Contact Taxonomy: Roles & Circles

MEMO uses a simple two-part system to help you organize your relationships. Every person in your sphere has:

A Role — What they are to your business
A Circle — How close they are to you personally

This guide explains how these work together to help MEMO surface the right people at the right time.

Roles: The "What"

Every contact has exactly one role. This describes their primary relationship to your business.

Client

Someone you've done business with directly — past, present, or future.

Examples:

A buyer you helped find their dream home
A seller whose listing you represented
A prospect you're actively working with

Why it matters: Clients are the core of your business. MEMO prioritizes tracking closing dates and commission amounts for clients, helping you see your ROI over time.

Referrer

Someone who sends business your way or could in the future. This is the most common role for people in your sphere.

Examples:

A friend who recommended you to their coworker
A past client who refers their friends
A family member who talks you up at parties
A neighbor who knows everyone on the block

Why it matters: Referrers are your word-of-mouth engine. MEMO helps you track who referred whom, so you can thank your best advocates and nurture those relationships.

Partner

A fellow real estate professional you collaborate with.

Examples:

A co-listing agent
An agent from another brokerage you've done deals with
A team member or mentor

Why it matters: Partners are peers in your industry. Maintaining these relationships opens doors for collaboration, referrals, and shared knowledge.

Vendor

A service provider who helps your clients during transactions.

Examples:

Home inspectors
Lenders and mortgage brokers
Title company contacts
Contractors (plumbers, electricians, roofers)

Why it matters: Great vendors make you look good. MEMO lets you track which vendors you've used on which deals, so you always have a trusted recommendation ready.

Circles: The "How Close"

Beyond their role, every contact is either in your Inner Circle or your Outer Circle. This reflects the strength and priority of your relationship.

Inner Circle

Your VIPs. The people you want to stay closest to, regardless of their role.

Who belongs here:

Your "Core 3" — the three people most likely to refer you business
Close friends and family who actively support your career
Top referral sources who consistently send deals
Key vendors you couldn't do business without
High-value past clients you want to nurture long-term

What it means in MEMO:

Inner Circle contacts rise to the top of your daily suggestions
They appear more frequently in your feed
MEMO reminds you sooner when you're drifting apart
They get a special badge on their profile

Outer Circle

Everyone else. Still important — just not your top priority.

Who belongs here:

Most of your contacts will be here, and that's okay
New contacts you're still getting to know
Professional acquaintances
People you want to stay in touch with, but less frequently

What it means in MEMO:

Outer Circle contacts still appear in your feed
They follow your normal contact frequency settings
No penalty — they just don't get the VIP treatment

How Roles and Circles Work Together

These two dimensions are independent. Any role can be Inner or Outer Circle.

Contact	Role	Circle	Why
Sarah (your best friend who sends 5 referrals/year)	Referrer	Inner	Close relationship + high value
Mike (a past buyer, nice guy, moved away)	Client	Outer	Good client, but not a priority relationship
Tom (your go-to inspector)	Vendor	Inner	Critical to your business success
Jennifer (agent you met at a conference)	Partner	Outer	Professional acquaintance, stay in touch
Mom	Referrer	Inner	Family, always advocating for you
The Johnsons (closed 2 years ago)	Client	Outer	Standard past-client follow-up

Setting Roles and Circles

When adding a new contact

Role defaults to "Client" (you can change it)
Circle defaults to "Outer" (you can change it)

During onboarding

Your "Core 3" contacts are automatically marked as Inner Circle with the Referrer role

Editing later

Open any contact's profile
Tap the Identity card to edit
Toggle "Inner Circle" on or off
Select their role from the options

Tips for Getting the Most Out of This System

Start simple. You don't need to categorize everyone perfectly on day one. MEMO works great even with just the defaults.

Inner Circle is exclusive. If everyone is Inner Circle, no one is. Reserve it for 20-30 people max — your true VIPs.

Roles can change. A referrer who buys a house becomes a client. A client who sends referrals might deserve to be re-categorized. Update as relationships evolve.

Don't overthink it. The goal isn't perfect taxonomy — it's staying in touch with the right people. Trust MEMO to help you prioritize, and adjust as you go.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: What if someone fits multiple roles? Pick the primary one. A past client who now refers people is probably best categorized as a Referrer (since that's your ongoing relationship). A vendor who also bought a house through you might stay as Vendor if that's how you primarily interact.

Q: Do I have to use Inner Circle? No. It's optional. If you don't mark anyone as Inner Circle, MEMO still works — it just won't give anyone VIP priority.

Q: Can I change someone's role or circle later? Absolutely. Relationships evolve. Update anytime from their profile.

Q: What happened to the old categories like "Sphere" and "Past Client"? We simplified! The old system had overlapping categories that confused people. The new Role + Circle system is clearer and more flexible. Your existing contacts were automatically migrated to the new system.

Summary

Dimension	Options	Purpose
Role	Client, Referrer, Partner, Vendor	Describes what they are to your business
Circle	Inner, Outer	Describes how close and important they are

Together, these help MEMO understand your relationships so it can surface the right person at the right time — without you having to think about it.