Branding your business – the importance of a domain-specific email address.

If getting your business website on-line is one of your new year goals, consider adding another one to that list: a domain-specific email address.  For instance, laura@webluminary.com is a branded email address. The main goal of business branding is to make certain that your customers know exactly what your brand is all about, doing so in a professional, consistent way.

Not very convinced that you need a domain-specific address? Here are 5 worthy reasons that could help you change your mind:

1. Professionalism

The number one reason you brand your business is to look trustworthy.  You want people to trust that you will follow through on your promises. Even yourbusinessname.gmail.com does not invoke any confidence.  Anyone can get a Gmail email address.  Using your Gmail, Yahoo, Hotmail, or gasp AOL account to email your friends and family are fine, but if you are a small business owner dealing with customers, you will look unprofessional.  Using free email addresses takes away from the value you want to offer your customers. Moreover, when your competitors use branded email addresses, you could be just sending away your business to them. 

Do you want your customers to think you are “just anybody”?  

NO! You are a professional that is awesome at what you do.  Not a flash in the pan, just doing this for a hobby.

You do not even need a website to create a branded email address.  You do need a domain name – read my article here on where I recommend you buy one:  who is my website registrar anyway?.  I also have an article on choosing just the right name and what is a website URL.  Coming up with a domain name isn’t as easy as dreaming up a name and being creative.

First impressions are lasting. Make sure you do not mar them for potential leads or customers by having a free email address. 

2. Security

An email address that is connected to your domain name but routed to a trusted email service such as Gsuite Office 365, ProtonMail, or Send in Blue, are more secure and prone to less spam.  These companies have 24/7 customer service and it is prudent for them to keep malware off their email servers.  Free services such as Yahoo, Gmail, etc. are more susceptible to spam and malware.

3. Storage Space – Gmail and other free services limit the storage. With a branded email account you could have unlimited storage, a part of which could be used for archiving critical information and shared files. 

4. Deliverability –Free email services are not delivered as reliably,  as paid-for services are. 

If you want to email over 50 people at once using a free Gmail account, chances are, only a small fraction of your recipients will see your email. Many email campaign services such as Mailer lite, Active Campaign, and Constant contact require a branded email that is connected to a live website.  I have witnessed where an account with Mailerlite was denied because they checked the website manually and noticed the social media account was not branded to the website.

 When you use a branded email in a large email campaign– your email will be received because email services trust that Mailer lite has vetted the sender.

5. Return on Investment – The cost-to-benefit payoff in having a branded email address makes it a no-brainer. Gsuite is $6 a month.  Guaranteeing your recipients get your email is worth way more than $6 a month, don’t you think? 

Your email is one of the first impressions that a potential client might have of you. There is probably no marketing channel that is more important than your email. You want to make sure it is professional and makes an immediate, good impression. And therefore, if you would like your customers to take you and your small business seriously, then, setting up a custom email address should be done with all the seriousness that it deserves. Please stay tuned for my top recommendations on email services.