When you’re spending the time, energy, and, in some cases, money, to send emails to your clients, you want to ensure they’re reaching their target inboxes and building your client relationships. One of the biggest reasons these efforts might fall short is the lack of a professional or branded email domain.
Your practice’s email address is the first thing clients see in their inboxes, and you want it to look professional and familiar. Your clinic’s abbreviation (e.g., [email protected]) or outdated free email servers (we’re looking at you, Hotmail users) may go unrecognized, interpreted as spam, or not even make it past your client’s inbox filters.
What’s a branded email address?
A branded email address uses your existing website domain as the @____.com ending, instead of using a free service’s ending like @gmail.com. For example, a branded email address for your front desk might be [email protected].
What’s a website domain?
Your website domain is also known as your URL or website address. For instance, www.YourVeterinaryPractice.com.
Having a branded email address (e.g., [email protected] or [email protected]) that ends with your practice’s domain name is essential, easy, and affordable.
Read on for three reasons your practice needs a branded email address, and how to get started.
1: Your practice will look legit
Anyone can create a free email account with your practice name in it, including your competitors, the receptionist’s 9 year old, or even a disgruntled former client. Having a branded email (e.g., [email protected]), however, requires access to your practice’s domain address, which prevents posers and haters alike from creating one. Creating your branded email address(es) tells clients that they’re communicating with your practice—a legitimate, professional business—and no one else.
2: You’ll strengthen your brand
When you send emails that are branded the same as your practice website address, you’re helping clients see and remember your practice name AND website name at the same time. Boost your brand awareness and ensure your clients don’t forget your name, or how to find you online.
3: You’ll get better results
Depending on the platform you’re using to send emails, free email addresses (e.g., @aol.com, @yahoo.com, @gmail.com) are often filtered into “promotions” or spam filters, particularly when mass emails are sent. In addition, clients are more likely to recognize and open emails from a business they’re familiar with (as opposed to a confusing abbreviation or unfamiliar address). Using your branded email address will often improve delivery success and open rates.
Ready to set up your veterinary practice’s branded email?
To set up your practice’s branded email address, you’ll need access to your website domain account. Check your GoDaddy or Google Domains account, or talk to your webmaster.
While there are numerous providers, including your existing website company, your internet service, or too-many-to-count online servers, two trusted favorites are GoDaddy or Google Workspace.
Choose the provider that’s best for you when it comes to the following features:
- Access — If you’re already used to a Gmail account and/or Google services, like Google Calendar, you might find that Google Workspace emails are a good fit, since you’ll use Gmail to log into your account. Others who prefer Outlook or like having a separate site to log into might prefer GoDaddy’s services.
- Control — Do you want to be able to quickly add, delete, or access other team member’s inboxes? Or, are you more comfortable having someone else manage this for you?
- Cost — Most professional email services range from $2 to $10 per email address per month.
Some services may let you set up free or low-cost email aliases (e.g., [email protected] automatically forwards to your [email protected] inbox) to prevent having multiple accounts.
Setting up a branded email address for your veterinary practice should truly be a one-time, set-it-and-forget-it task that takes less than 30 minutes to complete, and can pay off in dividends in creating a professional appearance that builds awareness, trust, and effective communication.
Vetsource’s Vet2Pet client engagement system and veterinary practice app is another way to improve your client communication! Sign up for a demo to find out how.
