Most of you probably know it’s a good idea to take notes about a conversation you’ve had when you’ve met someone at a seminar or conference, but it is also a good idea to write down the details of conversations you have with people on the phone. I like to keep files I can refer to so I know what I’ve said, how they’ve responded, and how we left the conversation.
You may think you’ll remember all those important things that were said but when you start having calls with different people about the your project, or different people about multiple projects, you will find it is immensely helpful to be able to review your notes before you make a call to them.
Another set of notes I’d WISH I had is mail correspondence. Yes, snail mail.
I recently sent out Christmas cards. I never really expect to hear much back from them. It’s not like people call and say “thanks for the card”, however, the other day I DID get a call from someone saying they had loved it. They thought it was quite personable and friendly and they remember me as being quite nice when we met at NATPE.
Now, I met this person two years ago. I DO remember meeting him and I remembered what his company produced but I do NOT remember at all, not even in the slightest, what the hell I wrote in that Christmas card. ( is it wrong to have a swear word and Christmas in the same sentence?)
So, from now on, whenever I send Christmas cards or follow-up postcards, I’ll be scanning whatever I write so that I’m not in this potentially embarrassing situation again.
And really…it’s not about the embarrassment. It’s about the potential to damage or lose a relationship simply because I didn’t take one extra step to ensure that when I’m lucky enough to have someone important call me, I can remember what I wrote.