Emails have changed the way we communicate. This method of communication is very flexible, but mastering certain codes is essential if you want to convey the right idea. You should read this article to learn how to communicate with your customers via emails.
Professionalism is key to establishing communication with your audience via email. Your degree of professionalism can vary depending on your target audience and you can be more friendly if you have actually met the customers you are emailing, but keep in mind that adopting a professional attitude is the best way to get customers to trust and respect you. You can write professional emails by structuring them properly. Start with a greeting, write a short introduction to remind the customer of your previous exchange, develop your ideas in separate paragraphs and finish your email by addressing your salutations to your reader. Write a descriptive subject line and attach a signature with your full name, your job title and additional contact information.
Proofread your emails before you send them. Look for typos and grammatical mistakes. Your recipient will more than likely notice your mistakes and stop considering you as a detail-oriented professional. Double check your facts and give as many details as possible. Read your emails aloud to get a better idea of how your recipient might interpret the email. If anything sounds too dry or could be misinterpreted in a negative way, you need to clarify this point by giving additional information, or describing your feelings and intentions so your message conveys the right idea.
Encourage people to send you emails if they have questions, remarks or complaints. List your professional email address on your website or blog as a way of contacting you and share this email address again when customers place an order. Check this email address two or three times a day and answer to your messages as quickly as possible. Customers will really appreciate it if they receive an answer to their question within a couple of hours. Write detailed answers but do not hesitate to refer people to a page or an article where you already answered their question.
Your manners and tone will determine how customers see you. If a customer is already angry because they did not receive their product or it does not work properly, you need to apologize and take the blame. Show interest in your customer’s issue, get as many details as possible and give them different options such as getting a refund or a new product. Some customers will adopt negative language right away and even attack you personally instead of reporting their problem. Be understanding and adopt a professional attitude. If communicating via emails is not possible, ask the customer to call you so you can apologize in person and find out what it will take to satisfy this customer.
Interacting with your customers via emails can be tricky, but you should be successful if you remain professional and do your best to avoid miscommunications. If you are not getting good results with emails, perhaps your target audience would prefer a different method of communication.