A business’ email address is undoubtedly one of the most valuable tools for staying in contact with customers and prospects. However, having the right “professional” email address can also show how a business is being managed and set the stage for how credible your business is perceived by the public. A business can choose from many options today for their email provider, but some miss the opportunity to elevate their business’ professional reputation with a professional custom domain e-mail address.
To understand the importance of a professional, custom domain email address, let’s first understand the parts of an email address, and then we’ll dive into what we mean by a custom domain e-mail address.
Parts of an Email Address
What’s a Custom Domain Email Address?
By now, you probably have already figured it out, but a custom domain email address is pretty simple. Instead of using an internet service provider’s domain, you would have your company’s name as the domain name. For example, it would be JohnDoe@YourDomain.com.
Internet Service Provider: FranklinAutoRepair@hotmail.com
Custom Domain Address: AustinKelly@FranklinAutoRepair.com
Why Is It Important to My Auto Shop?
There are many advantages to having a custom domain for your auto repair shop.
1.) Builds trust and authority
If you haven’t noticed yourself doing it yet, you probably inspect the sender more now than five years ago. With so much spam being sent to our email daily, it is easy to distrust the sender we don’t recognize.
Personally, I look at the tail end of an email to see if it is attached to a business I have subscribed to. This builds trust with the customer before they even open your email, and it builds reputation and brand authority by showing the customer that you are a legit and transparent company that has taken the time to establish yourself.
2.) Cleaner and more memorable email
Email has been around for quite some time now. The chances of getting the name you want that is distinguishable enough from another similar business can be difficult, especially if you are both coming from the same internet provider. Additionally, how often have you tried to remember someone’s email, and you thought to yourself, “Was it Hotmail, Gmail or Comcast?”
Let’s do a test. Look at these two email addresses and, then, turn your head away from the screen. Count to 20. Which email address do you remember more?
Sam.Smith@KellerAutoRepair.com
OR
SamSmith7243@hotmail.com
3.) Not trapped to an internet service provider
If you use a business email address that’s linked to an internet service provider (ISP), like @comcast.net or @hotmail.com, you make yourself dependent on the continued use of that internet provider. Should you cancel Comcast internet or your Hotmail account be compromised and replaced, your email address goes away with it, along with all marketing efforts you used to promote that address.
SocialCRM Offers Custom Domain E-mail Addresses
As part of a recent release of services geared to help aftermarket shops take their business to the next level, Mitchell1 SocialCRM has enhanced our LocalSearch service with a NEW ADD-ON product called LocalSearch Domain Email. This new add-on product gives the shop an option to purchase 3 professional custom domain emails for $30 a month. To learn more about this feature, click here. https://mitchell1.com/socialcrm/localsearch/
