Mark LeBlanc is a technological visionary. For those of you who know Mark, that may come as a shock. When it comes to technology, he is best known for his rants against the abuse of technology by marketers and so-called gurus. If you really want to get him started, ask him what he thinks of business professionals who use online marketing to avoid picking up the phone, or conducting face-to-face prospecting. Mark is a visionary because he understands that the true power of the Internet comes not from technology, but from connecting with people. It's not about the size of your database, but the depth of your connection to the contacts within. I attended a group coaching session last night where Mark outlined the process of converting a monolithic, "I have no idea who these people are." database into a smaller, more valuable asset he refers to as a "hyper segmented" contact database. Mark's laser-like focus on what it takes to truly make technology work reminds me of another visionary, my big brother Lee. Almost two decades ago my brother, who had owned a computer for all of two weeks, found me on the Internet after decades apart. Thanks guys, for reminding me what leveraging the power of technology really means.

Your Most Valuable Business Asset

Mark believes that your contact database will become your most valuable business asset in the years ahead. Here are some tips to help you grow that asset.

• Acquire the right tool. It should be in the cloud to allow for collaboration. It should also be easy to use and most importantly allow for rapid retrieval of vital contact information.
• Connect to all your other tools. Your database should capture not only contact information, but conversations. Use a tool that allows you to connect with your email software and with your social networking profiles.
• Capture, Tag and Release. Biologists use a process of capture, tag then release so they can effortlessly keep tabs on the animals they study. Do the same for your endangered species, clients. At the point of encounter, capture contact info, including marketing source, and employ the use of tags to identify the current state of the relationship. Apply additional tags over time to identify changes in that relationship.

Insight

It's not about the quantity of your contacts, it's about the quality of the connection.

Resources

Highrise - Mentioned during Mark's presentation.