How to get a professional email address for your business

When a homeowner gets a quote from mike@millerfencing.com and another from mikesfence1987@gmail.com, the first one looks like a real company. It is a small detail, but small details are what customers judge when they are about to let a stranger work on their home.

Setting up a professional email address is cheap and takes under an hour. Here is how.

What you need

1. A domain name, such as millerfencing.com. If you do not have one yet, see how to buy a domain name.
2. An email provider that hosts the mailbox.
3. Access to your domain's settings at the registrar, to connect the two.

The main options

Google Workspace

Gmail with your own domain, plus Calendar and Drive. The easiest choice if you already live in Gmail on your phone. Paid per user per month.

Microsoft 365

Outlook with your own domain, plus Word and Excel. Good if you already use Office. Also paid per user per month.

Smaller email hosts

Providers such as Zoho Mail, Fastmail, Proton and Purelymail offer mailboxes on your domain, some very cheaply. You lose the extra apps but keep the professional address.

Your registrar or web host

Many registrars sell email too. Check the price after the first year before you commit.

Prices change often, so compare current plans. For one person, expect a few dollars to around $10 a month.

How to set it up, step by step

1. Sign up with the provider and tell it your domain.
2. Prove you own the domain by adding a record they give you at your registrar.
3. Add the MX records so mail for your domain goes to that provider.
4. Add SPF, DKIM and DMARC records. These tell other mail servers your messages are genuine. Skip them and your quotes may land in spam.
5. Create your mailbox and install the app on your phone.
6. Send a test to a Gmail and an Outlook address and check it arrives in the inbox.

Most providers have a setup wizard that walks you through each record. If your registrar is supported, some will even add them for you.

Which address to use

• Your name: mike@. Personal and trusted, good for a small team.
• A role address: info@, quotes@ or office@. Good for your website and printed materials, because it does not change when staff changes.

Many owners use one real mailbox and point a few role addresses to it as aliases, which usually costs nothing extra.

Where to use it

• Your website and its contact form.
• Your Google Business Profile, Yelp and Nextdoor pages.
• Quotes, invoices and estimates.
• Business cards, truck lettering and yard signs.

Common mistakes

• Skipping the SPF, DKIM and DMARC records. The number one reason business email goes to spam.
• Using the email of whoever built your site. Your email should be on your domain, in your account.
• Forwarding everything to a personal Gmail and replying from there. The customer sees your personal address. Set Gmail to send as your business address, or use the provider's app.

Website and email together

Your email and your website share the same domain, so it makes sense to set them up at the same time. When we build your site, we can point you to the right email setup and make sure the website contact form sends to the address you actually read. See pricing or ask for a free preview.

Frequently asked questions

Can I get a professional email address for free?

Rarely for long. You need your own domain, which costs about $10 to $20 a year, and a mailbox provider. Some providers have very cheap plans, but fully free options are limited.

Can I keep using Gmail with my business email?

Yes. You can send and receive your business email inside the Gmail app, or use Google Workspace, which is Gmail on your own domain.

Why do my business emails go to spam?

Usually because the domain is missing SPF, DKIM and DMARC records. Your email provider gives you these settings to add at your registrar.