How to Obtain and Organize Business Contacts Effectively
How important is the skill to obtain business contacts? And is it only for the outgoing ones? The answers are: a lot, and no. It's about strategy, that any of you can incorporate. Ready to get inspired?
Mastering networking in 2025 is a strategic necessity. And American people know what I'm talking about. To be friendly and talkative, starting conversations with strangers online and offline is the way to go. The way to reach out to more people, and therefore, more opportunities.
But many people don't know how to do it. How come? They might be introverted or just don't know how and where to start. Also, different cultures have different ways of interacting so it's useful for everyone to explore new strategies.
Table of contents
How to think and what to do
Now, what are the best ways to find client leads
Top 3 tools for acquiring new client information
Organize your business contacts like a pro
Let’s conclude
First, I want to stress that these years might be a bit challenging in this regard. Social media, virtual spaces, remote working, and others disconnect us in the old terms. But gives new ideas on how to get interesting opportunities.
Let's look at LinkedIn. Years ago, you'd have to literally come to a person on a street and start talking to them. Just so.
Nowadays, you can browse LinkedIn profiles and read about people's careers and lives. You can use information from the internet to decide if connecting is a good idea. This can help you find potential customers or business partners.
This might also be a great method to gather customer details. And even collect customer contact information manually.
Why is it important to obtain new contacts? Because they are potential leads. The great thing is that here it has a domino effect. You get in touch with one person, and you can gain a network of tens, hundreds, or even thousands of people.
The math is simple: this person knows another 5 people they recommend you to. These 5 people talk about you after some time with ten of their friends each and so on. So, after a few weeks, you get quite a few potential customers. Thanks to this, you can expand your customer base slowly but effectively.
And if you use social media, the domino effect is even faster, of course.
Alright, the reasons are covered. Now, let's focus on your mindset and behavior.
How to think and what to do
Set clear networking goals, like Bezos
Begin with clarity. Define who you want to connect with and why whether it's potential customers, business partners, or industry mentors.
Clear goals will guide your networking efforts and help you seek out the most relevant contacts.
Focus on good quality relationships
Move beyond collecting contacts to cultivating meaningful relationships.
Your potential customers are not walking wallets. And your relationships cannot be only about selling. Trust me, people feel it when you only see the green.
People you newly get in touch with must feel that you care about them.
Focus on building trust and providing value. Ensure that each of them feels respected and heard.
Does this customer-centric philosophy really work you ask? Well, Jeff Bezos acts according to it and he's built an amazing business. So that answers your question.
Embrace the connector’s mindset
Identify and engage with connectors—those who excel in bringing people together.
From event organizers to industry influencers. These individuals can significantly expand your network reach and provide new opportunities.
Be open and approachable
Be friendly and approachable at networking events.
This might be a challenge, especially for introverts. But try your best to give people chances to talk to you.
And treat every interaction with others as a potential long-term relationship.
On the opposite. If you start talking to someone who, after a couple of minutes, you'll see as not being your "match", excuse yourself. Tell them you don't want to neglect anyone at the event and want to say hi to others, too. Be polite, thank them for the talk and give others the opportunity to talk to you.
Utilize strategic visibility
Make yourself seen and heard. Don’t just attend; be active.
At events, ask questions, participate in discussions, or even speak on panels. Online, create posts, answer questions from others, and participate in discussions.
Visibility is key when you want to be remembered. And leads to more engagement from potential contacts.
Listen actively and seek understanding
Active listening is absolutely critical.
Pay close attention to what others say about their big and small businesses and personal experiences. This not only shows respect but also helps gather needed insights for building a customer profile.
Prioritize trust and mutual benefits
Focus on creating win-win situations.
Networking is most effective when both parties see clear benefits. This reciprocal approach fosters stronger relationships.
Benefit from technology
Digital tools are essential in networking to obtain business contacts, enlarge your email lists, and get your contacts' details.
Use social media platforms, professional networking sites, and even virtual reality setups to connect with others. Be proactive.
Also, personalize your outreach, digital marketing, and even your websites. Including landing pages.
And make sure your marketing team and sales team are on the same page when it comes to communication with potential customers.
Only then will you be able to higher the conversion rates.
Incorporate the long-term strategy
Like Bezos, think long-term.
Networking is not just about immediate gains. But about building a foundation for future opportunities.
This perspective ensures that you'll be able to always plan ahead. And prepare for future trends and shifts in your industry. Pretty smoothly.
"I very rarely get pulled into the today. I get to work two or three years into the future, and most of my leadership team has the same setup.“ - Jeff Bezos
This philosophy of anticipating the future guides his business and marketing strategies. Thanks to it, Bezos is able to build relationships effectively. And ensure the customer experience will always be positive. Both for existing customers and new incomers.
Be authentic
Finally, authenticity. It never goes out of style. Quite the opposite.
The trend is, even on social media and in ads, to show things "as they are". Of course, we want to show the best of us. And the best of our products or services, but authenticity is in. And what's more, it's appreciated by the audience.
Be genuine in your interactions; don’t try to be someone you are not. Authenticity builds trust. And gives you the freedom to be truly yourself.
Now, what are the best ways to find client leads
Use AI for predictions
AI can make quite good predictions of potential clients.
How does it work? It's often part of the tools you store your customer data in. After analyzing your customer data, it gives you the forecast of potential clients. All is based on the buying behaviors and engagement patterns of your current customers.
If you ask what tools I mean, we'll get to it in the next section.
Work with social media and influencer marketing
Expand your presence on social media platforms. Become an important voice. Create content yourself and be part of discussions on topics you can add something to.
Plus, consider building partnerships with influencers.
How to pick an influencer that will help you to enlarge your network naturally and effectively? Your ambassador has to be:
- Relevant to your niche - Check that the influencer’s content aligns with your brand’s niche. Their audience should be your target audience as well. Therefore, interested in your products. And don't forget to make sure that they post content regularly.
- Successful and active - Look at the number of followers they have. And what's their engagement rate. This includes likes, comments, shares, and the quality of the interactions. Remember that a highly engaged audience is more influential than a large but passive follower base. And you want people to be active.
- Authentic - Even here, authenticity plays a huge role. Start cooperation only with an influencer who goes this path. Genuine influencers can foster a stronger and more effective connection to your brand. And they have better influence over purchasing decisions.
- Consistent - Review the frequency and consistency of the influencer’s content. Consistent posting indicates reliability. It also shows the influencer’s dedication to their platform, which is crucial for long-term collaborations.
- Reliable - Investigate their history with previous brands. Look for detailed case studies or testimonials that demonstrate successful campaigns. This can give you an insight into how well they can potentially align with and represent your brand.
Create interactive content and webinars
Create interactive content. Such as webinars or live demos, that engage potential clients.
These platforms allow for real-time interaction. And can become a direct way to gather leads, especially when participants register with their contact information.
Master SEO and content marketing
Work on your SEO and content marketing to attract organic leads.
Focus on the creation of high-quality content that addresses specific pain points. Or questions related to your industry. This will increase your visibility in search results. And position your business as a thought leader.
Attend networking and industry events
Even though the digital world is becoming more important, we should not forget about personal connections.
As Aristotle said, “Man is a social animal”. And we should keep this in mind. Humans are social creatures who rely on and thrive in the presence of others.
So don't be afraid to show up. And attend industry events, both virtual and in-person, to meet potential clients and partners.
Also, consider speaking at these events to increase your credibility and attract more leads. If not participating as a speaker, try to at least be seen when asking questions. Or making points on presented ideas.
Why? Because the whole room full of people might be also full of potential clients.
Top 3 tools for acquiring new client information
- CRM: CRMs like eWay-CRM with smart AI tools can analyze customer data and predict trends. These systems help businesses not only store and manage client data, but also gain insights into customer behavior, preferences, and potential needs.
- Data enrichment tools: You can gain insights about your clients with tools like Clearbit or FullContact. They pull information from various online sources to fill gaps in client profiles. This includes demographics, social profiles, and professional information.
- Social listening platforms: Platforms like Brandwatch and Sprout Social go through social media and online sites and collect real-time data about your potential clients. They can analyze trends, track brand mentions, and gauge consumer sentiment. Thanks to these, you'll get insights and the opportunity to engage with new clients directly.
Organize your business contacts like a pro
Have you managed to gain new leads? Congratulations! Now, you should focus on how to organize them effectively. So here are my tips for building a customer database and its management.
You've got many options. If you're a smaller company and the list of your contacts won't be super long, you can work with basic documents, such as Excel or Numbers.
If you want to level up, start using Google Contacts. They are great for basic contact management and you can have it synced with Gmail.
And if your contact list is long, go for a professional CRM tool. If you're an Outlook user, the best one for you will be eWay-CRM.
Let’s conclude
To be successful in networking and contact management from 2025 on means having a blend of strategic visibility, technological amenities, and genuine interactions.
By adopting these strategies, often inspired by Jeff Bezos and modern networking principles, you can build a strong customer database network that will help you to grow your business. And achieve personal growth as well.
