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The evolution of the database

Did cave man write all the people he knew on the wall of the cave?

Then stone tablets . . .

Papyrus . . .

Paper . . .

Index cards . . .

Computers with spreadsheets . . .

CMS - Conatact Management Software . . .

Now, Social Networking sites - Facebook, Linkedin, Twitter etc

and now it seems to be melding into a hodgepodge of most of the above - excluding the cave wall, stone tablets, and papyrus.

Efficiencies have been changing over time.

"The Why of having a database" hasn't changed in all of this time - To create a "book of business" for your business. The database is where the value of your business lies.

The database appears to be not much more than an amalgamation of names and contact information, but what it really is is a shorthand version of all of the relationships in your personal and professional worlds.

The challenge throughout time for most business people is the organization of all of these people they know.

The truth is, the database and organization and utility thereof is a way of expanding your personal "Span of Influence" . . . Because it offers you a way to systematically communicate with all those folks who contribute or receive VALUE to/from YOU.

Of all of the iterations of the database, I am intrigued by the simplist form . . . Just moving about your personal sphere of influence on a regular basis results in the "touching" of the people of the database.

In large part, Facebook, Linkedin, Twitter check this box for many folks . . . whereas as recently as 12 months ago, the conventional wisdom of communicating by direct snail mail and direct email was the "way".

Now, we are learning from those Generation Y "kids" who are ultra connected to each other because they have electronic devices of every type graphed onto their bodies at all times and live in a world of incessant communication through texting and gaming . . . Electronic interaction.

The exhasperating part of this change for all of us "Old Farts" is that these young Bucks seem to be literally ROCKIN' with their businesses.

How do they keep in touch with everyone without any apparent organization or system?

The answer (I think) is that they are ALWAYS connected . . . Hmmm . . . I'm not sure I buy that as a long term strategy for success because I am still relatively attached to the concept that we need periods of FOCUS to be most effective.

So . . .

My Database is morphing into a different thing than it was just months ago . . .

It has become an assemblage of all of the people I have connections with in Gmail, Plaxo, Facebook, Linkedin, and Twitter . . . I now see "categorization" of all of these folks as being essential . . . so that I can systematize my communication with the folks who are "most important" to my personal and business relationships.

My Inner Circle of @ 275 folks will still get my intentional 33 touch (Managed with Task Lists on Gmail).

My targetted geographic Sphere will get the 12 Direct by Post . . .

Everyone else is in this swirling cacophony of social networks.

Next week, it'll probably all change again :-)

I'm just sayin'

Best,

Barry Owen
Principal Real Estate Broker
Keller Williams Realty
30 Burton Hills Blvd Suite 175
Nashville, TN 37215 - Green Hills

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Posted by Barry Owen on 10/28/2009 06:24 AM

Comments (30)

Database Management in the ActiveRain Channel

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30 Comments on The evolution of the database

OCT

Database is crucial to our business! I am always fine-tuning mine and those that I connect with via linkd-in, facebook and twitter haven't made it over to my trued-and-tried outlook database yet.

I enjoy dialoging with folks on facebook and twitter, but assume that I connected up with them there because they like the informal dynamic that is 'Social Networking' and don't want to be marketed to there and certainly not givin the hard sale. For now those folks stay in their happy little 'safe, informal' platform until they approach me, we will just have fun dialoging. When they need services, or advice ... then they get added to the database.

Barry:

There are so many creative ways to keep in touch with people now it is becoming a challenge to keep up with all of them. The basics are still important. But, you are right, the Generation "Y" er's seem to have this come to them more naturally since they have embraced so much technology from such a young age.

Barry,

This entire situation seems to be moving very quickly. However, while I might have an initial contact with someone over the internet, if I don't set up a meeting relatively soon in the process, they simply remain one of the masses.

This new system in my view certainly has substantial limitations.

Brian

Barry,

We have petroglyphs here in Tucson that are more than 1,000 years old. This one says "I'm a good hunter. Two deer. Check me out."

Congratulations on the feature!

Mike in Tucson

Barry, a good data base is key.

I have one main one in Outlook but categorized all my friends on Facebook so I can stay in touch with different groups. It worked.

Barry, I'm re-organizing my database so this was timely. I'm thinking of meeting people on FB,etc., and doing some form of social media 8x8 and them placing them into the 33touch DB ?

Hi Barry -- You raise some valid points and there is no cookie-cutter answer. I struggle with this.

Barry, when I first got into the business, I never really understood why my database was so important. Now I get it. I have been working recently to reorganize and categorize it (wish I would have done this a year ago). The communication world has changed dramatically over the last 20 years. I grew in the era where computers evolved at a rapid pace - to where we are today. There are some many outlets to personal interaction with people via the internet. I understand a lot of it, yet it can still be overwhelming. But I do agree with you - periods of focus are critical for staying on point with whatever plan you may have.

Barry, have you tried out a contact management database such as Pat Zaby's Respond? It is amazing how quickly and easily you can see your relationships and keep up with them!

Barry: Thanks! I think the key is to keep working on and changing your database. At least that's worked for me so far! Thanks again!

Barry- We just switched to the mac world about a month ago. Nestor is the one that does our data base management and we just had Daylite for Mac move over our entire ACT windows side data base. Daylite is a great database.

We still have paper planners. We live in Florida. There is this thing called hurricanes and long power outages that can go on for days. It is not too cool to run your computers for long periods of time on generators as the surges go up and down. Also, it is just too hot to leave machines on with no power. Often there is no cell phone service or it is limited to emergencies.

We are prepared. We have our back up corded telephone and paper planners with key phone #s, like all of our sellers and family members, etc. That way we can be half way in business when the power is out:) You need to always have a plan B!

I use Bento for mac, just brand new at learning it. But Active Rain, Twitter and Facebook is how I stay in touch with the world. We don't have any sellers, we carry between 40- 50 listings at any given time- that are on Twitter or that use Facebook, none of them text for business and very few of them use the internet often. It is a different world. :)

It is hard to keep up. But as we change with it, I trust that it will serve me well in the future.

I didn't see Post-It notes mentioned! LOL.

It is a huge portion of any business and it must be maintained, but man is it a lot of work.

I am a Gen X'er but I have made peace with 'always being connected' and tossing the idea of ever having any personal private space online. I am cognizant all the time but not politically correct all of the time. I trash talk football teams Monday night on Facebook on my Blackberry (alongside my husband doing the same thing) and we have a blast. Those people who enjoy my personality will gravitate to me. I love social media for what it is: A Global Cocktail Party and the best part is everyone is invited, not just the people in my sphere.

Barry, Whatever. Just kidding. My 16 year old (going on 35) granddaughter lives across country from me. We fly her here for two weeks every summer. Last week when we went to the beach (across the street) she started to get in the water then turned and handed me her blackberry with the earpiece dangling as she'd just removed it from her ear.

When she got out of the water and asked for it back, I said, "No, we did not fly you here to watch you communicate with everybody in the world the entire trip. You may use your (whatever it is) for one hour each morning and one hour each afternoon but when you're with us, we would like your attention."

OK, I'm an old fart too, but sometimes we need to disconnect.

So true. Thank you so much. We appreciate it.

Barry, you are on to something with your thoughts. It is a matter of touching a lot of people in multiple directions, not just one...

Your database is key to a successful business, and repeat business/referrals. I just started using Top Producer.

Hi Barry. Great post. I have recently been spending alot of my time on database management. I use Outlook and Eureka Ware and it makes a significant difference maintaining a database especially one that includes one's SOI. I learned the hard way.... ~ Lana

Barry - All the internet connections are great. But people are surprised and responsive nowadays if they get a real touch, toom e.g.. a physical touch- a postcard or a letter!! Astonishing.

I'd like to get the database under control but it is hard with all of the changes.

It doesn't matter how many times I preach to my agents the value of business plans or data bases it never changes.....

I have been using Top Producer for 20 yrs. and don't know what I would do if it went away.

If I get a call from someone that is not in one of my top lists I can always go back and check, even if I haven't talk to them in years, and I will still have them, spouse and kids names. All of the selling or buying data and all the notes I wrote when they were working with me.

I have used agent 2000 for 15 years bu they have basically gone out of business since being bought by emphysis.

Barry how interesting that I saw this post tonight. In my sales meeting yesterday the challenge was to each agent to clean up and make their data base workable. Will see how it goes. Tuesday we'll check out the results and anyone who hasn't make it happen (based on certain criteria) brings a hundred dollar bill to the table. I expect they'll be getting a few things moving - or not...........

I hope so - it is absolutly the foundation of a good business. Great post!

This is funny you mention multiple database problems because I just got out of a meeting today going over this problem...

I was meeting with our web dev. team and we were reviewing our feed back from our clients and this topic was a major issue. Since our business is sending gifts and greeting cards out to our agents clients we run across database mgt issues all day. Our biggest request from our agents is to have mutiple groups that can be filtered with a click of the button. For example, an agent in Florida wanted to schedule holiday cards this year for her "business" clients as well as her "personal" relationships but she didn't want the same message on the cards. So instead of re-tagging all of her database we were able to have different "categories" for each agents database. This means each agent can send correspondence to any sub category with ease...

Great topic...

We're all taught that our database is critical to our business. However, in this new world of social media, I think your point that it is changing and evolving is well made.

OCT

You left out the most prevalent database of all time, the shoe box.

Barry - a data base from the cave to twitter is nothing without a system - like they way you ended it with your system of contact.

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