[Veltliner]

I'm ramping up my marketing and will start a business database.

What I want to do:

1. To create sections with different kinds of business (Advertising agencies, design firms, fashion designers, companies, editors, etc.)

2. Being able to see a list of names in my database.

3. For each individual or company I'd like to store phone, email, web address as a minimum

4. But I'd also like to write down notes for each individual/company

a. contact history

b. Material that's relevant to that person like addition links, images and documents.

5. I'd love to have an application that doesn't ask me to go through a 200 page manual. I want an intuitive application.


So far I found:

A. Filemaker Pro (but too expensive at $200)

B. Zoho

Online Database made easy: Zoho Creator

Does this mean I have to put all my data and contacts into an online database outside of my computer? Is this the way to go?

C. Bento


Is anybody of you using any of these software packages - or one that's not mentioned?

I also own Expression Media (even though I use Adobe Bridge to handle images). But maybe Expression Media is good in cooperating with a text-based database.

[besson3c]

I think the main question here is whether you want this data to be shareable and accessible outside of your Desktop computer, and whether it is okay for this data to be strictly local.

If the former, you are looking at databases such as MySQL, PostgreSQL, Oracle, etc. If not, you are looking at the sort of database solutions you have listed (another one being Daylite). However, if you think you might want to share this data but aren't sure, I'm not sure I'd recommend a Desktop database solution. You want something you can grow into and around, not something that you'll grow out of.

[Veltliner]

Originally Posted by besson3c 

I think the main question here is whether you want this data to be shareable and accessible outside of your Desktop computer, and whether it is okay for this data to be strictly local.

If the former, you are looking at databases such as MySQL, PostgreSQL, Oracle, etc. If not, you are looking at the sort of database solutions you have listed (another one being Daylite). However, if you think you might want to share this data but aren't sure, I'm not sure I'd recommend a Desktop database solution. You want something you can grow into and around, not something that you'll grow out of.

Honestly, I'd rather want to opposite: not sharing my marketing data and client and prospective clients database with anybody.


PS: I guess Apple's Address Book won't be up to the task - or would it be?

[besson3c]

I doubt it. Have you looked at Daylite?

[turtle777]

The keyword here is CRM.

Look for a CRM database, that should give you the features you're looking for.

-t

[besson3c]

That's a good suggestion, it will open up all of the web-based solutions as options.

[mduell]

How did I know besson would mention Postgres before I even read the post body?

[Veltliner]

I'm currently comparing Daylite with Contactizer Pro, which I heard is supposed to be more intuitive.

Objective Decision | Products | Contactizer Pro

Hearsay so far.

What's offputting is the steep price of Daylite where you even have to pay for a module to link it to Apple Mail. And there's the $99 fee per device to link it to a smart phone.

[besson3c]

Originally Posted by mduell 

How did I know besson would mention Postgres before I even read the post body?

Because you're in love with me?

[Veltliner]

After a first round of research Daylite is out. It's too complex and takes time away from productive work. I don't need project pipelines with step by step knuckleheadedness.

All I need is a manageable database with a link to communication history and a note section.

User reviews report lots of buggy behavior of daylite and the fact that productivity software keeps you productive - handling the software.

That's the state of things right now.

[Veltliner]

You know what? The combination of iCal and Address book is pretty good and does everything you need. iCal's address cards even lets you put a thumbnail on.

It's very simple to use, quick, and reliable. I'd prefer to have more colors for iCAl (instead of only green and blue), but I can live with that.

I never used it so far, putting all my appointments on pieces of paper, so I cleanly overlooked that the good is often close to you and you only have to open your eyes.

[turtle777]

Originally Posted by Veltliner 

You know what? The combination of iCal and Address book is pretty good and does everything you need. iCal's address cards even lets you put a thumbnail on.

I was gonna suggest that However, to make those power tools, you need to add Tagging.

I recommend the following:

For Mail
MailTags
MailActOn

For all other documents:
Gravity Applications - Tags - Simply Organized

-t

[OreoCookie]

You already have both suggestions I can think of on your list: Bento and Filemaker. Filemaker is really easy to setup and use, but if it's too expensive for you, then that's that. It does offer web sharing, for instance. Bento, on the other hand, is primarily made for uses such as the ones you have in mind: augmenting OS X functionality. I found it a little too inflexible for what I had in mind when I looked at it (keeping track of grades and stuff).

[turtle777]

If you have too much money, you could also look at some Oracle or SAP products

-t

[Veltliner]

Originally Posted by turtle777 

If you have too much money, you could also look at some Oracle or SAP products

-t

Burning it works equally well

[Veltliner]

Originally Posted by turtle777 

I was gonna suggest that However, to make those power tools, you need to add Tagging.

I recommend the following:

For Mail
MailTags
MailActOn

For all other documents:
Gravity Applications - Tags - Simply Organized

-t

I watched part of that gravity apps demo and looked at the other apps.

Tagging is keywording. (I don't even do that with my images. But I always know when I shot what and with what camera.)

I guess I'm just comfortable with chaos. You know that person who finds something right away even though it looks like a mess for everybody else?

I call organization by association. I probably would get a serious rash if I had to tag everything that came at me.

I have the impression all those nice productivity tools have one big danger: they make you more productive using even more productivity tools and forget about what you actually wanted to do.

It was a big step for me to go from notes on scraps of papers (I use nice paper weights, like the hard disk from my defunct Powerbook of the 5000 series - not the whole hard drive, just the triple metal disk)...

... to putting down addresses into my Apple Address book.

Those groups "hair stylists" "make-up artists" "make-up artists and hair stylists in one" "advertising agencies" etc. are very helpful, but that's all the organization I need for now.

[turtle777]

Coo.l. Whatever works for you.

-t

[Veltliner]

The links in Address Book are active - click, and you land on the webpage.

Would be great to have clickable email addresses, too, so you wouldn't even have to open Mail.