Can anyone suggest a good online contact management database that is either free or minimum monthly cost?

I am starting a new client and we are starting a marketing strategy. We were trying to figure out the best way to do his contact management and came up with an online database. That way I could do it more on my time than his while we are setting up his marketing program.

He is a public speaker and just starting to travel around to his engagments and needs to get organized. So we were thinking this would be the best and easiest way to go about that. Also, to help increase his speaking contact base.

Thanks a bunch.

Hi Leanna

I found a free version of Online Contact Management.
I hope this helps.

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Maria Quick Link Virtual Assistant Services
www.getquicklink.com
Let Quick Link be your link to today's virtual world

I found that one too, but it is just the trial version that is free on that one. There are several different ones listed where your link took me to, but I did find that one previously. Thank you for your help though.

Hi Leanna,
I usually build these for my clients so dont' have a good commercial recommendation for you, but I did find a list of recommended options from the Web Worker Daily blog, click here to read the post (includes pricing info and links through to each product)

One note on this: the list I linked to above was compiled over a year ago, so there are surely new options available as well at this point - have you tried running a Google search?

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One quick addition to this - DO check the comments on the post....people often follow up with their own preferences so you can get even more info by reading the expanded post.

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I usually would create my own little databases, as well, but at first he wanted us to use a contact management program he already works with until he realized it might not necessarily suite what we have planned. He also was going to have me using one of their laptops as well as a cubicle in their office to do this work. (I think it was a control thing.) When I explained to him that I do have other things going on and although I could probably work that way, I would probably have to put in some after five time in his office to accomplish all that we have planned while creating this marketing strategy. He seemed to realize then that it might be better if we did this online contact management, that way I can work on it from wherever with my own laptop and on my own schedule and not his. Since I'm the one doing the research for the contacts and creating the contact database and making the phone calls for these contacts, I think he realized he needs to let me work on my own schedule with my own equipment.

Whow, looking at that, I think I need a raise already. lol

I do want to add though, that he was very impressed with me at our meeting yesterday. I came with contract in hand and figures included as well as samples of my work. After I handed him the contract and explained a couple of little things about it, I offered to show him some of my work samples and he told me that he was impressed as soon as I handed the contract to him. He realized I already had it all together and that he didn't need to see the samples to know I would do a good job for him.

Right, but in that case you could potentially create the database online - either on the backend of your own website (not the most ideal situation as it's client content but better than nothing) or even better, build it on the backend of his website...

I hope you find a good solution to your problem

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I guess I was kind of hoping that someone may already be familiar with any online contact management databases and has actually used them.

As far as my creating one, that has just basically been typing contact info into a spreadsheet so I can use it in any type of format I may need, such as mail merge, contact management, etc.

I've worked with various contact management applications before, but am not familiar with online versions.

If it doesn't have to be done online and you have MS Outlook, for just $34.95 you could purchase a license at http://shareo.4team.biz/?lang=EN. This program allows you to 'share' contacts, calendar and tasks. You can also share files, word or excel in a email folder. Your client would also have to purchase a license. This figures to less than $3 per month and I use it with 3 of my current clients. They love the fact that they can input tasks for me, and I get the update and can take care of the item(s) during my day. They also appreciate that I can input new contacts, notes, appointments, etc. and they are able to see those updates/additions as the folder is updated via email.

Well, as I mentioned earlier, my customer wants access to it from his office as well as I would need to have access from whereever I might be. Home or on vacation (as I will be as of this weekend for two weeks). He is a new customer and I will be building a contact database for him while I am gone. (Plus he isn't real computer savvy. When Outlook was mentioned to him, he got a quizical look and it was obvious he had no clue what that was.) I use Outlook all the time myself and love it. He doesn't seem to know that much about how to do a lot of computer stuff. That's okay, it makes me look more amazing!!! lol