Why 5% of inbound enquiries may never reach your inbox

Every missed opportunity can result to lost revenue and stunted growth in today’s fast-paced market. At Inspire Digital, we understand the importance of seamless communication for business success. 

Specialising in web development, design, and online visibility, we strive to equip businesses with the tools they need to thrive digitally. But what if we told you that up to 5% of your inbound enquiries might never reach your inbox? 

Often overlooked, this issue can have a significant impact on your business. Imagine the prospective clients who tried to reach out but only met with silence, losing leads and potential revenue.

This article aims to put a spotlight on this critical issue, exploring the reasons behind these missing enquiries and offering practical solutions to make sure every message reaches your inbox. 

Let’s see the unseen gaps in your communication pipeline, empowering you with the knowledge to avoid missed opportunities for your business. And remember, we are here to help you navigate these challenges to ensure your digital presence is not only robust but also reliable!
 

Understanding inbound enquiries

Inbound enquiries happen when your potential client reaches out to you to learn more about your products or services, seek advice, or make a purchase. Essentially, they are the starting point of a customer’s journey with your brand, which makes them incredibly valuable.

Imagine these enquiries as a door to new opportunities. Every time a potential customer fills out a contact form, sends an email, or makes a call, they’re knocking on that door, ready to get immersed in your world. 
 

The importance of inbound enquiries

Inbound enquiries are crucial because they directly impact your sales pipeline and revenue. Did you know that by just responding to an inquiry within a minute, you can increase your conversion rates by 391%? This highlights the importance of not just receiving these enquiries but promptly responding to them.

Furthermore, these enquiries can help you understand your customers better. It can provide valuable insights into they’re looking for, helping you tailor your services or products to meet their needs more effectively. 

When you track and analyse inbound enquiries you can identify trends, uncover pain points, and refine your marketing strategies to better align with customer expectations.

The typical enquiry process

To effectively track and analyse your inbound enquiries, you must first be aware of how it works, Let’s walk through a typical enquiry process:

1. Initial contact: A potential customer discovers your business through a search engine, social media platform, or a referral and decides to reach out. They might fill out a form on your website or send an email directly.
2. Automated response: Ideally, an automated response acknowledges the enquiry to provide reassurance that their message has been received and will be attended to shortly.
3. Internal processing: The enquiry is then directed to the appropriate team or individual within your organisation who can address the customer's needs. 
4. Personalised follow-up: A team member reviews the enquiry and responds with the necessary information, answers, or a follow-up question to gather more details.
5. Ongoing communication: Based on the response of the customer, the conversation can continue and potentially lead to a sales opportunity, a service request, or further engagement.

However, various issues can disrupt this process and cause some enquiries to never reach your inbox. Whether it's due to technical glitches, spam filters, or human error, the consequences are the same: missed opportunities and potential revenue loss.
 

Why 5% of inbound enquiries may never reach your inbox

With the advancement in digital communication, it’s easy to assume that every message sent will be received without a hitch. However, the reality is that a significant portion of inbound enquiries may never reach your inbox. 

Understanding the factors that cause these missed enquiries is the first step towards mitigating this issue. By addressing common pitfalls, you can make sure that every potential customer’s message gets the attention it deserves. Let’s see some of the reasons behind missed inbound enquiries.
 

Spam filters and junk mail

Spam filters are essential for protecting us from unwanted and potentially harmful emails. However, these filters are not foolproof. Sometimes, legitimate enquiries get caught in the crossfire, mistakenly marked as spam.

Did you know that 21% of legitimate emails never reach the recipient’s inbox due to overly aggressive spam filters? By avoiding the spam folder, you can reach your audience directly in their inbox and land more opportunities for your business. 

Server issues and downtime

Your email server is the backbone of your online communication. Any downtime or technical issues can prevent inbound enquiries from being delivered. Even a few minutes of server downtime can result in lost emails, which might never be recovered. 

Regular maintenance and robust hosting solutions can help prevent these issues to ensure your server remains operational and reliable.

Incorrect email routing and configuration

Proper email routing and configuration are important to ensure that emails are delivered to the correct recipient. Misconfigurations, such as incorrect MX (Mail Exhange) records or DNS settings, can cause emails to be misrouted or lost entirely. 

By regularly auditing your email settings, you can identify and rectify these issues before they impact your business.

Email bounces and ping backs

Email bounces happen when an email is not delivered to the recipient’s inbox. This can happen for various reasons, including full inboxes, invalid email addresses, or temporary server issues. 

Ideally, the average email bounce rate should be less than 2%. Once it exceeds to 2%, Monitoring bounce rates and maintaining a clean email list can help reduce these incidents and ensure more enquiries reach their intended destination.
 

The fear factor: What this means for your business

Missing inbound enquiries can have a profound impact on your business. The fear of missing out on potential leads and sales opportunities can be daunting. Let’s delve into the potential repercussions and look at real-world examples that highlight the gravity of this issue.
 

Potential impact on lead generation and sales

When inbound enquiries go missing, your ability to capture new leads is directly affected. Each missed enquiry is a lost opportunity to convert a potential customer into a paying client. According to a report by InsideSales, conversion rates increase by eight times when enquiries are engaged in under five minutes, 

However, only 0.1% of inbound leads are responded by companies. Imagine the untapped potential if you’re not capturing and responding to all possible leads!

Sales are equally impacted as missing enquiries can result in a significant loss of revenue. 35-50% of sales are closed because of fast response of a business. This means missing an enquiry means missing out on a sale entirely, especially in a competitive market where customers expect swift responses.
 

Educating and empowering: How to ensure your enquiries reach you

Missing inbound enquiries is a critical issue, but it's one you can proactively address. By implementing best practices and using the right tools, you can guarantee that every enquiry reaches you, empowering your business to capture and convert every potential lead. 

Here are some practical steps to help you manage your email enquiries effectively.

Best practices for managing email enquiries

Managing email enquiries efficiently starts with setting up a robust process. Here are a few best practices to consider:

• Centralise your enquiries: Use a unified inbox or a customer relationship management (CRM) system like HubSpot and Zendesk to centralise all incoming enquiries. This ensures that no message gets lost in the process.
• Automated messages: Set up automated responses to acknowledge receipt of enquiries. This assures the sender that their message has been received while giving you time to provide a more detailed response.
• Regular monitoring: Dedicate time daily to review and respond to enquiries. Prompt responses improve customer satisfaction and increase the likelihood of conversion.
• Categorise and prioritise: Use email filters or tags to categorise and prioritise enquiries based on urgency and importance. This helps in managing workload and ensures that critical enquiries are addressed promptly.

Tips for configuring email servers and filters

Proper configuration of your email servers and filters can prevent important messages from being incorrectly classified as spam or getting lost. Here’s how you can achieve this:

• Whitelist trusted domains: Make sure that the email addresses of key contacts and regular correspondents are whitelisted. This reduces the chances of their emails being marked as spam.
• Set Up SPF, DKIM, and DMARC records: These email authentication protocols help verify that incoming emails are from legitimate sources. They significantly reduce the risk of phishing and improve email deliverability.
• Regularly update filters: Email filters need to be regularly updated to adapt to new spam tactics. Make sure your spam filters are fine-tuned to avoid false positives.
• Server maintenance: Regularly check and maintain your email server settings. Downtime and misconfigurations can lead to lost emails. Conduct routine server health checks to ensure everything is running smoothly.
   

Tools and services to track and verify email delivery

There are numerous tools and services designed to help track and verify email delivery. Using these can provide peace of mind and ensure that your emails are reaching their intended recipients.

• Email tracking tools: Platforms like Salesforce and Groove allow you to track when emails are opened and read. This can provide valuable insights into whether your enquiries are being received and reviewed.
• Email verification services: Use tools like ZeroBounce or Hunter to verify email addresses before sending. This reduces the chances of bounces and improves deliverability.
• SMTP monitoring tools: Services such as Postmark or SendGrid offer SMTP monitoring and analytics to help you track email delivery and troubleshoot issues real-time.
• Backup solutions: Implement email backup solutions to ensure that no enquiry is permanently lost. Services like Google Vault or Barracuda Backup can provide an additional layer of security for your communications.
   

How Inspire can help

At Inspire Digital, we understand the critical role that effective email management and lead generation play in driving business success. Ensuring your inbound enquiries reach you is just the beginning. Our comprehensive services are designed to help you capture, manage, and convert leads seamlessly. 

Our expert services to combat missing inbound enquiries

We offer a suite of services tailored to optimise your email communications and lead generation efforts:

• Email management: We provide bespoke solutions to ensure your emails are correctly configured, delivered, and managed. Our team is here to make sure your important messages always reach your inbox.
• Lead generation: Our lead generation services are designed to attract and convert potential customers. We use a combination of SEO, content marketing, and social media strategies to drive high-quality traffic to your website.
• Customer Relationship Management: We help you implement and manage CRM systems that centralise your enquiries, streamline your follow-ups, and enhance customer relationships.
• Website hosting and security: To ensure your online presence is robust and reliable, we offer top-tier hosting and security solutions. This guarantees your website is always available and secure to provide a seamless experience for your visitors.
   

Partner with Inspire today

Ensuring your inbound enquiries reach you is more than just an operational necessity; it’s a strategic imperative for business growth. At Inspire, we are committed to providing the solutions and support you need to achieve this.

Contact us today for a free consultation and discover how we can help you optimise your email management, enhance your lead generation efforts, and drive your business forward.

Together, we can ensure that every potential lead becomes an opportunity for success!