Despite the growth of new media such as social or digital media, email remains one of the most vital ways of communication in business. In fact, email is often cited as the most important digital business tool, more important than accounting and sales systems….just think about that for a moment.
Even if you’ve registered a domain name and have a website, there are still many businesses using free email hosting services such as Hotmail, Yahoo, or Gmail. Every time you send an email, you are promoting the email server’s brand not your own, never realising the benefits of a branded email name.
Most website hosting services offer at least one or two mailboxes as part of the package…. so there is no excuse not to brand your emails, and it has many advantages.
Branding opportunities
Each time you send an email from your branded email account, you are placing your domain and brand in front of your prospects, suppliers and customers. This is just one more opportunity to foster brand recall. When a prospect or a customer wants to find your business online after having been in contact with you through email, they will likely remember your website URL since it is in your email address.
Professionalism
The credibility that arises from a branded email address is much higher than using a Gmail or Hotmail service. It says something about you and your business, that you are serious about doing it right.
Segmentation
Even when you are just a small business, having a segmented email address for shipping, billing, and customer support will not only make you look professional but also assist you in the organisation of incoming emails.
Make That Signature Work for You!
To add that special touch, make sure you get your graphics designer to produce a professional email signature for you. One that includes your company logo and contact details on it. This will add to your credibility as someone who means business.
In addition, you can regularly update that signature to include special offers or calls to action – you never know, someone might just click it!
About the Author
Mark Buckingham is a partner with Mark 2 Creative; a dynamic Sydney based integrated marketing agency. They are experts in branding and digital delivery, and are able to seamlessly merge the two disciplines together to deliver cutting-edge solutions that set them apart from the competition. their imaginative and innovative approach provides clients with a real presence in their marketplace that gives them exactly what they need from their marketing – more business.
