This question is asked by many people starting up a new company, after all there are many free options out there, but the answer is a resounding “Yes, you most certainly do”. Your email is part of your business communications and a reflection on your brand.

The main difference between a free email address and a customised one is that a business email is a formal sign of professionalism and respect for your customers. With constant company branding, any potential customers will know exactly who you are and what your brand is.

A customised email address validates your website address. Whilst a free email address detracts from the service you want to offer your customers who may wonder why you didn’t choose to pay a nominal fee for a custom email.

Consider these five points:-

1. You are already paying for a customised email address

If you have already purchased a website domain, you can use that domain for your email address.

2. “mybusiness@freemail.com” yells  “UNPROFESSIONAL!”

Yes ok, companies such as these do provide good, free email addresses but put yourself in a potential customer´s place and which email would make you feel more confident to do business with-
johnsmith007@afreemail.com or JohnSmith@mybusiness.com Take a look at your competitors´ website to see what email addresses they are using and, if they are all using custom emails, that may be the deciding factor for sending your potential customers away from your website and to theirs.

3. You can personalise your email addresses

At the start-up of your new business you may only have a few employees, or you may even be on your own, but as your staff grows you can format all your custom email addresses to suit your company.

You can, for example, choose
firstname@mybusiness.com or firstinitial&lastname@mycompany.com
This consistency will enhance your company branding and your customers will remember your chosen formula. You can of course use the old standbys such as
info@mycompany.com or admin@mycompany.com

As an owner only start-up you can create emails for different roles such as sales@, orders@, marketing@ to create the image that your company is larger than it is and in preparation for the day when you do hire people for those roles and assign those customised address to your employees.

When using free emails in the 21^st century, you are stuck with what is now available and end up having to include numbers or weird characters that certainly detract from the business professionalism you wish to portray.

4. Customised emails make marketing easier

How many times have you accepted someone´s business card out of politeness and then used their email address to look up their website? This will not happen if you use a free email address which could appear on every employee´s business card and email signature as well as on all marketing materials.

Wherever you place your customised email is another free opportunity to attract new customers.

5. You are still in control when an employee leaves your company

If your sales manager leaves, and he has a free email address, they can just take that email with them and you will not be able to access their account. But if you have a customised account, under their name or title, you can re-direct those emails to your new sales manager.

Ideally a generic email can be created for such roles as salesmanager@mycompany.com and the new employee takes over the running of that email account. The name displayed on each email can be formatted to show the relevant employee´s name.

When you have a team of working employees, everyone will communicate by using your customised email account using your domain name.  All emails will be archived where you, or your chosen administrator, will have access when needed.