Web + Wins #6: Does your email address pass the trust test?

May 19

This Week's Update

Two more weeks until Snaply Sites is my full-time focus, and things are already ramping up fast.

Just in the past few weeks: wrapped up a web project for an asphalt additives company (yes, I now know more about asphalt than I ever expected 😄), led a last-minute lunch and learn for a local Women in Wellness group on quick website wins, sent out two website drafts that clients loved, and kicked off a new client in the medical device space. Oh, and somehow fit in a lot of really good coffee chats and lunches along the way.

Typing all of that out, I won't lie, it's a grind right now. I've had to say no to things, let some balls drop (I'm sorry if yours was one of them!), and remind myself that entrepreneurship is not a straight line. But I'm finding ways to celebrate the wins along the way, and going full-time on Snaply Sites before I feel completely ready is one of the biggest ones yet. Two more weeks to go!

Get a Web Win: Email Mistakes I See Every Week

I see this a lot – business owners doing great work, but their email setup is working against them. Two quick fixes that can make you look more professional.

Fix #1: Ditch the Gmail.

If you're emailing clients from a @gmail.com, @yahoo.com, or …. @aol.com address 🫠, it's time to upgrade. A domain-based email (you@yourbusiness.com) is a small thing that signals a lot:

Looks more credible and professional
Builds trust before they've even read your message
Improves your email deliverability

I set up Google Workspace through Squarespace for most of my clients – the whole thing takes under an hour, and Squarespace frequently runs promos to keep costs down.

Fix #2: Make your email signature actually work.

Your signature goes out on every single email you send. Make it count.

Here's what I see that needs fixing:

A giant image with nothing clickable: if your phone number and website live inside that image, you're making people retype it. Keep it easy for them.
Outdated info that never got updated – old titles, old addresses, old job roles. It happens more than you'd think and quietly erodes trust.
Way too much going on – favorite quotes, five social media icons, certification badges. Your signature isn't a scrapbook. Pick what's essential and cut the rest.

Here's what it should have:

Your name + business name
A clickable phone number
A link to your website
Personal choice - I like including a small headshot to add a face to the name
Bonus: a link to your booking calendar or social profiles

Think of it as a mini CTA at the bottom of every email. If you need a starting point, HubSpot has a free signature generator that gets the job done.

Quick check: Open your email right now and look at your signature. If nothing is clickable – or there's no signature at all – fix it this week. Small things like this build trust faster than you'd think.

Coffee Convos: John Barnes

Last Friday, I sat down with John Barnes, Co-Founder & CEO of Pendleton Street Business Advisors. John helps business owners focus on the financial decisions that actually move the needle, and months ago, he was one of the people who first got me seriously thinking about going all in on Snaply.

He told me then that when someone tries to divide their focus between two things for too long, they end up riding the line instead of growing. Eventually you have to jump. He was right, and here we are.

This time around, I got a little vulnerable with him. I admitted that my business books and finances haven't gotten the attention they deserve. Not easy to say out loud. But John made me feel a lot better with this analogy: your business numbers are like the crawl space of your house. Nobody wants to go down there. But it's the foundation. You can outsource it to the experts, but there's real value in understanding it yourself. Just enough to know what's happening and why it matters.

It's made me think a lot about identifying my 20% – the stuff that's not glamorous, that nobody sees, but that holds everything else up. The 80% is usually what you love and what you're good at. But the 20% is what lets the business actually grow.

If you're building a business, give John a follow.

Let's Talk

Last week I shared details about the free website workshop I'm hosting in Columbia with the SC APEX Accelerator and SC SBDC… and it completely filled up. 🤯 We're capped at 35 attendees and have already moved to a waitlist.

If you missed it, join the waitlist here. We're looking at adding a second June session and a virtual option in July. I’ll keep you posted.

As always, feel free to grab a coffee chat with me here.