Reminder: Before You Click Submit…

So that you know, every contact you have using your business email address will reflect on your business. Even contacts you may not know very well, or who may see you on a forum or discussion thread, may be future customers. You never know.

Web Forms Count Too!

When you complete a website form and don’t use proper capitalization or check for typos, your question is most likely not taken as seriously as you’d like. Think about it.

Would you rather follow up on a lead from someone who communicates with proper sentence structure and no typos, or from someone who sounds like a grade-schooler? What kind of partners or customers will they be?

In grade school, you learn how to write using sentence structure, grammar, adverbs, nouns, and adjectives, right? I’ll be honest, though; I still need to figure out what a dangling participle is!

But I work on my writing with each keystroke here and in every email I send. That’s what professionals do. (And that’s why I use Grammarly for everything!)

Don’t fall into the trap that electronic communications are informal. Pros make these efforts regardless of the communication mode used. Email, forums, discussion threads, or texts — no matter.

Anytime you use that business email address, you are representing your business.

Even if YOU are the Customer

I use my business email address for everything I do, and I am always cognizant that it represents my business. When you are on the customer side of the fence, your business email address still represents your business. If you are an irate customer, that will reflect how you communicate when things don’t go your way.

When upset, take a deep breath and type professionally, with a stern tone, while stating facts and details. Professionals always do their best to avoid emotion in their messages. However, you just never know who your customers (current, future, potential) may be.

Then throw in social media, where folks pop off without a thought. The last thing you want to see is someone sharing your email while tagging your company because they didn’t appreciate your tone.

You need to review your form inputs when completing inquiries about services or products for your business needs. Be sure your name is capitalized correctly, and your email address is correct.

Every entry needs to be typed as if you were sending the request by snail mail on your business’s letterhead. This is because you not only want to show that you will be an outstanding customer, but also that you understand how to communicate efficiently.

Don’t Get Deleted!

Do not doubt for a minute that some website owners click the delete button when they receive business inquiries from those who provide the perception that they will not be valuable customers. Or what do you think it says about a potential partner/customer who completes a web form asking for readily available information on the website with only a click or two of effort?

Is their time more valuable than the site owner’s time?

When using your business email address, take your time to ensure you are making the best impression possible with every keystroke. No matter if you are making an inquiry as a customer or on behalf of your business.