Create a business email address for your domain name

Do you use a gmail, hotmail, etc email address for your business?

Have you created your own website but still use an email address from Gmail, Hotmail, Yahoo or the like?

Maybe you haven’t created a website yet but use a similar email address?

I can see how it may have started. You started a business with a free email address from one of these companies. You become known by this email address and don’t want to change.

A few years down the line, you use Wix or Squarespace to create your own website with a domain name that reflects your business, and you don’t even consider changing email address.

Why not?

Have you thought about the impact doing so may have on your business?

What do you feel when you’re planning to spend with a company and they have an email address that does not match their domain name?

Many people say that it makes them more likely to approach a competitor, that it reduces trust they may otherwise have.

I know people who will not even start to build a professional relationship with someone who does not have a business email address for their domain name.

Customers may choose to use a different service if they don’t perceive you as a professional. Additionally, emails you send may not be delivered reliably and you can do nothing to influence that.

What can I do? Create a business email address.

It’s not difficult to change that and it needn’t be expensive. You don’t need to have a website either. You just need to have a domain.

If you don’t have one, go to namecheap and get one.

The domain name becomes an asset of your business, and its expense can be offset against tax. The registration does need to be renewed each year, but you can usually choose to register for a few years at a time.

You will need to be able to add some DNS records. If you’ve just created your domain name using the link above, you will be able to do this at namecheap. Otherwise you need to find out how; usually, but not always, this will be where your domain is registered.

Sign up for an email hosting package with namecheap for your chosen domain.

They will email you (at your current address!) some instructions about the DNS records you need to add. Generally these are a couple of records of type MX and one TXT type record to help with your deliverability. This is sometimes called an SPF record.

Once you have done this your email package will activate and you’ll be able to create your business email address. I’d pick something personal like your first name, but you can pick info@ or hello@ if you prefer. You’ll need to be logged in to your account with namecheap to do this. Make sure to remember the password you choose.

You can send and receive straightaway by entering your new business email address and password into https://privateemail.com.

Or you may prefer to set up your favourite email tool (Outlook Thunderbird, GMail etc). Choose whatever works best for your current workflow. Namecheap have help pages for a wide range of services.

Let people know!

Next you need to get the word out there. Make sure to use your new email address the next time you order new business cards or have some leaflets printed. Update any networking groups you belong to.

Want some help?

Want some help or want me to do it for you? Just book a time that works for you and we'll set it up using Zoom and and a screenshare:

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