How important is your e-mail address to your
business!
Do you use your Internet Service Provider (ISP) to get your e-mail.
If you are using their 'conveniently' provided e-mail addresses for
your business then you are at risk - future marketing costs, poor customer
service, and lost business!
I just talked to a small business owner that had her Internet service
cut off. It was only an administrative error, but it caused her 2 weeks
without Internet and e-mail, and was enough to make her change Internet
service providers. So now she has to notify all her contacts to let
them know she has a different e-mail address - that is how I found out
about her dilemma.
But that is just the beginning. She will now have to change her business
cards, her brochures, flyers, etc. And what about that add in the yellow
pages. Or all the business directories her business is listed with.
Maybe she just spent money on a direct marketing campaign - what about
those contacts. And just think about all those business cards that she
may have handed out over the last months or years.
Another small business owner recently moved to a new and larger location.
You expect that you have to change marketing information after a move
like this, but you want to maintain contact with as many clients and
prospects as you can through the move. But unfortunately the ISP she
had at her old location is not available at her new office. So keeping
that old e-mail address provided by the old Internet provider is not
feasible.
Another scenario is when your ISP informs you that your e-mail address
is changing. It is a wonder that this does not encounter outrage from
business owners. Both Shaw (changed from name@home.com to name@shaw.ca)
and telus (from name@telusplanet.net to name@telus.net) have done this
over the last number of years. This causes large cost, and untold lost
prospects and business to the small business owners.
So what is the solution? GET YOUR OWN DOMAIN NAME! For around $10 –
$25 per year you can get your own domain name that you own and control.
For another $25 – $50 per year you can use that domain name for
all your business e-mails. (And if you want to spend another $100+ you
can have a very basic web site to promote your business).
With a little work, or with your local Internet techie's help, you
can set up your e-mail program to work with that domain name to handle
all your business e-mails. And never have to worry about someone else
controlling your business contact information!
Do it now!
If you have any questions or need any help with this contact
ZedBiz.
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