Image by Tijs via Flickr
Perhaps the single most important thing in growing the value of your Global Microbrand is having “clean data” about those people who are part of your network.
By clean data, I mean…you know their key contact information, however extensive you choose to keep it.
At a minimum, I like to have email, cell phone, and city/state where they live or work.
If that data is incorrect, my efficiencies are slowed. As a result, I tend to make the upfront investment in making sure I have the data right…before I really need it.
But, here’s the thing…the investment in keeping that data clean is the one YOU are making, not that you are burdening your network with making.
You need to make it as easy as possible for them to keep you informed.
Phil sent me a note along this topic expressing his dislike of the CardScan service. Nothing against them, per se, but it was the one he mentioned.
That service, like many others, sends you a note on behalf of the person seeking to keep his/her data clean.
However, the onus then falls upon the recipient to log in to a website and correct the data.
Phil contrasts this with the way that I contact him… a simple email that says “here’s the data I have for you, please reply and let me know what is incorrect.”
One step, instead of two. No log-in required. Can be done by email.
As Phil explains:
I think the difference is subtle but important. What CardScan does below makes me feel like *I* am supposed to do the work to maintain a relationship that is of more interest to the other party. I don't remember who this Frank guy is or when I gave him my card, so clearly networking with me is more important to him :)
OTOH, if he bothered to actually keep up the relationship in an interesting way with news etc., I'd be more inclined to help him crowdsource his rolodex maintenance. Not saying it is this guy's fault... the fault is in the design of the Cardscan system. But I guess people like him should also be careful about how they use services like this.
Lesson: Just because it is easy for you to do something, to automate, to scale, doesn’t make it easy for the recipient. In a world where your network=your value, you need to reduce the barriers for them to help you…or you risk not meeting your objectives.
Post was written while listening to: Ravel - 100 Masterpieces of Classical – Bolero