Your contact database is one of the most valuable assets in your business.
It contains the people who have already interacted with you, made an enquiry, downloaded a resource, attended an event or become a customer.
Buzzlink includes CRM and contact management functionality as part of its all-in-one business platform.
In this guide, we'll look at how to approach adding and organising contacts in Buzzlink.
Step 1: Review Your Existing Contact List
Before importing contacts, review the information you already have.
You might have contacts stored in:
- A spreadsheet
- Another CRM
- An email marketing platform
- Website forms
- Event registrations
- Customer databases
Take the opportunity to clean up your list before importing it.
Remove:
- Duplicate contacts
- Incorrect email addresses
- Old or irrelevant information
- Contacts you do not have permission to market to
A clean database is much easier to manage.
Step 2: Prepare Your Contact Information
Depending on how you are adding contacts, you may want information such as:
- First name
- Last name
- Email address
- Phone number
- Business name
- Tags or categories
You do not need to collect every possible piece of information.
Only store information that is useful to your business processes.
Step 3: Import or Add Contacts
There are generally two ways to build your contact database.
Add Contacts Manually
This can be useful when you have a small number of contacts or receive individual enquiries.
Import Existing Contacts
If you have an existing database, importing contacts can save significant time.
Before completing an import, make sure your information is organised clearly.
For example:
| First Name | Business | Customer Type | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sarah | sarah@example.com | Example Co | Lead |
| Emma | emma@example.com | Example Co | Customer |
Organising your data first makes it easier to match the information to the correct fields.
Step 4: Organise Your Contacts
Once your contacts are in Buzzlink, avoid putting everyone into one giant pile.
Think about how you may want to communicate with different groups in the future.
You might organise contacts based on:
- Leads
- Customers
- Newsletter subscribers
- Clients
- Event attendees
- Past customers
- Specific interests
Buzzlink's broader workflow and CRM functionality can connect contacts with different business and marketing processes.
Step 5: Think About Your Customer Journey
A contact should not simply enter your database and then disappear.
Think about what should happen next.
For example:
New lead completes your form
↓
Contact enters Buzzlink
↓
Receives a welcome email
↓
Is followed up with useful information
↓
Books a call or makes a purchase
Mapping out your customer journey before building everything inside the platform can make your setup much easier.
Step 6: Keep Your Database Clean
Your contact database should be reviewed regularly.
Set aside time to:
- Remove duplicates
- Update incorrect information
- Review inactive contacts
- Check categories and tags
- Ensure your marketing permissions are appropriate
A smaller, engaged list is often more valuable than a large database full of people who never hear from you.
Common Mistakes When Adding Contacts
Importing Everything Without Checking
Clean your list first.
Forgetting to Organise Contacts
Think about future campaigns before importing.
Not Considering Consent
Make sure you have the appropriate permission to contact people.
Creating a Database With No Follow-Up
Your contacts need a customer journey.
Need Help Organising Your Buzzlink Contacts?
A well-organised contact database makes everything else easier.
Email marketing becomes easier.
Automations become easier.
Following up with leads becomes easier.
New to Buzzlink?
If you do not yet have a Buzzlink account, you can sign up using my special link below for only $149 plus GST per month.
It is a great opportunity to get started with the platform while also receiving personalised support through your private training session.
