When someone receives an email from your business, what does your email address tell them about you?
✗ Looks Unprofessional
- mikes_lawn_care_2019@gmail.com
- bestplumbingever@yahoo.com
- john.smith.consulting.llc@hotmail.com
✓ Looks Professional
- mike@greenacrelawns.com
- service@smithplumbing.com
- john@smithconsulting.com
5 Reasons Professional Email Matters
1. It Builds Instant Trust
Customers are more likely to trust a business that has invested in a professional presence. An email matching your domain shows you're established and legitimate—not a fly-by-night operation.
2. It Increases Email Deliverability
Free email addresses are more likely to trigger spam filters. Professional emails from your own domain have better deliverability rates, meaning your important messages actually reach your customers' inboxes.
3. It Reinforces Your Brand
Every email you send is a branding opportunity. A custom email keeps your business name in front of customers with every message, reinforcing brand recognition.
4. It Looks Credible on Marketing Materials
Business cards, invoices, and websites all look more professional when they feature a custom email address. Would you trust a contractor whose business card reads "bestcontractor1985@aol.com"?
5. It Separates Business from Personal
Mixing business and personal emails is a recipe for missed opportunities and confusion. A dedicated business email keeps your professional communications organized and easy to manage.
Choosing the Perfect Email Address
Your email address format matters almost as much as having a professional domain. Here are the most common approaches and when to use each:
Popular Email Address Formats
firstname@yourbusiness.com
Best for: Small businesses, solo operators, and personal brands. Simple, friendly, and easy to remember.
firstname.lastname@yourbusiness.com
Best for: Businesses with multiple employees who share common first names. Avoids confusion while staying professional.
info@yourbusiness.com
Best for: General inquiries. Great as a public-facing email on your website for new customer contact.
hello@yourbusiness.com
Best for: A friendlier alternative to "info" — feels more approachable and modern.
support@yourbusiness.com
Best for: Customer service and technical support inquiries. Helps customers know they're reaching the right place.
💡 Pro Tip
Start with just one or two email addresses (like your name and info@). You can always add more role-based addresses later as your business grows. Too many emails too soon just creates more to manage.
Tips for Choosing Your Email Name
Keep It Simple
Avoid underscores, numbers, and complex combinations. mike@greenacrelawns.com is much easier to give out over the phone than mike_2019_owner@greenacrelawns.com.
Make It Easy to Say Out Loud
You'll be telling people your email address in person and on phone calls. If you have to spell it out letter-by-letter every time, it's too complicated.
Avoid Nicknames (Usually)
While mike@ is fine, avoid overly casual nicknames like mikey@ or bigmike@ unless that's genuinely part of your brand identity.
Think About the Future
If you plan to hire employees, consider starting with a format that scales. Using firstname@ works well until you hire another person with the same name.
What About Multiple Email Addresses?
For most small businesses, you really only need:
- Your personal business email (e.g., sarah@yourbusiness.com) — for day-to-day communications
- A general contact email (e.g., info@ or hello@) — for your website contact form
That's it! You can add sales@, support@, and other role-based addresses as your business grows and you have staff to monitor them. There's no point having five email addresses if they all go to the same inbox.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Using numbers:
mike2@orinfo1@looks like an afterthought - Making it too long:
michaeljohnsonownerandceo@is excessive - Including your job title: Titles change —
owner@orceo@can become awkward - Using department names you don't have: Don't use
support@if support emails still come to you personally - Creating too many addresses: If you're the only one checking email, keep it simple
📞 The Phone Test
Before finalizing your email address, try saying it out loud as if you were telling a customer over the phone: "You can reach me at sarah at westside bakery dot com." If it flows naturally and doesn't require spelling anything out, you've got a winner.
Ready to Get Your Professional Email?
I set up professional email through Google Workspace for all my website clients. Get a custom email address that matches your domain and looks professional on every message you send.
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