Last week I was researching companies in order to hire a professional consultant. In doing so, I needed to fill out an online form to request additional information. Normally, when I am doing research I use a different email address than my company’s email address, because I want to keep emails that I receive from clients and prospects separate. In this case I used a Hotmail address e.g [email protected]
The form came back with an error message. I wasn’t able to submit my request, because the form was tailored to recognize FREE EMAIL ADDRESSES such as Hotmail, GMAIL, LIVE, AOL, YAHOO and other FREE EMAIL ADDRESSES.
The Wake-Up Call
This also reminded me of a recent article I read on the BRAZENCAREERIST.com, a site that offers career advice, that sites a source that indicated the fact that employers did not take those with HOTMAIL, YAHOO, AOL, LIVE emails seriously because it was a sign that they are “behind the times”.The Chicago Tribune did a similar article, where the author indicated that her sister, a publicist told her that giving out a FREE EMAIL ADDRESS, is bad for one’s image.
How Would You Like Your Company to be Perceived?
So the question is, if you are using a FREE EMAIL ADDRESS to communicate with prospects, are they taking you seriously or is it costing you sales? Are you portraying the right image for your company, using a FREE Email Address?Do you want to be viewed as a company that is “behind the times” or a professional, successful company?Would your business still be considered successful if you are using a FREE Email Address? What impression are you leaving prospects with by using a FREE EMAIL ADDRESS in 2013?
One of my most recent customers, a real estate investor came to me for a website redesign and one of his first request was, do you offer professional email addresses? He got it! He understood the importance of setting the right impression for his business.