Consider this scenario: You are a freelance writer looking to start your own content company. You are at a writers’ meet where you’ve hit it off with a few promising leads and now it’s time to exchange contact details. You share your email address (let’s say, jessicawrites88@gmail.com) with all clients. You don’t hear from any of them after the meet and keep wondering why. 

Emails are the most common way of staying in touch with your clients and business associates. If you want to be remembered and come across as a professional who is serious about doing business, you will need an email address that reflects that sentiment. 

This means not just steering clear of unprofessional languages such as slangs, syntax, and puns but also using an address that reflects your/ your company’s identity. Your email address is the first thing that people will see in their inbox and it should urge them to open your email rather than toss it in the trash folder.

Why Should You Consider a Business Email Address?

A good email address is one of those small details that leave a huge overall impact. Here are some reasons why you should get a great email address.

1. Creates a Professional Image

Whether you’re an employee or a freelancer trying to build your own company, a branded personal email address immediately communicates to the reader that you are a professional and that you are more established, as compared to someone who is an amateur.

This may not seem too important when you’re just starting out, but in an online world filled with clutter, making the right first impression is as crucial as offering high-quality services. It even impacts how seriously your clients take you when it comes to projects and payments.

2. Builds Credibility

Cybercrimes are real, abundant and scary, and people are always on the edge about falling prey to scams. An email from an address without a recognizable brand name may find itself in the spam folder. Even if it does make it to the inbox, it will most likely be ignored by the user. 

An email address with a legitimate company or brand name, however, will seem more authentic, secure and trustworthy. Consider the scenario of the freelance writer discussed earlier. Instead of sharing a generic email address, you could register a domain name for your website and get a professional email address. For example, jessietodd@wordsmith.online rather than a generic email provider. 

3. Creates Brand Awareness

As a professional, you should take every opportunity that comes your way to generate awareness about your brand. An email address is one of the easiest ways to do so as every time someone receives an email from you, they will be reminded of your company’s name. 

Soon, your name will start to bear an instant association with your company name and vice versa, which is great for your business as well as your personal branding.

4. Provides Scope for Expansion

As your company grows, so will the demands being made from it. In the long run, your business will have different segments, each demanding its own unique communication address. Once you have your company domain name registered, you can easily create multiple email addresses.

For instance, after registering your new company, WordSmith Solutions, you can register www.wordsmith.online as your company domain name. In the future, once your company grows, you can create email addresses such as info@wordsmith.online, queries@wordsmith.online, ads@wordsmith.online, press@wordsmith.online, careers@wordsmith.online, and more.

5. Creates Less Distraction

An email address with your name followed by a generic email provider indicates nothing about you and your brand. Having a website and a professional email address helps you establish yourself as an expert. 

A professional email address can work wonders for two reasons. For a first-time receiver, it will instantly establish your brand name and help them associate you with that brand. Existing clients, on the other hand, will instantly recognize your emails, which increases your chances of getting more projects from them.

How to Create a Credible Professional Email Address

1. Register Your Domain Name

Coming across as a professional is especially important for those who are just starting out. Considering that most of your interactions are online, you should establish your company’s presence by registering your domain name. 

It is important to pick a domain name that is easily associated with your company. It should also be short enough to be memorable without being prone to misspelling or mishearing. If your desired name is already taken, you can opt for a new domain extension best suited to your business and brand, such as .online, .site, or even something more specific such as .tech (if you are a tech company) or .space (if you are an artist). 

Such a domain name is unique and relevant and it also saves you from modifying your name of choice because it was already taken or was too expensive. 

2. Stick to Your Name

Now that you have a domain name, you can easily use it to create your business email address. Since your domain name is unique to your company, chances are that you can opt for an address that simply uses your name.

The most commonly used options are the 

• First name – jessie@wordsmith.online
• First and last name – jessietodd@wordsmith.online
• First name initial and last name – jtodd@wordsmith.online
• First name and last name initial – jessiet@wordsmith.online

Avoid using numbers, special symbols or variations of your name’s spelling as they may make your email address harder to remember. 

3. Keep it Straightforward

Running a successful online business is all about standing out, being relevant, and memorable. This is why your email address should be direct, credible and easily recognizable. 

When people see your name and your company’s name, they will know at once that the message is from a legitimate source. On the other hand, something random such as crazy.kewl.90@hotmail.com might sound unique and maybe even reflects your personality but can deter people from taking you seriously and harm your business reputation. 

Coming up with the right email address might be the least of your concerns as a new entrepreneur. But it’s really the little things that make all the difference. Using a professional business email address shows that you are serious about your business, that you are not just starting out (even if you are) and that you are here to stay.