“I am hoping these are your “Spam” emails that are outrageously high… guess I’ll be checking this post before I decide to contact anyone for assistance.”
Ouch.
This was a comment that was added to a poll I conducted some time ago on a “Young Professionals” Group. I asked people to admit how many emails they currently had in their inbox. The amount varied, but there were enough responses indicating a large amount to prompt the above comment, which made a very good point.
Are you losing business because you aren’t answering your email in a timely way? (“Timely” can mean various things to different people. Here’s a helpful article to help you determine what timely should mean for you.)
It’s very possible that even if you don’t advertise the number of emails that are sitting in your in-box, you are missing out on promising business opportunities because a pile of unimportant messages mask valuable inquiries or dialog with potential customers and clients.
I’m a champion for helping people understand that email is not the enemy. Within it, there are typically important messages from clients, bosses and colleagues that are a vital part of you doing business well. A lack of responsivness positions you as unreliable and potentially uncaring…very possibly leading to people taking their business elsewhere.
Whether or not people know that your email box has _______ of emails sitting in it right now is not the main point. The more important question is:
Is how I am managing my email box helping me gain new business and strengthening the business relationships I already have?
If you hesitate at all in answering “yes,” I encourage you to enroll in 5 Days to Inbox Tranquility, a step-by-step process to help you breathe easier within your email inbox.