D_Blackwell - 10:23 pm on Mar 14, 2007 (gmt 0)

For prospective business - minutes, virtually 24/7 - clear, concise, targeted responses. (Word gets around.) 24 - 48 hour turn-around is totally unacceptable for us.

After that, prioritize. Prioritizing is usually pretty easy. Literacy, clarity of thought - quicker and more helpful. Rambling, lack of focus - not so quick, and fairly cursory, but leaving the door open to take the business.

With experience, one can tell almost at a glance who is $$ and who is not. On the other hand, you never know which illiterate rambler actually intends to spend hundreds of dollars. It is all too easy for lesser companies/personnel to fall into the habit of blowing off correspondence that can be converted into a good business transaction.

We carry an extensive range of products within our niche, and over time I have developed an entire directory of detailed responses. It takes only a moment to paste in the appropriate text, and then customize for the potential customer. It 'appears' that we gave their inquiry serious consideration and responded directly to them. A casual inquiry becomes money in the bank.

An excess of similar emails often indicates an issue with the website. A text adjustment, or an upgraded FAQ to that subject or product line can virtually eliminate email inquiries - converting them order submissions instead.