Taking Care of Busines... E-mail

In this digital day and age, communicating through email is getting more and more important. This is of course also true for customer service and help desks.

Looking at the incoming stream of calls I see a growing trend of email communication.

Most companies have a protocol for handling telephone calls, but taking care of business email is clearly underestimated. I have assembled 12 valuable tips you can use directly to improve how you or your company is handling email.

1. Keep your customer in mind:

As with everything you do, keep your customer firmly in mind: Is this info appreciated? Is the tone of voice appropriate for this customer? Could the customer be offended? It is best to place yourself in front of the customer, as if you are face-to-face, talking to each other. Choose your words wisely. Format your email professionally.

2. Canalize your business email streams:

Customers are emailing you for many different reasons; they may have a sales question, or just wants some info, or have a complaint. By creating different mailboxes for the different streams customers can help you by selecting the most appropriate mailbox for their request. And they will do it, if you tell them that it will speed up the process (for them).

3. React quickly (within 8 hours):

Email is a fast medium. Customers expect a quick reaction when they use email. Same day response is the ABSOLUTE minimum, but to make a good impression you should make every effort to react within 8 hours. All the time. No exceptions.

4. Use auto responders:

Don't make customers guess whether the email they sent has arrived at your company. Make use of auto responder technology to send a confirmation immediately.

5. Choose your subject wisely:

Customers are getting lots of email every day. They scan the subject field and from field to see what's of interest. So make sure your subject line attracts the customer, and doesn't look like a load of SPAM. So, do not use ALL CAPS or overuse exclamation points!!!!

6. Proper salutation:

Think of your customer: would he rather be greeted with "Hi Erwin!" or "Dear Mr. Steneker"? Don't fall in the trap of the fact that email feels informal. Choose a salutation that fits your customer.

7. Spell the customer's name correctly:

OK, I know this is an open door, but so many folks don't take the time and effort to properly spell the name of the customer. And a misspelling puts down customers FAST. Think how you feel when your name is spelled incorrectly.

8. Introduce yourself:

Remember tip #1? You have to put yourself in front of the customer. So what is the first thing you do when you meet a customer? You introduce yourself! Don't let your customer guess who he is "talking" to.

9. Format your email:

Email is mostly read on screen, so format your email accordingly. Use short sentences and plenty of white space. Also make sure that your text lines are a maximum of 60 characters wide, otherwise they may strangely be truncated, with one or two words flowing over to the next line.

10. Emails and Emotions:

Emails are notoriously bad for conveying emotions. If you feel it is appropriate for your customer, you can make use of so-called emoticons. Emoticons are combinations of letters and punctuations that are designed to show emotions. Here are some examples (Note that you have to tilt your head left to see it):

:-) Smile

:-P Extending tongue

:-( Sad

:'-( Crying

:-D Big smile

;-) Wink

8-) Cool

*

---

The Importance of a Name in the Sent from Email Address

When using an email marketing tool such as Adestra's Message... Read More

Building Your Own Goldmine - The Golds In The List

The best way to make money on the Internet is... Read More

10 Reasons to Outsouce Your Next Email Marketing Campaign

So, why would you want to send your campaigns out... Read More

10 Ways To Quadruple Your Sales with 232%

1. When you make your first sale, you need to... Read More

Lesson #5: Four Easy Ways to Kill Your Business Using Your Autoresponder... And How to Avoid Them

The importance of building an opt-in list over spamming (a.k.a.,... Read More

The Moneys In The List - But How Much?

The internet seems to be full of hyped up business... Read More

Build Your Opt-In List Today

There are many services available to help your with building... Read More

The 8 Biggest Newsletter Marketing Mistakes

Newsletter publishing has always made a lot of sense. It... Read More

Will Microsoft Kill Free Email on the Net?

Spam has been such a problem that email filters are... Read More

Internet Tip of the Week: Seven Rules of Email

Now there is no law that says you have to... Read More

Taking Email Marketing To The Next Level

How to use the latest e-messaging strategies to increase profits.Many... Read More

4 Tips On Taming Your Email

I remember when I was first introduced to email. I... Read More

Ten Tips for Email Marketers

Here are the ten most important tips to ensure you're... Read More

The Game Is Changing, Are You?

It's happening. Again.The Internet marketing 'game' is rapidly changing... again.Email... Read More

You DO Have an Email List Dont You?

No matter what type of business you operate, you need... Read More

Promote Your Web Business With Every Email You Send!

Website owners are always on the lookout for new ways... Read More

Guideline to Hiring an Email Marketing Company

A common practice in today's e-commerce environment is to use... Read More

8 Quick, Hot Reasons You Should Offer an E-mail Course Today

1. E-mail courses are generally quick and easy to create.... Read More

Wise Ways To Build Your Email List

Just about every successful Internet Marketer will tell you that,... Read More

Email Etiquette V

Further to my previous issues this subject continues ? as... Read More

Creative and Profitable Ways to Use Autoreponders

An interested visitor who has been strolling through your site... Read More

To Personalize Or Not To...That is the Question

If you are really interested in conducting a successful, effective... Read More

Website Promotion Through Newsletters

Website promotion is certainly a main focus of all business... Read More

Learn The Five Key Steps To Getting Free Publicity For Your Internet Site and Products

1) Website FocusMake sure your site is focused on a... Read More

Why You Need a Newsletter

If you're a small business owner you definitely need promotion.... Read More

How to Start A Money Making Newsletter

Writing and publishing a successful newsletter is perhaps the most... Read More

A Guide To Using an Automatic Responder

It's unbelievable....that many people do not know, that an automatic... Read More

The Ultimate Self-Promotion Tool Is Right at Your Fingertips: An E-mail Newsletter

If you're looking for low-cost ways to promote your business... Read More

How to Build Your List

Your list is your life. If you do not have... Read More

The #1 Thing You Must Have Before Even Thinking About Building An Opt In Email List

It's not a website.It's a smart autoresponder and mailing list... Read More

Some Simple Sure-fire Strategies to Construct a Responsive Opt in List!

A responsive opt in list is an unbelievably powerful money-maker... Read More

Converting More Free Downloads to Paid Customers

Do you give web site visitors the opportunity to download... Read More

A Single Email Is Never Enough

"Repetition is the key to advertising (marketing)". Those words were... Read More