Introduction
In the board game industry, your network is one of your most valuable assets. Whether you're connecting with manufacturers, publishers, artists, or fellow designers, Boardssey's Contact Management system helps you build and maintain these crucial relationships.
This guide will walk you through creating, organizing, and leveraging your industry network effectively.
Getting Started with Contacts
Accessing the Contact Manager
Navigate to the main menu and click on "Contacts"
View your complete contact database
Your contacts will be displayed in an organized list, ready for management and filtering
Adding Your First Contact
To add a new industry connection:
Click the "Add Contact" button in the top right corner
A new contact form will open with fields for essential information
Select the appropriate category for your contact (e.g., Manufacturer, Publisher, Game Designer)
Fill in the contact details:
Name
Email address
Phone number
Company
Website
Additional notes
Click "Save Contact" to add them to your database
Organizing Your Network
Contact Categories
Boardssey offers pre-defined categories designed specifically for the board game industry:
Manufacturers: For production partners and factories
Publishers: Companies that might publish your games
Art Directors: Visual design leaders
Illustrators: Artists who create game artwork
Cultural Consultants: Experts who provide cultural authenticity
Game Designers: Fellow creators in the industry
Playtesters: Regular testers for your games
Distributors: Companies that help get your games to market
Retailers: Stores that sell board games
Convention Organizers: People who run industry events
Each category helps you quickly filter and find the right contacts when you need them.
Detailed Notes
Add context to your relationships with comprehensive notes about:
Past interactions
Meeting notes
Project history
Follow-up reminders
Personal details to help build rapport
Managing Your Contacts
Editing Contact Information
To update a contact's details:
Locate the contact in your list
Click the dropdown trigger (three dots icon) next to their name
Select "Edit Contact" from the menu
Make your changes in the edit form
Save your updates
Removing Contacts
If you need to remove a contact:
Open the dropdown menu for the contact
Select "Delete"
Confirm the deletion when prompted
Collaboration Features
Team Member Access
One of the most powerful aspects of Boardssey's contact management is the ability to share industry connections with your team:
Shared Database: All contacts are accessible to team members based on their permission level
Relationship Transparency: Everyone can see the history and context of important industry relationships
Inviting Contacts to Your Team
Turn key contacts into collaborators directly:
Find the contact you want to invite
Click "Invite as team member"
Select the appropriate role:
Member: For regular team collaborators
Cultural Consultant: For specialized expertise
Other roles as needed
The system will send them an invitation to join your Boardssey team
Best Practices for Contact Management
Regular Maintenance
Update Information: Set a quarterly reminder to review and update contact details
Add Context Notes: After significant interactions, add brief notes about what was discussed
Privacy Considerations
Respect Confidentiality: Only share contact information with your team, not externally
Permission-Based Sharing: Get permission before connecting contacts with each other
Data Security: Treat contact information as confidential and secure
Conclusion
A well-maintained contact database is essential for navigating the board game industry effectively. By consistently updating your network information and leveraging Boardssey's organizational tools, you'll build stronger relationships that can help your games reach their full potential.
Remember that successful networking isn't just about collecting contacts—it's about nurturing meaningful professional relationships over time.
Use these tools to keep track of the human elements that make your industry connections valuable, not just their basic information.
Start building your network today, and watch how it enhances every aspect of your game development journey.