Professional Communication Strategies

Creating a professional image is an important issue for any entrepreneur. In addition to having a brand image for your print and web materials, you must also consider other forms of communication: email, snail mail and telephone.

Be aware of the image projected by your email address. You may have several different email addresses so be consistent. Your addresses give many clues as to how "real" your business is. Before you print or publish your addresses, consider about the impact they will have on prospective customers, professionals and other business owners.

1. Email: Get rid of business email addresses at the free providers such as Yahoo, Hot Mail and Google. The same goes for address you pay for such as AOL and others. These addresses scream: NOT A REAL BUSINESS!

Email is a primary means of communication today. Make sure your addresses represent you and are recognizable so people are not afraid to open your messages. The address should contain your real name and your business name. Get a domain name for your business and send your email through it. Make sure your domain name is a.COM, rather than.NET or some of the others. The.COM is easier for people to remember as it is the most commonly used form.

Also buy several domain names that are similar to your business name and your personal name to protect them. If someone has a similar domain name and your prospect miss types your address, they may never make it to your site. You have lost them before you had a chance to capture their interest! And, more than likely, you may never get them to come back.

2. Postal and delivery addresses also make a strong statement about your business. Your business address absolutely should not be a Post Office Box (P.O. Box) number! Too many shady businesses and scams use P.O. Box numbers and have given them a bad reputation. A P. O. Box does not represent a real business today, with the exception of the payment departments of well-established companies.

If you are working from a home office, use your home address and add a suite number, i.e. Suite 100. Many women business owners do not like to use their home address and choose a business location such as the UPS Store or one of the many package and shipping franchise locations that host mailboxes.

If you are using a mailbox rental location, you are not allowed by law to use a Suite number, but you can use the number sign plus your box number: #123. These locations will also receive packages for you. This is important since most companies will not ship to regular Post Office Box number.

There are also business service centers that will receive mail and packages, provide an answering service and rental space for offices and conference rooms by the hour, month or year. You can use their street address plus your mailbox number as your snail mail address.

3. The other communication tool that needs a professional touch is your telephone. Many small business owners now use a cellular phone as their main business line. This way they are always able to take the calls and access their voice mail. There are a few important key thoughts to consider when using the telephone for business.

Be aware of the background noise and environment around you when you are on the phone as you want to appear professional at all times.

The ring tone you choose and the message you create on your voice mail will also send important messages to others. Your professional greeting and request to leave a message sets an image of you in the caller's mind.

The actual ring tone others hear when they are with you says a great deal about you, too. Be sure it is appropriate for business. You may love heavy metal music or rap, but those are not the sounds that should be coming from your business telephone!

Your goal is to appear professional and as someone with whom your contacts would want to do business. It is about having a professional image representing you in all ways: in print, on the web, on the telephone, in emails, in snail mail, etc.