Ask HN: Consultants, how do you keep track of your clients? - tixocloud
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ak39
I keep a file/folder for each client in which I write notes (pen and paper)
like a journal. I also make notes of things I think about immediately after
meetings or later in the evening last thing before switching the lights off.
These are not minutes. They are more like my thoughts (concerns and
anticipations.)

This has proved invaluable in two ways:

1\. I am less anxious about things that I feel I'm not going to remember.

2\. Rereading gives me perspective about evolution of the engagement (nice to
read that 1 year ago client had expectations this high, and that this year he
is talking about "low hanging" fruit. (I sometimes document new notes with
different colored ink.)

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codegeek
your question is too vague. Track for what ? Projects ? General Communications
? Invoice ? Billing ? or all of the above ?

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tixocloud
Sorry. I meant client information/conversations

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hanniabu
I just use an excel sheet. Have their name, number, business, size of
business, business description, notes on contact, location, did I contact them
already, did they answer, when we last spoke, is a follow up needed, topic of
follow up, have I done work for them in the past, potential future work to
contact them about, etc

Probably more than most would record, but I like the option to circle back to
past people I've done work for and past cold contacts that turned me down.
Plus I have a poor memory and do this on and off in my spare time.

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tixocloud
I'm looking to solve this exact problem and would love to further get your
thoughts.

Would you mind if I contacted you through email?

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BjoernKW
Prospective clients, leads: Trello

Actual clients: Accounting software (Collmex in my case)

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tixocloud
Nice. Do you have any issues keeping track of them?

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BjoernKW
No, works fine for me.

