jogger, the list increased to over 100 people. That’s when I said my goodbyes to paper, and created my own CRM (Customer Relationship Management) database. I still have the list and throughout the years it has grown to 1400 names, but no longer maintain the old PHP4 code. When I got started in Talk Fusion people told me to (re)write a nameslist on paper. I refused … but with the DiamondRushGuide.com I’ve been motivated enough to indeed write on paper. But again .. it’s growing out of control, and I would be much better of by storing it digitally. But how? And where? And preferably on an independable and secure platform.

For the past years I’ve been passively searching for a piece of software to manage my contacts with. Mailchimp does something, but is more suitable for opt-in campaigns, and not for contact management. MoneyBird has contacts option, but that’s more for making invoices. Been using Talk Fusion for a year now to manage my e-mails, but can’t add notes or anything like it (which makes sense, as it’s also opt-in based). Hmz.

I’ve just updated my Online Apps list for March ’12 (yes I know it’s a bit late), and with my confession of being a Google Fanboy, came the idea of using Google’s Contact (from within Gmail) to manage my list. Not a clue why I haven’t thought of this earlier!

And with that in mind the Tablet discussion of a months ago. Maybe … I should sell both my Apple iPod 4 and current Nokia phone, and get an iPad 2 with Android phone? It would then become supereasy  to sync my email, contacts and calendar with the phone, and use the Talk Fusion App from the iPad 2. Hmz. Either way, a new phone would also save my Nokia WhatsApp nuisance I’ve had for a while now, and get tethering options. Hmz … gonna sleep a night on that idea.

Update the next day: yup, from saving time and overhead, it’s definitely worth to migrate to Google Contacts. Still undecided about the phone device though. Actually I just logged into my address book, and already got 1200 contacts in there! Holy **** ! But then again being using this account for 6 years already.

A few Google Extensions to make life easier in managing your Google contacts:

• Universal Contact Manager
• Chrome Contacts Manager | very basic functionality, doesn’t add a whole lot except a button in Chrome