Why your email address could be damaging your business
Why You Need a Professional Email Address (And What That Actually Means)
Digital Essentials for Small Businesses – Blog 3
Let’s talk about email addresses — and more specifically, the ones that appear on your website, your business cards, or the side of your van.
Because if yours still ends in @gmail.com, @outlook.com or, heaven forbid, @btinternet.com… it might be doing you more harm than good.
This post isn’t here to scold anyone – but if you’re running a business, it’s worth understanding why your email address matters, what it says about you, and how easy it is to fix.
The problem with free email accounts
We all use them in our personal lives. But when they’re front and centre of your business, they send the wrong message – even if everything else about your service is spot on.
Here’s how it lands:
- @gmail.com – free, familiar, but says “starter” or side hustle
- @outlook.com – not awful, but not memorable
- @btinternet.com, @aol.com, etc. – signals outdated or unbranded
You might not lose work over it. But you could absolutely miss out on enquiries from customers who expect a little more polish – especially when your competitors have already sorted theirs.
What does a professional email address look like?
A domain-based email address looks like this:
hello@yourbusiness.co.uk
It matches your brand, aligns with your website, and makes you look established – even if you’re a one-person operation.
Why it matters
It’s a small shift, but it speaks volumes:
- It looks more professional and credible
- It helps people remember your website name
- It keeps your personal and business inboxes separate
- It’s easier to grow into multiple mailboxes later (e.g. accounts@, support@)
If you ever plan to grow, collaborate or delegate, you’ll thank yourself for sorting this early.
But what if I’m not ready for a website yet?
No problem – you don’t need a full website to have a branded email address.
In fact, we offer email-only hosting for exactly this reason. You get a professional setup, full ownership of your domain, and a branded inbox – without the cost or complexity of launching a full site before you’re ready.
Can’t I just forward it to my Gmail?
Technically, yes. But it’s not ideal.
Free services like Gmail and Outlook often mark domain-forwarded email as spam or “unverified”, which can mean your messages end up in someone’s junk folder – or not at all.
Properly setting up a domain-based email also involves configuring things like DMARC, DKIM and SPF — three behind-the-scenes records that help protect your email from being flagged as spam or spoofed.
Most business owners don’t know (or want to know) how this works – and that’s exactly why we take care of it for you. When it’s done right, your emails land where they’re supposed to, and your brand looks as trustworthy as it should.
A properly configured domain inbox (or a managed setup where we handle it for you) gives you full deliverability and control.
And if DNS settings make your eyes glaze over – that’s where we come in. You get all the benefits of branded email, with none of the tech faff.
Final thought
Your email address is one of the first things people notice – and often the last thing business owners think about. But it’s a tiny change that instantly levels up your credibility.
Even if you’re just starting out, there’s no reason your email can’t look the part.
If you’d like help setting up a domain-based email address (with or without a website), drop me a message – no jargon, no pressure, just a better way to do email.
