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You are marketing people.
You are blogging or have a website so that people (potential customers, the media, etc.) can learn more about you, so that they want to talk to you. Right?
So why in the name of all that is holy do you NOT have your e-mail address on your website or blog??
Some of you are laughing…but I challenge you. Physically go to the blogs in your feed reader. Or pay attention to the 10 blogs you visit every day.
You will be astonished at how many professional business/marketing blogs give the reader absolutely no way to get a hold of the author, except in the comments section.
As I’ve worked on the last few collaborative projects, I’ve had to reach out to many bloggers. I’ve spent countless hours trying to track some of them down.
And don’t give me the SPAM or bots excuse. Come on…if you have to, spell out the e-mail address with the word "at" in place of the @ sign. But for the love of Pete, give us a way to start a conversation.
Isn’t that why you’re blogging in the first place?
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Hi Drew!
Excellent post! I totally agree with you as well. Awhile back I was working on a project in which I had to reach out to virtual assistants and in doing so, I was completely floored at how many people leave off the most important piece of their website – their e-mail address.
Some of them had contact forms on their site but I am beginning to despise contact forms for a number of reasons. (1) You don’t know where / when / how you’ll receive the e-mail response. (2) They take too long to fill in. I say ditch the contact forms and just throw your e-mail address up there.
Spam and all of the other excuses just don’t cut it. After reading Steve Krug’s “Don’t Make Me Think” it is pretty clear that you need to make the road / path to you easy and obstacle free. If someone has to work at trying to contact you, chances are that they won’t.
Sincerely,
Erin Blaskie
Business Services, ETC
http://www.bsetc.ca
Also, add a “Skype me” button – this tells customers if you are connected via Skype (i.e. online) and they are 1 click away from talking with you.
Not one to add if you are too popular though although you can turn it off!
Talk about hitting a nail on the head… you would not believe how many times recently I have wanted to contact a blogger privately, and could not find a way to email them! Thanks calling attention to it. Maybe it will get better.
Art
forgive my sins, i have repented.
Yep -that’s me! I am so glad I found you Drew. I have already had my website tweaked on your advice and now I will do it again! I hope you don’t have this much hard work with everyone you come across….
Preach it Brother! For those worried about spam – just make a simple gif of your e-mail address. Spambots can’t read pictures.
Isn’t it funny how the most “duh” things elude us? But clearly…it’s a common missing link on blogs and web pages.
Maybe we can affect change — go out and spread the word!
Drew