Continuing on in our recent series…
Using free accounts such as hotmail, yahoo, etc for their email address.
Domains are very cheap to purchase and even if you don’t yet have your own website, there is no reason why you can’t have your own domain (to reflect your name or your business name) for your email. This assists with branding and people are more likely to remember your business or business name if you use a domain address to reflect that when corresponding with them.
Show people you are running a real business. I, for one, tend to dismiss emails from people who approach me about a ‘business opportunity’, or that they want me to assist them if their email address appears to be dodgy and they provide no other contact information. Particularly if they claim to be from a well known organisation or similar. Same applies often to those running small businesses, including VAs. Give yourself the opportunity of being taken seriously and not as a hobbyist or a ‘wanna-be’.
Some VA networks will offer you an email address at their domain and if this is the case, then take them up on it. It will assist with a ‘corporate’ look and help you to appear a much bigger business than someone operating on their own.
free email addresses, domain names, real business, virtual assistant, mistakes VAs make
Melinda says
That is so true Kathy! I recently wrote a blog post on the advantages of having your own domain, and presenting a professional image to others was one of the main points.