Tools of the trade: Email, it's essential!
Why is it important for your business to use email? Hm. Let's see. Probably for the same reasons why you need an online presence for your business.
- Four in five (80%) Australian Internet users are now shopping online (Nielsen.com)
- "Over 40 percent (of online shoppers) are planning to pursue DIY projects over the next 12 months and 24 percent intend to call in the professionals to renovate their homes."News Digital Media survey of 10 000 Online Australians
Logically, when a potential customer finds your business (online or otherwise), they might want to send you an email. So you have an email address or you risk losing that customer before you've even gained it. Then, it's up to your business to make sure that you receive and respond to that email every time or again, risk losing the customer.
I've heard many a tradie say "I don't need email, my customers all just call me". Sure, maybe your EXISTING customers. Not your new ones. I've also heard one brilliant comment - "Customers know that the older tradies are the best tradies so if I don't have an email address they'll know I'm a better tradie". Makes sense, but for every one customer you may get from this strategy, you'll lose many more.
Three types of email addresses
- The @genericemailprovider.com - providers who specifically give you a free email address for free without purchasing any other product. Most popularly Gmail, Hotmail, Yahoo, etc. The upsides to these are that it's web mail (available anywhere) and you generally get unlimited storage space so you never need to delete an email. Some email filters block @hotmail accounts given that these free web mail addresses are so often used by spammers, scammers and illegitimate businesses. Gmail is definitely the most respected of the bunch, and you can also get more value out of naming your email address 'yourbusinessname@gmail.com' instead of 'Robbie69@gmail.com'.
- The @internetserviceprovider.com - companies that supply you with your internet connection also often offer you email accounts and storage for your email data. These email addresses are medium risk for 'spam' identification and if you want to keep your email address you also usually have to keep your internet service provider. They mostly come with space restrictions.
- The @yourbusinessname.com - if you have a website, you'll usually get email addresses for free with your web hosting agreement. But, they also come with space restrictions and can sometimes come with higher costs. You can sometimes access them through the web anywhere, but most commonly are downloaded to your computer through Microsoft Outlook or a similar email package. A specific email address related to your company name engenders trust and are hardly ever filtered out by spam filters (unless you are in fact identified as a spammer!).
It sounds like a minefield, but it's not. Simply choose an email address that reflects the professionalism of your business, and make sure that you manage your email responses well. If you choose the first option, be aware that some emails might be blocked by spam filters and you should follow up by telephone if you're quoting and you receive no response (which you'd be doing anyway hopefully!).
If you need any advice about which email to choose, or you'd like a recommendation, simply email us at enquiries@servicecentral.com.au.
