Does your email address make you look like an amateur?

A lot of wedding industry business cards pass through my hands. Many emails descend into my computer. Recently, I started to notice a disturbing trend in email addresses.

An alarming number of email addresses reek of amateur hour. One wouldn’t show up at a networking event in T-shirt, cutoffs and flip flops, would one? Why would a business use an equally lame email address?

Without busting actual addresses or people, let me construct some fictitious email addresses and then explain their various shortcomings.

• janesbakeshop@aol.com: This person shows a website address on her business card as janesbakeshop.com. AOL is something almost all of started; however, it is not a business email. It makes you look like you are operating out of your garage. Event if you are operating out of your garage, one should move on to jane@janesbakeshop.com. One doesn’t have to close the AOL account. In fact, it’s good to use an AOL browser to see how people look at your website. AOL also now includes email forwarding features.
• midnightmama9696@yahoo.com: I’m glad this person has a private social life or nickname; however, it doesn’t look very cool when filling out an industry order form and doesn’t show will on a business card. This kind of email should be strictly private.
• joesdjandweddingofficiant@gmail.com: This person has multiple businesses and is trying to wrap them into one free email address. He should have two websites: joesDJservice.com and weddingofficiantjoe.com – He should maintain them as separate business identities. For that reason, Joe might get a personal domain, such as joesmith.com to use for ALL communication. His standard email might then simply be joe@joesmith.com. I recommend having a Google email account (gmail) as a business backup, but it does not support the name or domain of your website, correctly.
• tennesseeweddingdiva@hotmail.com: Don’t use the word Diva, unless it is part of your business name or domain name. NEVER use a Hotmail account. Hotmail accounts have a high incidence of being used to send spam. Consequently, your email to a prospect or customer has a much higher chance of being directed to a spam folder or blocked, entirely. If this business has the domain tennesseeweddingdiva.com, then the email should be maryclaire@tennesseeweddingdiva.com.
• bayareamuseum@msn.com: Abbreviations are tricky. Is this Green Bay, Tampa Bay, San Francisco Bay, or some other bay? As well, it’s an msn.com account, not a real domain. In the real world, it should be something like events@tampabaymuseum.org
• supercalifragilisticexpialidocius517@theworldsbestdisneydj.com: Annoying long email addresses are counterproductive. Short, sweet, and easy to remember is the way to go.

Your email address should be simple and reinforce your domain name. AndyEbon@WeddingMarketing.net or simplify further by just using your first name. This is about being explicit, memorable and projecting a professional image.

Here’s the deal. If you use a sub-standard email address for your business, change it, today. Then modify your email listings, everywhere, to the new address. Notify your contacts. It’s not that difficult; just takes some time. Tough!

If this is you, these steps should have taken place long ago. NO EXCUSES!! Just get it done! Amateur Hour is over.

And if one of your friends is a guilty party on this matter, please forward this blog post address to them. They will thank you.

Andy Ebon
The Wedding Marketing Authority

Does your email address make you look like an amateur?