How to Set Up a Small Business Email Account

Are you ready to take the next step in establishing your small business? One of the most important things to do is set up a professional, dedicated email address for external communication. While it may be tempting to use your personal email for your business, how many times have you clicked on a 'contact us' page and been given an email handle that wasn't related to the business at all? 

Hopefully, very few times, but regardless in this guide, we will explain why a business email is necessary and how to set up a customized account with ease - giving step-by-step guidance on creating an identity both you and your colleagues can be proud of!

Why Having a Professional Email Account is Essential for Your Business

Better organization is likely the first reason people can think of when deciding the advantage of creating an email account specifically for their business. While this is true, a business email account can be beneficial in many different ways! Check out these 5 reasons why you should have a professional email address for your small business:

1. First impressions matter

When customers or clients first contact your business, the email address they see can create a lasting impression. If you're using a personal email address (like Gmail, Yahoo, or Hotmail), it can give the impression that your business isn't very established or professional. On the other hand, using a professional email address with your company's domain name shows that you're serious and committed to your business's success. A custom business domain name lends legitimacy to your business in the eyes of potential customers or clients and creates a much more polished image.

2. You'll look more credible

A professional email address will also make your business look more credible in the eyes of customers and clients. When people see that you have a professional email address, they'll be more likely to trust your business and take you seriously. This can be especially important if you're selling products or services online, as customers will need to feel confident that they can trust you with their personal information.

As a small business owner, you know that building credibility and trust with potential clients is vital to your success. Having a domain that matches your business name, rather than using a generic email provider, shows clients that you take your business seriously and are willing to invest in its branding. Furthermore, using a custom email domain can help protect you and your clients from phishing scams that often use generic email providers to trick people into giving away their personal information. This can be especially important if you're selling products or services online where these scams are more common. By making the simple switch to a custom email domain, you can build trust with potential clients that will continue to benefit your business's growth and success.

3. It's easier to keep track of communication

As a small business owner, it's easy to get caught up in the day-to-day operations and overlook small details that can actually improve your overall organization. Creating a separate email domain for your business is one small detail that can make a big difference. This change will streamline your communications with customers and clients. With a personal email account, it can be easy for important messages to get lost in the shuffle. But if you have a separate account for your business, you can easily keep track of all of your correspondence and make sure that nothing falls through the cracks. By taking this simple step, you can elevate your business operations and increase efficiency in no time.

4. You can create multiple accounts for different purposes

Another advantage of using a professional email domain is that you can easily create multiple accounts for different purposes. For example, you could create an account for customer service inquiries, another for sales inquiries, and another for general information requests. This can help to keep your communication organized and make it easier for customers to get in touch with the right person at your company. Depending on the CRM you use, those built like HubSpot, allow you to connect different inboxes to different servicing pipelines. Within these pipelines, you can then filter how each incoming email is handled and set who should be notified and responsible for responding.

5. It's a good marketing tool

Finally, having a professional email address is also a good marketing tool. Whenever you send out an email (whether it is promoting a new product or simply staying in touch with customers), people will see your company's domain name and be reminded of your business. This can help to keep your business top of mind and increase the chances that people will think of you when they need products or services that you offer. As a result, this change will help spread your brand awareness forward for you!

How to Choose the Right Email Provider

Now that you understand the advantage of a business email domain, we imagine you're probably wondering which provider you're supposed to choose.

Fundid Recommendation: Start a 14-day free trial with Google Workspace. Google gives you the tools you need to run your business like a pro. Google Workspace includes a secure, ad-free email as a foundation that you can also use to chat, make voice or video calls, and stay on top of project work with shared files and tasks.

Other Options: If you don't choose to go with Google Workspace, keep in mind that you may also need to purchase a hosting site to connect to your business email. Other common choices include Bluehost, Zoho, and Microsoft Office. With Microsoft Office Business Suite, email hosting is included.

Creating and Configuring Your Professional Email Account

If you choose to move forward with Google Workspace, setting up your business email domain should be a breeze. Simply follow the steps below, and you will be well on your way to a professional, customized business email.

1. Sign up with Google Workspace
2. Set up your account. We recommend personalizing your account at this time by uploading your company logo!
3. Make sure your custom domain MX Records are adjusted to direct mail to Google's mail servers.
4. That's it! You are now ready to send emails, add team members and migrate any data from another source.

Related Reading: 7 Benefits of Google Workspace

Tips for Improving Your Email Security

Now that you and your team are all established on the same domain, there are a few key features we recommend considering to enhance your security. It is important to note that with Google Workspace, Gmail includes phishing protection, safe browsing protection, email encryption, and more. Regardless, depending on your business, security may be the highest priority in order to operate efficiently and successfully.

One of the easiest ways to add enhanced security to your business email domain is to turn on, and require 2-step verification for all users. Although this is optional, it will add an extra layer of security to your Google account because it requires users to sign in with their username, password, and a code that Google will text the user upon sign-in. Additionally, the admin of the account can create email whitelist IPs, automatic email forwarding, and turn on warnings for out od domain sharing.

Crafting an Effective Email Signature for Your Business

As a small business owner, every email you send is an opportunity to showcase your personality and brand. A crafty email signature can not only provide contact information but also create a lasting impression for potential customers. We recommend including any contact information, if relevant, as well as your social media handles with hyperlinks to encourage recipients to browse your channels and follow you. Additionally, linking to your website will help drive traffic, and including your logo will add a thoughtful touch while establishing credibility. With the right balance of creativity and professionalism, a crafty email signature can make all the difference in building a successful small business.

Set Up Your Small Business Email Account Today

Setting up a professional small business email account and domain is easy, efficient, and essential for creating a successful business. Not only do you gain customer confidence and credibility with a business email account, but also create a more effective way to organize and separate your business and personal life. Moreover, customizing your @yourbusinessname domain allows customers to easily know where the email is from as soon as they open it. Trust us; you won’t regret taking the time to make this change! The extra effort now may launch your business to new heights. 

Set up your small business email account today with Google Workspace.