Clank clank clank! It should bring a smile to remember those old days when we had to use a typewriter to type business letters and sales correspondence. Overnight, it seems, our typewriters morphed into bullet-speed word processors. Business networking tools have also evolved in recent years to offer us new and improved opportunities to greet and meet new prospects, keep in touch with clients, and to organize our contact lists. Let's take a look at some of these new and widely used networking tools

A computer is a must for most businesses. Specialized contact management programs assist in several networking areas making prospecting and contact follow up easier. Programs such as ACT!, Goldmine, Maximizer, and Outlook have various features that stores and organizes our contact's records and can help organize our networking schedules. Personally, I have used ACT! faithfully for the last seven years in business. I simply load the networking contact's business card information into the ACT! program once I return from a networking event. The next time I need to send that contact a letter or make a call, their contact information instantly appears on my computer screen.

Other tools used by the new-age networker include PDAs- Personal Digital Assistants such as Palm devices. Use these tools to review saved notes containing detailed information about people you network with. It is possible to synchronize the notes and contact records that are stored in some PDAs with the contact software used in your desktop computer. An example would be ACT! This program will update your PDA with the last records installed and the PDA will do the same for your computer It's as simple as a click of a button! Imagine how you can tighten a relationship by meeting a contact who has forgotten your name, however, with the aid of a PDA, you quickly search for that contact's name and for a detailed note about who they are. It is also possible to set appointments and check schedules instantly at a networking event with the help of a PDA.

No matter how many space-age gadgets and tools we use to help with our networking, we should be very clear about the significance of one tool in particular. This tool is called trust and it is the core and foundation of networking. Use all of your networking tools to help build trust because without trust, there is really no relationship at all.

Discover and embrace today's tools that are designed to help networkers become more successful. Use these tools to gain trust so that you can get the most from all of your networking activities!

Mark McGregor is a trainer and consultant for North American corporations and associations. He replaces stress with success. E-mail Mark at now for his F+R+E+E electronic newsletter on how to gain more publicity with less stress.. Contract Mark at and phone (905) 297.0805.