Unless you pay careful attention from the start, it’s easy to end up with a messy list of contacts. But keeping in touch with clients should be your number one priority, and that means keeping an organized contact database. Use these tips to stay on top of your contact list, so that you can remain top of mind with your clients.

Centralize your information

Hopefully, you’re already using one application to store email addresses, phone numbers, and home addresses. Bolster your contact information on clients by storing notes and other bits of information that will be beneficial for you to mention (or avoid mentioning) when you’re interacting with them in the future. This way, you can engage in small talk about things they’re interested in without crossing over any touchy subjects in doing so.

Categorize your clients

Consider labeling your clients in a number of ways to be able to properly filter them. Ask yourself how important the relationship is, how strong it is, how recently you’ve connected, their location, and any other information you may find useful when reaching out to subcategories of clients. Additionally, having this type of information at your disposal when speaking with them in the future will strengthen your relationship and encourage them to continue coming back to you.

Set reminders

Plan for regular check-ins with your clients. The best way to ensure that you don’t lose sight of anyone is to set reminders for yourself to stay in touch. Keep in mind there is no cookie cutter way to go about this. Depending on the client and your relationship with them, you may want to check in them twice a week or just a couple times a year. Only you have the information and understanding about the relationship to make the right call.

No matter how you decide to organize your list, staying in touch is essential to your success. By being a great communicator, you’ll build a trustworthy reputation amongst all those you work with. The best way to communicate well and avoid any awkward interactions down the line is to have a well-organized contact database to steer your conversations in the right direction.