Making Your Emails Work for You as a Florida General Contractor

One of the biggest struggles that entrepreneurs tackle is the task of legitimizing yourself as a professional amongst your clientele.  New contractors will have difficulty generating new business if their customers do not feel like they were provided with a professional service.  One of the easiest ways to give off that aura, or conversely, to completely ruin it, is through your approach to email.

Contractors Reporting Services, has been helping contractors meet their Florida contractor license requirements for over 50 years. Whether you are just starting out and preparing to take your exam, gathering your credit report, background check and insurance information, or you are in need of a license renewal , we have the expertise to help the process run smoothly and quickly to get you out there doing the work you love. But while we offer logistical assistance in licensing and business services, we also recognize the need for practical tips to help business owners get started and build lasting relationships with customers, keeping communication timely and professional. Along that line, here are some tips on how to make your business emails work for you:

Answer emails in a timely manner

A popular misconception is that professionals must check and respond to their emails 24/7.  Not only does this create a vacuum that sucks up your time, it distracts you from other important tasks at hand.  Many ultra-successful executives only check their emails once or twice a day, so why shouldn’t it work for you too. By allocating one or two blocks in your daily schedule to business email maintenance, you can stay connected without getting constantly distracted.  But remember, it is imperative that you respond promptly to any inquiries you receive during that time block–don’t put it off, or you’ll put off your clients.

Subject Line and Recipients

Most email programs generate an automatic subject line for your responses; usually a “RE: (Subject).”  But crafting a custom subject line adds to your client’s perception of you and your business.  Summarize the concerns and content of the original email to reassure your clients that you actually read their email and take their inquiry seriously.  Include your name or company name in the subject line, as well.  This reduces the likelihood of a customer regarding your response as spam, and lets them know that they are receiving a legitimate response, rather than a generic form letter.

Proper Structure & Content

All of your emails should be structured like a business letter.  Forego any slang or vernacular you might share around a watercooler or at the gym.  Moreover, avoid texting acronyms, or “emojis” like the plague.  Your business email is a client’s best way to voice their concerns to you, so responding with professionalism communicates that you take them seriously, and legitimizes your company as a business. Grammatical correctness is imperative, and is not difficult to achieve.  SpellCheck is just one click away, and, reading the email aloud is a great way to catch any errors you may have missed before you send it.  Personal emails are great places for humor, jokes and sarcasm; business emails are not.  Be serious if you want to be taken seriously by your clientele.

Be Clear; Be Concise

When responding to client emails, address their concerns, answer their questions, and nothing more. Keep your replies simple, answering with clarity and getting to a point.  Don’t waste their time with verbosity. The underlying message this sends is that both your and your customer’s time is valuable.  However, if the client email was upset, urgent or detailed, a concise response may not adequately address their concerns.  In that case, call them instead!  This shows your client that you take them seriously, that you’re professional, and that you value their business!

Closing your Email

The best way to generate new business is through happy customers.  Happy customers stay happy when they feel appreciated and the easiest way to do that is to thank them for their business every chance you get. Keeping that in mind, you should close every email by thanking your customer for their business.  Additionally, creating a “signature” that includes your complete contact information will make it easier for them to follow up. Including your name, business phone number, mailing address, and your email address allows your customer the convenience of everything being in one place, every time, and it conveys a sense of professionalism that you have a formal signature to close every email. And the easier it is for them to find your contact info, the easier it will be for them to share it with a friend.

Having a successful contracting business requires so much more than technical skills, but a little bit of customer service will go a long way towards establishing your reputation as a professional. At Contractors Reporting Services, we work hard to make it easy for you to get your contractors license, but we are here to answer any other industry questions you may have. Don’t hesitate to give us a call to see how we can help you.

Contractors Reporting Services ~ https://activatemylicense.com

13795 N Nebraska Ave,
Tampa, FL 33613 ~ (800) 487-2084

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