YOU'VE MADE YOURSELF A FARLEY FILE
Please, please, please.
Within days you're going to be meeting people and they will be talking to you, asking questions, & all that. THEY WILL REMEMBER! If you remember you're a nice guy; if you don't you're a shit.
You'll need a stenographer to be your shadow at all public events writing down all public conversations and transcribe it so you have a record. This person will also manage the information/action items until you get yourself a secretary who reports directly to you, bypassing your Chief of Staff, but also regularly informs your CoS.
A Farley File is a diary and aide-mémoire. The easiest way to construct one is as a computer file arranged by Name. Each entry should include the contact information (address, telephone number, email, etc.) if appropriate and known. With the ubiquity of digital cameras a photograph could go in there as well. The diary part is a running record of information regarding the person: spouse, children, hobbies, likes/dislikes, beliefs, questions, requests for information, & etc. and a record of interaction(s) with the person the Farley File is for. Also an assessment and comments section could be in there.
A good idea is put people not met but important such as Congressional members, leaders and VIPs of all political parties, major businessmen, personnel within the organization, and so on.
