The Publicity Hound’s Blog  

I keep track using a combination of Microsoft Outlook and ACT Contact Management software. The larger PR contact software programs like Vocus have their own contact management of sorts – but I prefer using these other sources.

If you’re a MAC owner, you can still buy Microsoft Office for MAC to use Outlook.

I use ClipMate (www.thornsoft.com) to keep media contact info on hand for insertion into e-mail, letters, and my label program. ClipMate allows you to store an unlimited amount of information, in an assortment of categories, and I find it invaluable. There’s a write-up about the program on my website (I do not receive any rebate from orders) because I feel it’s so important for writers and publishers to know about this time-saver.

I also have a folder in My Documents called PEOPLE. It has sub-categories for family, friends, etc. but also one for media. Every time I meet someone new, I add a page with everything about them that I learned in person or from their business card or promotional materials. I print out these sheets frequently and keep them in a notebook for quick reference just before I head out to an event.

I use a simple database I created in Open Office but you could use MS Access. This can be fairly easily created using the set up wizard. If you are not terribly computer savvy track down a computer savvy teenager to help. Once the database is set up you can import your existing data from your excel spreadsheet straight into the new database.

Open Office can be downloaded for free from http://www.openoffice.org/ It will work on PC and MAC and will read and write Microsoft Office documents.

I save all contacts (which can be categorized) on my Palm Treo 680, which is backed up on Palm Desktop. Using Palm Desktop, I can export the contact into a .csv file and open in Excel to merge into letters.

Please do not use outlook on a Mac.

For each person, there is a best solution. We don’t know enough about your needs to make recommendations. And wisely, you did not ask for any.

You simply asked what we use.

Me? Apple Mac Mini and its Address Book and iCal plus my iPod touch. Which syncs nicely, so I ALWAYS have all details with me at all times. For those urgent interactions while enjoying a Frappuccino at Starbucks. Which offers free WiFi to card carrying fans, which allows me to check (and send) emails from my iPod while on the road.

-ski
Hilton Head Island, SC
Las Vegas, NV
Dover, OH

I also use ACT. The program allows you to set up a contact page that contains the information you feel is necessary, has a place for you to make notes about each contact, allows you to create groups and email from the program (plus lots more!). It’s a great tool.

Keeping track of media contacts:

I may be unique in my method because I have ADD, but for me, once something is out of sight and touch (such as tucked away in an Excel program or on an electronic hand held device) I will never think of it ever again. My system is tactile, visual, and cannot be easily lost, flushed down a toilet or lost by electronics gone haywire. I create old-fashioned, handwritten Rolodexes for each client’s media list. Mind you, I also have an Excel sheet backup for email blasts, etc., and a Google shared document spread sheet to share with my co-horts, but I’ve found that for someone like me with ADD, I need to see and touch those Rolodex cards to keep those journalists top of mind. It may be unorthodox, but it works for me.

I use GroupMail5, by Infacta Ltd., for my personalized email to media and other group email contacts. You can try it for fre*e.

Here’s my affiliate link for you to pass along to her and/or your ezine subscribers, or you can just send them to my web site for it:

GroupMail 5
http://www.shareasale.com/r.cfm?B=3937&U=105587M=1465

The Parson Place Shop
http://shop.parsonplace.com/software.html or just plain http://shop.parsonplace.com for a complete list of all the affiliate offers I have.

I use Highrise by 37Signals. It’s web based so you always have access, you can share access with others if needed, and it handles email very well via a slick bcc and forwarding feature.

Details here:

http://highrisehq.com/

If you are searching for something to hold your data, check out this CRM.

It not only keeps the data of your leads and prospects, you can load a list and outbound dial, you can take inbound calls with popup windows of your clients, you can strategize an email campaign, mass email or mass fax, have all that data recorded in your account, etc. Basically, it’s the coolest thing I have found and I think you should all check it out.