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Have you ever considered the importance of your business’s email addresses and contact numbers on your success? These small details could make a big difference in how many enquiries you receive or how many sales you make. We’ve covered the important points below.
What is a business email address?
A business email address is a dedicated email address for your business that includes a relevant and unique domain. The domain of an email is the part that comes after the “@” sign and usually includes your business name or your business name and a department name.
For example, from the email address examples below, the first is a generic email address and the latter is a business email address:
As you might imagine, a business email address usually comes at a small cost, which can be paid annually or monthly and should be treated like any other business expense.
What is a business phone number?
A business phone number is a contact number exclusive to a business. It provides a direct line to your business or departments within your business. The opposite would be using a mobile number or a standard residential phone number for your business affairs. Some non-local clients may not realise if you use a standard residential number for your business, but local clients might. A professional business phone number will also cost a small (ongoing) fee.
Why you need dedicated business contact details
Owning dedicated business contact details, such as a professional email address and contact number will:
- Create a professional image
- Build trust among clients, which could then result in more enquiries and sales
- Enhance your brand
There is even evidence to suggest that business emails and phone numbers make your business look bigger than it currently is. Moreover, business email accounts may not be accessible 24/7 by you and your staff, which will stop your team from overworking and experiencing burnout.
Perceptions of Gmail accounts
The go-to email account for businesses without a proper business email address is typically Gmail. These businesses are often start-ups and sole traders. They will use a Gmail account – often separate from their personal Gmail account – to conduct all of their business emails with leads and clients. This may seem a smart move because you can set up a Gmail account for free in minutes, but it isn’t such a great idea.
Consumer perceptions of Gmail accounts are negative. A Gmail business account will put doubt in the mind of the lead and question whether the business is a serious operation. It could even get people thinking that the business isn’t real and could be a scam.
In summary, if you aren’t prepared to spend a small sum on having a professional image, what does it say about the effort and quality of your products and services?
Business emails and branding
Now you know the importance of choosing professional contact details, how do you get it right? Believe it or not, but you can even add your own branding to your business email account. This can be easily achieved by using your business name or website name within the email address. But there can be other creative and effective ways to brand your email address.
Recap: You shouldn’t be using a Gmail or other generic free email account for your business. And you should prioritise getting professional business phone numbers too. It’s essential that you have professional contact details to create a professional image, enhance your brand and build consumer trust. Without them, you could be missing out on enquiries and sales.
Prioritise professional business contact information this year with WEBPRO. Our marketing and branding team are on hand to help you choose and secure the most effective email account in your industry. We’ll ensure you choose wisely and avoid some of the common mistakes made when selecting a business email account.
P.S. Why not get a professional email sign-off to go with your new email account? WEBPRO can assist with that too!
