A branded domain email address is email address that uses your company's domain name, for example john.doe@yourbusinessname.com. Your staff members become instant brand ambassadors of your business when they have their own email address branded with your business name. If you are still using a free email address like mybusinessname@gmail.com for your business, I am sad to tell you…it could be hurting your business.

Reasons to have a branded domain name email address

• It doesn't make people wonder if you are for real. When your business has a free email address with service providers such as Gmail, Yahoo, or Hotmail, it looks unprofessional…even when you have yourbusinessname@gmail.com. ANYONE can create a free email address using a version of your business name. Hackers do it often. Putting in the effort to set up a branded domain name email address for your business conveys the message that your business is legitimate and that you’re not trying to con people.
• Some organizations won't work with you without one. Some businesses, especially government organizations, won’t even do business with you if you use a Gmail, Yahoo, or Hotmail account for your business. That's a pretty solid indication that it's a really big deal that you have a verified branded domain name email. It's an important sign to people that you are a professional, trustworthy business.
• It can make your email not get where it's going. Email service providers are determined to protect people from spam. Their servers use complex algorithms to evaluate each email that attempts to reach their recipients. Free email addresses are major red flag, especially if you are a business emailing someone for the first time. You don't want all your hard work to get an email out to mean nothing!
• Our recommendation: G Suite. Our recommendation for a professional branded domain name email service provider is G Suite. For $5-10 a month, you’ll get email plus a whole suite of tools that include document creation, worksheet slides, strong spam filters, and a wide range of account settings, to name a few. In fact, you can often completely replace your Microsoft Word products with the G Suite package (we have!).

Well worth the investment

Having a professional branded domain name email account is about putting your very best face forward as a small business. Something that seems so small in comparison to all you do to keep your businesses going, actually makes a big impact on the way people perceive you. The good news is that setting up a verified branded domain name email account is easy. You usually do have to pay a little bit for it, but it’s time and money well spent.

He started to sing as he tackled the thing
That couldn't be done, and he did it.

Edgar A. Guest