Today's post is the last in a mini-series about ownership, and specifically the importance of being in control of the various facets of your business' online presence. I've already shared some of the reasons you should be the owner of your domain name and your company website, and today I'm going to be talking about email. Are you in control of your business' email address?
Custom Email Addresses are Part of a Professional Web Design
To start, let's talk about some of the reasons your business should, in fact, have a custom email address instead of an @yahoo, @hotmail or any of the other free email providers. The first thing people think when they see Info@YourBusinessName.com is that you're legit. Custom email addresses give your business credibility and an email from YourName@YourBusiness.com is a lot less likely to be sent directly to the trash by the people who receive it.
Beyond professionalism, custom email addresses offer flexibility and improve work flow in ways that are virtually impossible with a free email service provider. You can, for instance, assign each department or person at your business with a specific email address, ensuring the messages your company receives are directed to the right people and/or places, automatically.
Why Your Business Should Own its Email Addresses
Today, it's not at all uncommon for companies to task whomever is handling their website hosting with their email hosting as well. But, when the company or basement nerd that's in charge of your website hosting also manages your email, you put your business at risk in more ways than one.
For starters, what if that company or nerdy individual goes out of business and shuts down the service or decides to never return your messages because of a disagreement you had? Do you really want to entrust the privacy of your business' correspondences with a website hosting company or person you probably know very little about? What if your email stops working? Who are you going to call for help? It's a risky move, to say the least.
Solutions to the Email Dilemma
Now there are, of course, exceptions to the rule, and this is not to say that every website hosting company or developer is out to put a serious hex on your business' email. There are also small businesses and organizations for which an email hosting service is the perfect solution to their rather limited email needs and budget. At Saltmedia, for instance, all of our website hosting packages include basic POP/IMAP email services.
But, for larger businesses or those that worry about the risks I've mentioned here, there are other solutions. Businesses can purchase Microsoft Office 365 Exchange Online, for instance, which offers a highly robust email solution and can be integrated with other Microsoft Office software and smartphones. With this, you will always be in control of your email addresses and have full access to customer support, should you need it.
Give your business peace of mind while making the best possible impression with a professional web design and custom email. Call us at (780) 539-7258 for more information on the email solutions that are available and to discover the solution that's right for your business.
We live, work, and gather on traditional, unceded, and treaty territories of First Nations, Métis, and Inuit Peoples from coast to coast to coast. We’re committed to our collective responsibility to the original caretakers of this land and to listening, learning, and acting in ways that support reconciliation.
