Don’t Use Free Email Accounts for Your Business

So, say a customer wants to email you about your product, and you make the critical mistake that so many small business owners make: using a free email account.

Why Is Using Gmail (or Another Free Provider) a Problem?

Well, let’s pretend you’re a manufacturer of a certain line of products, and you receive an email from someone wanting to sell your products, and their email is babyjoe64@aol.com.

What sort of impression has “babyjoe” given to this manufacturer?

Not a very good one.

What if, as a consumer, you want to buy a product, let’s say a bonsai tree, but have a few questions, and you look at their contact page, and the contact email address is “bestbonsaitrees@gmail.com.” How much confidence would you have in the business that they’d handle your order in a professional manner?

Even if your email is as catchy as “babyjoe64@aol.com,” don’t use it for your business and give it to your customers!

Another example: If your business is selling pots for bonsai trees, instead of using “bestbonsaitrees@gmail.com” (Gmail being a free email service), set up a real business email such as “jane@bestbonsaitrees.com” or, better yet, “jane@bonsai.com” (although bonsai.com is already taken).

Getting a Real Email for Your Business Is Easier Than You Think

The steps are pretty simple to get a real business email. You purchase a domain name (the “domain name” is the something.com portion of your email or website).

Google Workspace (Formerly Google Apps) for Your Online Business

Then sign up for the (used-to-be-free-but-still-not-too-expensive) Google Workspace service.

Google Workspace gives you a branded version of Gmail (Google’s email service). Using your own branded email goes hand in hand with making your own branded or private label products.

The emails you send go out from your own “mybusiness.com” address, giving that professional touch to your business.

You get lots of email storage and security and can set up multiple email addresses: support@____.com, info@_____.com, and so on.

All you do is follow the Google Workspace instructions to set it up. It’s a nominal fee each month, but it is worth it.

You can even buy your domain name in the process.

I purchase my domains separately and then set up the email, but you can go either way.

Here’s where you can get started: Google Workspace.