Organize and prioritize your database
Contactually builds your database for you, but it can be overwhelming to look at the Contacts tab and figure out which people to reach out to.
Buckets organize and prioritize your contacts so you can follow up in a targeted manner. You have the option to set a Follow-Up Reminder interval for each Bucket. The Follow-Up Reminder interval dictates how frequently you want to stay in touch with the contacts in that Bucket. When the number of days in the interval have passed for one of the contacts, you'll receive a prompt to reengage with that person.
The Follow-Up Reminder calculates and resets time based on your communication history with each specific contact. In other words, you'll only receive a Follow-Up Reminder if the number of days has passed and you haven't been in touch with that person during that time. Any logged communication with that contact resets the Follow-Up Reminder.
How to create a Bucket
On the Buckets page
1. Click the Buckets link at the top of the screen.
2. Click Create Bucket at the top right.
3. A pop-up window will appear. Enter the Bucket's name and goal. Then type in the number of days you want to set as the Follow-Up Reminder frequency.
On the Contacts page
1. Click the Contacts link at the top of the screen.
2. Tick the checkbox(es) of the contact(s) you want to add to the Bucket you're going to create.
3. A bar will appear at the bottom of the page. Click Edit Buckets.
4. Use the empty search field under Edit Buckets to type in the name of the new Bucket you want to create. Click the bolded text below or press Enter/Return on your keyboard to create the Bucket, and Save. A notification will appear at the top of the screen confirming that a new Bucket was created and that the contact is now in the Bucket.
If you want to set a timer and goal for this Bucket, you must edit it from the Buckets page.
Adding Buckets from the Library
If you're unsure which Buckets to use or what your Follow-Up Reminder intervals should be, you can download a Bucket or Bucket set from the Library.
1. On the Buckets page, click Add From Library at the top right.
2. You'll be directed to the Contactually Global Library of Buckets where you can find something that meets your needs.
3. To download a Bucket to your own account, click on the Copy icon on the far right of the item.
FAQs
What is the difference between Buckets and Tags?
A Bucket dictates how often you want to be in touch with a group of contacts and can prompt Follow-Up Reminders for those contacts. A Tag provides information that you may want to use to pull a list of contacts and does not prompt Follow-Up Reminders. For example, you might have a Bucket called "Leads" and a Tag labeled "Referral." The Bucket reminds you to follow up with the leads and the Tag allows you to pull a list at the end of the year to see how many of your leads were referrals. A general rule of thumb is that if the label you're tracking doesn't dictate how often or if you need to follow up, use a Tag.
Should I put every contact in a Bucket?
Save yourself time by only putting business-relevant contacts in Buckets. Leaving a contact unbucketed is similar to having the contact archived: You can access it at any time, but you won't receive Follow-Up Reminders for it.
To start out with, how many contacts should I put in Buckets?
Aim to bucket 200 contacts as a start. The Bucket Game sorts through 50 contacts per game, so playing the game just four times will organize your database very quickly.
How do I delete a Bucket I don't need?
On the Buckets page, click the name of the Bucket. On the page that opens, click the trash can icon at the top right. The Bucket will be deleted, but the contacts will remain in your database.
How do I move contacts from one Bucket to another?
The easiest way to move multiple contacts into a Bucket is to use the bulk actions feature on the Contacts tab. For a single contact, you can use the contact sidebar to quickly add or remove Buckets right from the sidebar itself.
Can contacts be in multiple Buckets?
Yes. If both Buckets have Follow-Up Reminder intervals, the shorter interval overrides the longer.