Domain-based email for Gmail-addicts
Shocking but true: there are business people who still use a free email address* for their business email.
*You know, @gmail.com, @outlook.com, @hotmail.com, etc.
Please, if that’s you, it’s time for an upgrade.
Go Pro
You could be projecting a MUCH more professional image using a domain-based email address (e.g. @your-company.com). And you’d also be promoting your company/website every time you send an email! All for a practically negligible subscription fee (or maybe even free through your website’s hosting).
And — this is point of this little essay — if you use Gmail, you can even continue to use the Gmail interface AND manage personal and business email in one window.
This may also be possible with other free online email accounts, I’ve just never had a reason to explore it.
How (sort of)
All you need is:
- a Gmail account (of course)
- a registered domain (e.g. yourcompany.com)
- an email-hosting service*
- some know-how about which buttons to push**
With the proper “wiring” in place your domain-based email goes to your email host and is forwarded to your Gmail account. From there you can reply and send it straight out of Gmail and it arrives to the recipient as if it came from your domain-based address. The secret is that Gmail routes your message through your email host’s server.
So you can access and send your domain-based email from the familiar (and powerful) Gmail interface, right along-side your non-company Gmail address.
*Which email-hosting service?
It may be that you already have email hosting through your webhost and can use that, such as Bluehost or GoDaddy. (I hope it isn't GoDaddy.)
Or maybe you use a hosted site-builder service that doesn’t provide email, such as Squarespace or Weebly.In the latter case check out Namecheap Private Email (less than $1/month) or G Suite ($5/month).
**I can set this up for you
It’s easy when you know how, but I appreciate that this stuff can be confusing.
If you want help, that’s part of what I do. Reach out, I’ll be there.
Please, the key thing is that you get help somewhere and stop using that @gmail.com address for your business.
You and your business are better than that.

Have a question or comment about this post, or just want to say hi? Drop me a line
Earlier Post: Conspiracy Santa: the Anti-Grinch
Later Post: Why everyone who takes appointments should have an online scheduler