This post comes to us from the Contactually blog. Going to Midyear? Visit Contactually at Booth 635!

The Problem with Large Networks

Let's face it: many of us have large networks that violate the principle behind Dunbar's number, which says we can only actively manage 144 relationships. If you, like me, have over 3,000 contacts, you're probably in a bit of a bind because there's no way you can properly manage your group without tools or strategy. One of the most effective concepts is to focus your time on the people that matter most to you. What matters most to you depends on the objectives you're currently pursing. To define your relationship objectives, read this blog post to help you evaluate the things for which your network can help you.

You Know your Relationship Objective: Now What?

Even after defining your objective, there might be more people than you can actually handle, so it is worthwhile to segment your database and focus on a specific group, which you can accomplish by rating your network. At Mindmavin, we developed a rating method that we have deployed numerous times and seems to work for a lot of folks. Take a look!

This rating methodology is not to evaluate how much you like a person, how great that person is or how much you aspire to be like that person, but rather an assessment on how effective this person can be in helping you achieve the growth objectives of your business in the form of referrals.