Strategy first, then tactics, then tools. A tool is only as good as the system around it, so stop shopping for apps and build the system.
The idea
Growing up, I'd often find a very, very expensive clothes rack in a friend's basement: the high-tech treadmill with shirts hanging off the handlebars. The treadmill was fine. What was missing was a system. A tool performs a specific task. A system combines strategy, tactics and tools, so you know why you're doing the task, how to do it effectively, and which tools can help.
How to do it
Strategy: what's the long-term goal? For example, generate more repeat business.
Tactics: what steps get you there? For example, identify who is likely to need help again and engage with them monthly.
Tools: what helps you execute those steps efficiently? For example, a CRM with a prioritized list of your best past clients.
Example
This lesson cost me years and millions in lost revenue. People flocked to Contactually expecting it to fix their networking, set it up in a flurry, then never signed in again. They mistook the tool for the solution, and so did we. That's what pushed me toward strategy and eventually a book, and why I now spend most of my time on habits and systems.
Watch out for
Collecting tools. A tool is only as effective as the system it's part of.
People, Processes, Systems: Every relationship strategy needs three parts: you (irreplaceable), repeatable recipes, and tools that amplify you.
You Are the Weakest Link: Like pilot error in most airline accidents, relationship systems usually fail at the human, not the tool. Design your habits around that.
A CRM Should Help You Be More Human: A personal CRM should help you be more human: aggregate everything, prioritize hard, record little, and spend your time reaching out.
The CAPITAL Strategy: Seven linked steps for building relationship capital: C (Consistent execution), A (Aggregate), P (Prioritize), I (Investigate), T (Timely engagement), A (Add value), L (Leverage).