Remember Personal Letters? Yeah, Me Neither.

Think about the last time you received a personal letter in the mail. Can't remember? You're not alone! These days, nearly all our written communication happens through email. It's fast, free, and goes anywhere in the world. We all use email today.

Why Email Matters for Small Businesses

• It's always on: Customers can check their emails whenever it suits them, unlike phone calls or face-to-face meetings.
• Leaves a trail: You have a handy written record of all conversations. No more, "he said, and she said," arguments!

The Trouble with Getting to Customer with Email

Here's the thing: getting those customer email addresses correct is surprisingly tricky. Did you know...

• Oops, typos! Studies reckon around 20% of emails given out are wrong.
• Old news: About 22% of email addresses stop working yearly due to people changing email addresses, changing jobs, leaving studies or switching email providers.
• Shield against spam: A surprising number of folks use temporary or "spam" email addresses. I'll admit, I did this myself recently when getting solar panel quotes! I just wanted a price, not the start of communications.
• People are not reading their emails and spam filters: Some people rarely read their emails, sometimes they have spam filters that knock out their emails, sometimes they accidentally delete it thinking it's spam, etc. Just because you have a valid email does not mean it is coming through.

So, What Does That Mean for Your Business?

Studies show that around half the email addresses in most business databases are not good. Bummer, right?

Getting It Right - Steps to a Cleaner Email List

Don't worry, there are things you can do:

• Double-check at the counter: Our POS software helps catch obvious errors and has a very good email-checking routine. What makes it so good is that it will pick up the errors when the customer is right in front of you.
• Email checkers: There are some websites like this one [https://verifalia.com/validate-email] which are great for catching potentially dodgy addresses. What I like about this one is that it gives you a danger warning on the email address too. If you know of a better service, please let me know!

• The gentle nudge: If an email goes unanswered, follow up with a friendly email   "Just checking you got my email about [topic]. If so, could you give me a quick reply?"

Why Valid Emails are Business Gold

Here's why spending a bit of time on this is worth it:

• Talk directly to customers: Send news, offers, and the lot!
• Save money: Sending emails is cheaper than postage
• Supercharge customer service: Answer questions and sort out order issues quickly.

In Conclusion

Having a clean list of active customer emails is like having a direct line to the people who keep your business ticking. If you're a small retailer, investing a little time and effort in this will pay off big time!

Improve your Email Deliverability