How to Create a Custom Email for your Online Business with Gmail
In my post, 5 Things You SHOULD Spend Money On In Your Online Business To Look Professional & Legit, I talked about the importance of a custom email address.
When working online, it’s important to set yourself apart as legitimate and professional. As an online business, if you are selling anything you need to be seen a legitimate, even if your brand is sassy, fun and vibrant.
One thing that people notice right away & makes a difference to people in terms of viewing you as an established business is through something as simple as your email address.
You don’t want to use britn3yizawsome6000@hotmail.com or because seriously, I don’t know anyone that uses hotmail anymore.
(Disclaimer: I’m 80% sure that's not a real email address. If it’s yours. Sorry.)
The point is someone who takes pride in the work and business is going to invest that same care into a product or service that they are selling. Investing in a custom domain email is a step in your business that you take when you are ready to be taken seriously.
And it’s such a small investment and so easy to do.
I used Google Apps for Business, now known as G-Suite for my custom domain email address in the past. It uses the familiar user interface of Gmail but simply with my own custom domain.
By signing up for G-Suite through Squarespace which is roughly a $50/year investment if you pay annually, you not only get access to a custom domain name but you also get access to a plethora of other useful business applications.
You get access to Google Hangouts, Drive, Keep, and Forms which are actually great starter alternatives to more expensive options like Webinar Jam, DropBox, Trello and Survey Monkey.
Plus it's all in one spot. Good job, Google.
And just for fun, here’s this awesome little plugin for Gmail that allows you to delay a response called Boomerang.
Everyone’s been there at 11:15pm trying to squeeze in one last email for your side hustle because you are a solopreneur working crazy hours.
But you don’t want people to see you hustling all the time. You want to present a calm, I’ve-got-this-under-control-type front and nothing shatters that image like an email sent at one in the morning.
Boomerang allows you to hide your hustle and operate within normal working business hours. It’s free so you may as well use it with your Google Apps for business.
Communication is so important in business so it's important that you make a small investment in it. Emails should look professional and have a consistent professional signature at the end with other means of contact, like social media handles, phone numbers and if you are a local business- a phone number.
Details matter. Email is one that is worth paying attention to.
Do you like G Suite? What app do you utilize most in your business? Do you prefer another Business App system?
While G-suite is SUPER easy to integrate, I changed my setup and currently have my email set up directly through Bluehost, my hosting service because it's cheaper. If you use both Squarespace and Bluehost, here's how you do that. And you can save $50/year!!
I'd love to hear from you!
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