As I promised last week, over the next few emails I'm going to give you a system for connecting with people.

The goal at the end of this is to help you get clarity on who you should be talking to. (And at the core of it, how you should talking to them.)

But before getting into all that, we need to talk foundations.

Because before you gather all your people, and connect with all your people, (and connect them to other people), you need a place to PUT all your people.

To put it simply? A database.

Now, databases can look a lot of different ways. It can be an excel spreadsheet. It can be your phone/email's contacts lists. It can be a CRM software program.

The point is, there's no one right answer. The best database is one you actually use.

So if you don't have any database at all, there's no shame in starting simply. Something is better than nothing.

When I started in the mortgage industry over 20 years ago, my first database was a legal yellow pad. I just literally started making a list of everyone I knew.

So start there. But don't stop there.

Let's go back to "the best database is one you actually use."

I was once talking with an industry leader in real estate, and she said she had led a workshop. When she asked how many people in the room had a database, less than 40% of the hands in the room went up.

But then she asked, "How many of you can send them all an email right now?"

That's when almost aaallll the hands went down.

It's one thing to say you have a database, but it's another to actually have a usable one.

Some things you may or may not want to make sure it does?

• Track where referrals are coming from
• Have record of previous conversations (hard to do in excel or on a yellow pad)
• Schedule future emails

But one of my hottest tips?

Make sure it connects/syncs with your phone.

Because inevitably, you're going to be at an event.

And one of the best ways you can simultaneously add value to other people AND make a serious impression, is to connect them with other people.

People remember people who connect them with valuable things. Who help them solve problems.

How long does it take you to send a message connecting two people?

Not very long. In fact, you can do it while you're still standing their in front of them. (What a "This person really has their stuff together" impression that makes!)

But if your database isn't accessible on your phone, you can't do it. Or rather, you won't.

Because the more friction you have in connecting people (or hunting down info, or emailing), the more you're just not going to do it.

Like all things in life.

Brian

Whenever you're ready, there are 2 ways I can help you:

1. Work with me to transform your referral relationships. (Booking into April - let's talk)
2. Get your own board of advisors with ACCELERATE Boardroom (See if it's a fit here)

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