Keep Contacts list manageable and useful

 The Contacts list lets you access phone numbers and other important info quickly, but it can get very long, very fast. When that happens, it becomes hard to use. Here are some suggestions:

  • Don’t enter info on every person you meet. For example, I collect a lot of business cards at trade shows, and keep them in an old-fashioned card file, alphabetized by company name. I do not enter a person’s phone number into Contacts until I start communicating with them on a regular basis or until I’m sure I want them in my Contacts list.
  • Keep your most important contacts in your Favorites list, but keep that list manageably short. (Open Contacts, tap on an individual listing, and then tap on “Add to Favorites.) Don’t be afraid to make someone a temporary Favorite, for the duration of the project you’re working on, or until you make the sale. Then remove them from Favorites but keep them in Contacts.
  • If a person is important enough to make it to your Contacts list, make sure their listing is complete. Include name, address, all phone numbers and e-mail addresses, etc. You can use the Notes field for additional info.
  • When convenient, enter contact info on your desktop computer and then sync it to your iPhone. It’s faster and a lot easier that way.
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