- Unprofessional -- free addresses look cheap on flyers, Internet sites, and business cards.
- Unreliable -- you have no guarantee that your email address will be supported in the future.
- Advertisements -- in your inbox or even in your outgoing emails.
Having your distinct domain email address is far more dependable over the long term and offers you more control over your email. And it absolutely makes you look more authoritative, trustworthy, and professional. Simply follow these simple steps if you'd like to acquire one:
Come up with a distinct domain name
The address of your online space is a domain name. Yahoo.com is an example of a domain name. Brainstorm carefully for a name that's unique, easy to remember, and reflective of your brand, business, or personality. Try to avoid childish or unprofessional names; you need to look for a name that will last you a long time. Also list down some second-choice names in case your desired name has already been registered by another person.
Get your domain name and web hosting
Register the domain name and purchase web space. Web space provides your online space while your domain name is your online address. Think of it as the difference between your home address and your actual house. You may choose to get your domain name and web hosting separately, but choosing just one company is recommended for beginners. That way, you wouldn't have to configure them to work together.
If someone else has already registered your preferred domain name, you could try another domain name, or try the same name with a different extension. Examples of extensions are .com, .net, and .org. If yourbusiness.com is taken, try registering yourbusiness.net.
As for web hosting, it's essential to find a quality web host. Below are some issues to consider when purchasing email web hosting:
- Email accounts. If you own a company, you're not the only one who will make use of this domain for your email address. Make sure that your web host provides enough email accounts to make room for your partners and employees so that they can enjoy the same benefits.
- Email access. Make sure that you can log in to your email through your chosen medium, whether it's a desktop application, a web browser, or your mobile phone.
- Spam protection. A good spam filtering system will save you time and frustration.
- Email features. You may want to send a monthly bulletin or special promotion announcements to your customers. Or you may want separate email addresses for different business functions (such as customer feedback, support, and billing) -- all forwarded to one address for easier retrieval. find email hosting that can give you everything you need.
- The actual web hosting. Even if you just want an email address for now, you may want to use the same domain to build a website in the future. Find a web host that will fulfill all your potential needs.
Set up and enjoy your email address
You can use your web host's control panel to create your new email address. Once it has been created, figure out how you would like to access your email. If you'd like to read email straight from your computer, make use of a desktop application like Outlook or Thunderbird. If you'd like to read your email on a web browser, make sure that your web host offers webmail access.
If you experience any problems while setting up your account or accessing your email, just have patience. Read your web host's instructions carefully and follow them as meticulously as you can. It truly helps if your web host offers good technical support so you can get your email up and running as soon as possible.
Once you've set up your email, test it thoroughly to see that it's running properly. Send a few test emails to your new address. Use it to send out emails as well.
Congratulations. You now have a distinctive and professional email address at your own domain.
Roald Madison teaches businesses how to buy web space, launch their website, and expand their online presence.
