Imagine this: you are planning your wedding and all you want is to gather some initial information on packages and pricing for area photographers. You hurry to their websites, click on the “Contact Us” page, and…. No email. No high-level services/packages overview. Your only option is to call them directly and ask. Ummm… maybe not? Now, I know some of you are saying, “But Anna-Vija, as a business owner, I want to talk to potential clients to really gauge what they need and how I can help them. I want to build a relationship.” I get it: you work hard to cultivate your sales techniques and want the opportunity to talk to each person. However, consider these few points:
- Without an email address (or online form), you will automatically lose the attention of some potential clients. What if 68% of your business hinged on your online presence? It actually does and your online presence, website design, and accessibility is a huge tool in developing your business leads.
- In today’s society, a quick email is often the go-to method of communication. Tony Haile of Chartbeat reported that 55% of visitors spend 15 seconds or less on your website. Fifteen seconds or less!? If someone’s sole purpose is to find a quick way to contact you, you have already lost their potential business.
- A prompt, articulate email, can start the early relationship building process. I’m sure you’ve all had that experience with someone who is not prompt at responding to emails. Or worse yet, replies and spells your name wrong. Don’t be one of those people! Quickly and grammatically correct-ly… respond to client emails. It won’t go unnoticed!
Isn’t that refreshing? If you don’t want to put your email address on your site, try these alternatives:
- An online form. Check out these tips for creating an effective online form.
- A generic email address. Try something like info@, events@, or contactus@. With this option, it’s also easy to forward emails to the appropriate team member!
