The importance of a branded business email address can not be over stated. Email is an essential part of running a modern business, but too many owners still operate with a generic ‘@gmail.com‘ or ‘@yahoo.com’ email address. You wouldn’t show up to a sales meeting wearing another business’s branded shirt, would you? You must treat your business email addresses the same way — with a branded email address.
“Email is dead.” At least, that’s what everyone has been saying for years now. The reality couldn’t be further from the truth — for every $1 put into email marketing, $42 is generated.
Email is an essential part of running a modern business, but too many owners still operate with a generic ‘@gmail.com‘ or ‘@yahoo.com’ email address. You wouldn’t show up to a sales meeting wearing another business’s branded shirt, would you? You must treat your business email addresses the same way — with a branded email address.
By the end of this quick explainer, you’ll know everything you need — including where you can go to create a free business email address. Let’s begin!
Breaking Down the Domain
Okay, ‘breaking down the domain’ sounds a bit like a band that makes terrible music, but it’s vital to get the terminology right. Let’s start an imaginary business. We’ll call this business Glassier, a dating app exclusively for glass-blowing artists.
You decide to buy ‘glassierapp.com‘ — here’s what that means:
- glassierapp.com — this is the domain name
- glassierapp — this is the second-level domain
- .com — this is the top-level domain.
When you start using a professional business email address, it will include a local part and your domain name. For customer service at Glassier, customers can contact ‘help@glassierapp.com“. In this scenario, ‘help’ is the local part. When you send emails back and forth with customers, this is the address that they will see.
Why You Need A Branded Email Address
Having a custom business email address that is easily recognized and associated with your brand is crucial for several reasons:
- It increases the professionalism and credibility of your company.
- Makes it easier for customers and prospects to find and contact you.
- Can help improve your search engine rankings.
- Makes it easier to track customers and sales statistics.
- Assists in communication efforts both inside and outside of the company.
Besides, there’s a certain oomph to sending emails from a custom address. Now, the real question: how do you get your hands on one of these things?
How to Get a Branded Email Address for Your Business
There are a few ways you can go about getting a branded email address, but it really boils down to three easy steps:
1. Purchase a domain name that is associated with your company or product.
We’ve settled on “glassierapp.com” because ‘.com’ is the most popular and well-recognized TLDs out there. However, “glassier.app” or “glassier.net” would also have worked. Your web hosting provider may provide email services if you already have a domain and website.
2. Use your company’s website address as your email address.
For this, you’ll have to use an email service provider such as Google Workspace, Verizon Small Business Essentials, Godaddy mail, etc. An ESP lets users create customized branded email addresses with descriptive domain names while maintaining complete control of all their email messages.
3. Set up the right accounts.
You can do this with company services, like ‘help’, ‘contact’, ‘returns’, etc. You can also use it for internal communications: ‘harry@glassierapp.com’, or ‘rob@glassier.app’.
Some tips: avoid special characters in the local part and keep your email short.
It’s that simple! While you may run into some technical work setting up the connection from your domain to your email, your ESP will make the process seamless. And, you can always ask someone on our team to assist you.
Where to Get A Business Email Address
Here are some of the best providers for paid and free business email accounts available today:
- Google Workspace. Google Workspace makes it easy to set up a branded email address. The email address can have any name associated with it, and users also get 30 GB of cloud storage to store files in.
- Microsoft Office 365. Microsoft’s Office 365 for businesses offers a suite of cloud-based applications, including Exchange Online email service. It allows businesses to create branded email addresses with their company name (@yourcompany.com).
- Weebly. Weebly offers a free business email address (with 5 GB of storage) when you create a website using their platform (note: you’ll be using a Weebly subdomain, which is far from ideal). You can choose from various domain names (including your own custom domain name) and receive spam filtering and virus protection.
- Zoho Mail. Zoho offers a suite of online business applications, including a free business email account with 5 GB of storage. Zoho Mail is also very affordable, and you’ll receive anti-virus and anti-spam protection.
- Wix. When you use their website building software, Wix also gives you a free business email address (with 2 GB of storage) and email services. With Wix, you can also welcome a free domain and web hosting!
Most of these providers give you the option of multiple business email addresses. That means you can set one up for customer service, help, information, returns, etc.
Tips for Getting a Business Email Address
While creating a branded business email account may seem like a simple task (and sometimes even free), there are several things you’ll want to consider before doing so. Here are a few essential tips:
Cheaper Isn’t Always Better
To begin with, when searching for an appropriate email service provider, do not go for the cheapest option you can find. Cheap or free services usually don’t offer all that you might need in terms of features such as unlimited storage space or an unlimited number of email addresses.
Additionally, you’ll want to ensure that the provider you choose has a good reputation and is known for providing quality customer service. Since many ESPs offer a free business email as default, look to their other features as comparison points. Email is an important channel, so give it your attention.
The Name Matters
Ideally, you want multiple email accounts associated with your business. One for sales, one for customer service, another for compliments; alright, maybe not that last one. Don’t go overboard, though — someone will have to look through every email account inbox, and it can get very tedious, very quickly. Choose the services that will be the most important and stick to the basics:
- help
- sales
- contact
Customize, Customize, Customize
Finally, make sure that the email service provider you choose offers a high level of customization so that you can create an email address that is truly reflective of your brand. Most providers will allow users to choose their own domain name and even add on additional features, such as a custom logo or email signature, to make their account more personal.
Create a Free Business Email Address Today
Now that you know the importance of having a branded business email address, and some tips on how to get one, it’s time to take the next step and get started! So, what are you waiting for?
Creating a branded email address for your business is a worthwhile investment. It can be the difference between people seeing your business as amateur or professional. By following the tips mentioned above, you’re on your way to establishing a strong online presence for your company.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a good email address for a business?
A business email address should be professional, easy to remember, and brand-specific. A good email address for a company might be something like “contact@yourcompany.com” or “sales@yourcompany.com” or “howard@yourcompany.com.”
How do I get a professional email address?
There are three major steps to creating a branded business email address:
- choosing and registering the domain name with a relevant company
- setting up your Email Service Provider (Google Workspace, Microsoft 365, etc)
- making DNS changes.
Many providers will offer a free business email and web hosting when you buy a domain name, so look out for the right opportunities.
What is a good domain for a business?
A brand can choose from several TLDs, including: .com, .net , .co , .info, and many more. Typically, it’s best to go with a ‘.com’ since most customers see it as a default. However, if your domain name options are limited, ‘.co’ and ‘.net’ can be excellent choices.
