The good news about a digital business is that leads, prospects, clients, and customers can connect with you at any time from anywhere – but if you don’t have the right systems in place, that can also be the bad news!

Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, Twitter … just about every social media account has private or direct messaging, and people will reach out from wherever they are. But what do you do when where they are isn’t where the conversation needs to be?

As always, the right systems will save the day AND save you time.

If managing business inquiries is a constant struggle, then this episode is for you. You don’t need a receptionist; you need communication systems that work and work well together, so let’s jump into Part 4 of our 7 Systems Blueprint.

Listen in while we talk about the tools, templates, and technology that will steer people to your inbox and streamline your intake and onboarding processes. We also discuss simple ways to improve the look of your communications through little details that make a big difference. (Hint: If you’re using a Gmail account for your business, you’re missing out.)

And there’s much more, including: the email marketing service we use now and the two services we’ve left behind, why we prefer G Suite’s Gmail to Outlook, and what to do if you’re worried that the government is spying on you through your email.

“Perception is everything when you’re doing things online.” – Vernita ShermanClick To Tweet

Highlights From This Episode:

* How accessible you are through social media

* Are your email filters hiding messages from leads and prospects?

* When you receive a new inquiry, what do you do, what do you say, and what do you ask them to do next?

* No matter which door they come in – phone, text, website, or email – your intake process stays the same

* Four questions to ask on an intake questionnaire so you can skip to the meat of the conversation

* Efficient systems build your credibility and also build client confidence and trust

* Why you need a branded domain for your email address instead of @gmail.com

* When to pay someone else to do the work for you

* Your email marketing is part of the Communication System and also the Conversion System we talked about in Episode 9

* Why Pam loves Google Voice (and why Vernita doesn’t)

* Other phone services and apps that we do and don’t recommend

* Communication apps that are preferred outside of the US

* Sample templates for typical customer service responses

* The importance of selecting tools that are compatible and integrate

* What Vernita suggests if you’re concerned about the government spying on you

* Why Gmail is better than Outlook

* Your email signature as a digital business card

* Four things you must think through for easy intake and onboarding

* Two ways to use video as an internal communications tool

Resources Mentioned:

* ActiveCampaign

* Facebook Live

* G Suite

* GoDaddy SmartLine ‎

* Google Voice

* Grasshopper

*