Just a few hours ago, we were discussing how we wish we had access to one central database that held information about all of our clients so that we could send out things like birthday cards and have up-to-date contact information for everyone we’ve worked with – past and present. Part of this came from a desire to integrate a very light CRM system into an upcoming product we’re developing, but the other part is the simple desire to reach out to clients and friends on days that are important to them.

It then occurred to me that there is such a tool… and what’s more – it’s free. Plaxo has been solving this problem for years, free of charge. However, the unfortunate side of this equation is that if I counted all of the contacts in my address book who are using it as opposed to those who are not, the folks who haven’t adopted it wind by a landslide.

That lead me to wonder why people wouldn’t want to keep their network updated on changes to their contact  information, let others know when their birthdays or anniversaries are and simply keep in touch using a simple, passive and free web-based tool. If you’re reading this and you’ve ever had the same frustration, then sign up for Plaxo for free right now and make connecting easier.