Say Buh-Bye to Boring Email Addresses

One of the great things about owning the domain name for your small business website is that you have the freedom to create any email address you want.

Tired of boring, old "info" or "sales" or "customerservice" or "joesmith" @yourcompany.com? Come up with something creative and memorable that also delivers a marketing message:

• fastsales@joesrealestate.com
• getanswers@janeslegal.com
• lookgreat@janesbeauty.com
• luxuryrides@joeslimo.com

Didn't get the domain name you were coveting? Make up for it with your business email address. Let's say you own a restaurant and want the domain name "greatfood.com". Well, you can try to battle 1-800-Flowers for it, but you'd do better to find a domain name that is available—hopefully one with more brand appeal than "greatfood.com"—and then create the email address greatfood@yourrestaurant.com.

I know what you're thinking: your email address won't get as much exposure as your website address. Maybe not, but your business email address does get a LOT of exposure. And it should be displayed almost everywhere your website address and business phone number are displayed.

Stop Promoting Your Free Email Proivder

I run into many Inland Empire business people still using their Yahoo!, Verizon, SBC, Google, Earthlink, or other free-account email address on their business cards and in other business communication. Instead, start calling attention to your own business.

1) Using your business email address (i.e., info@yourbusiness.com) builds recognition for your own company name and website address every time you use it.

2) It just looks more professional. Period. These days, a free-account email address on your business card or (yikes!) listed on your website is like an office with only file cabinets and no computers - it gives the impression you're either very small-time or technically out-of-date.

How to make the transition? Read my full article for common concerns and solutions.