Great article! It triggered some thoughts that I wish to share. I agree that a database will be very usefull to boost career networking. Unless the database is used daily, it risks becoming worthless.

I currently use ACT! as my contact management tool. I would like to know if others use similar tools for their networking activities?
If so, do you see advantages in combining customer records with networking contacts in the same database? Or would you suggest using separate databases for each target group?

I am currently inclined to put everyone in the same database, as I feel everybody is at one time or other a networking contact.