Upgrade your credibilty with a new email address

Your domain came with email--use it!

As a small business owner, you no doubt realize the importance of having a website for your business--even if you are self-employed. But are you undermining your effort with your email address?

It's surprising how many ads and websites for businesses direct potential customers to contact them at at free email address, giving addresses like businessname@gmail.com. There's nothing wrong with using a gmail.com address for personal communication, but as a business owner you want to present a professional image. Using a free email address does not do it.

You want an email address that points to your website's domain. And if you have a business website, you've already paid for it. All the major hosting companies, such as GoDaddy or DreamHost, include email addresses as part of the plan. Log in to your hosting account and set one up.

You can even use your new businessowner@yourbusiness.com address with Gmail if you want. You can learn more about that at Google Apps for Your Domain.