After my post on choosing a CRM, Tony asked what I use to manage my contacts. To be honest, I’m not using a formal CRM system. I actually use a combination of Outlook, Excel and Campaign Monitor (an online subscription tool).
I use those tools, even though I’ve worked with really expensive CRM packages and even did consulting work for a leading CRM company. Why? They work for me. I keep notes and old emails in my Outlook contact files. I export contacts to Excel, as needed. And I use Campaign Monitor to manage opt-in and opt-out newsletter subscriptions. (By the way, if you subscribe to my newsletter, you’ll receive a copy of Seth Godin’s Bootstrapper’s Bible.)