<strong>Ladies and gentlemen: Email is not dead—yet. </strong>

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Many have jumped in to Social Networks as a medium of marketing and promotions. And why not? Which technology has installed a U.S. President? The public may probably reply: Social Networks.

Wrong. Take it from me. It’s wrong. The real answer is email. Without an email address, how can you join a social network? Unlikely. It requires you to give a valid email address.

<strong>So “Email Marketing is not dead—yet.”</strong>

Every time I’d open a browser (in this case Safari because I’m a Mac user), I go to a bookmark that contains my “set of web priorities.” When I click it, it opens at least four websites: Gmail, Facebook, Company email, and Ping.fm. It saves me some time.

I don’t know how you prioritize your own. But I presume that many of us would still open our email first because it is our personal “mailbox.” Personal correspondence go here.

Even social networks notify you through your email.

So how do you use email in marketing your product, selling your stuffs, and building your brand.

<strong>What is your Email Address?</strong>

You may not probably recall how many times you’ve been asked by this question. But it’s basic. In this information age, after someone asked for your time, you’ll be asked to give your mobile number and/or email address.

If you are a business owner or an executive, the question is, “What’s your website?”

But email is very special to me. It’s so special that I studied the nature of email and email addresses—email address format, email schedules, and email responses among many others.

You see when you give someone a reply like, ‘My email address is lloyd@lloydluna.com.

It sounds sweet and very professional as against you giving lloydluna@gmail.com, right?

Here’s one secret that I’d like to share. I’m using Google-hosted email address, though. That means that I’m sending and receiving emails using Gmail. I check my email correspondence using Gmail facilities. But I don’t use my Gmail address for business presentations or formal meetings.

Giving a free web-based email address may be perceived as cheap and unattractive. Even a high school graduate can just get it. It doesn’t give additional value for you. It gives an impression that “you can’t afford.”

So, what’s your email address?

<strong>It’s too l-o-n-g...</strong>

Let’s say you’ve come across an email address such as magiting_editor2001@yahoo.com. Or, what about the_dynamic_business_owner1234@yahoo.com?

Yes. They are too long. There’s no recall. And it really cannot work. You don’t want to confuse your client or friend about your email. After a very long meeting with you, he would usually verify if the email address in you card is… “this is your email?”

Don’t make it hard for them to connect with you.

Make it short. Use your full name. Make it look like professional. Make it easy for someone to have something to imagine should they lost your card.