Study: Email key for SMB trust
Say goodbye to personal email accounts doubling as business. That’s the takeaway from new GoDaddy data which indicates consumers are more likely to trust a small business that has a domain-based email rather than the general servers that are used for personal emails.
“You never forget a first impression, either in real life or online. Often your first direct interaction with a customer takes place over email and so looking professional in this context is hugely important,” said Steven Aldrich, Chief Product Officer at GoDaddy. “Using a professional email address that ends with your company’s domain offers you an opportunity to build your brand every time you interact with a customer versus promoting an Internet email giant like Gmail, Yahoo and others.”
Some interesting takeaways from the report include:
• 75% of consumers say having matching domain/email addresses ‘is important’ for businesses
• 33% doubt the legitimacy of sellers using personal email accounts
• 24% ‘are hesitant’ to give personal information to businesses using personal email accounts
“From the moment a consumer views your email address on a business card, your website, or in their inbox, they are immediately going to make judgments about your business, so don’t fall into the trap of using a personal address that anyone could get. It detracts from the trustworthiness you’re looking to convey,” added Aldrich.