Hey Small Business Owner - Is your email still YourBusiness@Gmail.com?

Hey, you! Small business owner! Yes, you one-person-wearing-all-the-hats, owner of your own dream. What's your email address? Is it juliesbookstore@gmail.com? Please say it isn't so!

If you run a business and your email contains '@gmail.com', '@hotmail.com', '@yahoo.com' or some other generic email provider, it's time to make a change. This isn't 1992 and consumers, as well as, business contacts, expect a more professional email. It's easy and well worth it to show the world you're serious about your professional image.

When I see a business using '@yahoo.com' or any other free email service, I immediately think they aren't in it for the long haul. That they aren't committed to growing their business or communicating in a truly professional manner. Using your own domain shows your potential customers and partners that you mean business.

The first step is picking out and buying a domain. For instance, my domain name, is 'mainelyonline.com'. Try to pick a name that's easy for people to remember and as close to your business name as possible. There are many different domain extensions as well, such as '.com', '.org', '.net', and more. If the name you want isn't available with ".com' at the end, be sure to search the other extensions.

There are many sites out there that you can buy domains from. I'm partial to Google, because their integrated G Suite is very easy-to-use. Many of you already use Gmail or other Google services such as Google Calendar. If that sounds like a good option to you, check it out at their GoogleDomains site.

If Google's not for you, plenty of providers abound. I personally like Dreamhost as a second choice, as they integrate with both Google and WordPress quite easily. GoDaddy is another option, however, their interface is bulky and difficult to use if you're not highly technical.

Good luck and happy emailing!