Business Email Address Examples and Benefits

How many times have you been asked for your business email in the past week? If you’re like most professionals, probably more than once. A request for an email address is as quick as (and more efficient than) swapping business cards.

The type of results you get from your email address likely has a lot to do with how professional it is. Nobody is going to take you (or your business) seriously if you’re still using your spamelaanderson23415@hotmail.com address for business communications.

Having a professional email address is crucial for business success. Here’s what you need to know about choosing the right one.

Why Do You Need a Professional Email Address?

Your business email address can and does affect your business credibility. In one survey, GoDaddy discovered that 75% of U.S. ecommerce customers thought that having a domain-based email was crucial in earning their trust.

Free @gmail accounts just don’t cut it in the business world.

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The Benefits of Professional Email Addresses

Getting Your Brand Name Out There

Every single email you send represents your brand. A professional email address, coupled with a great email signature, ensures that your brand values are represented in your email communications.

Showing You’re Part of a Real Business

This may sound obvious, but a lot of people still think it’s acceptable to send business correspondence via free email providers like Gmail and Hotmail. The problem with this is that the people receiving your emails will be suspicious of these email addresses, whether they realize it or not.

Professional business email addresses show recipients you are part of a real organization, and they can quickly check your credentials.

Security and Spam Protection

Most – if not all – business email accounts come with additional spam and security options. These are usually accessed via your cPanel.

A lot of hosting providers give you an extra layer of security to help reduce inbound spam and phishing attempts.

Some Quick Professional Email Examples

Not sure how to format your email address?

Here are some common formats that many businesses use. By sticking to tried-and-true formulas, you reduce the chances of people getting your email address wrong.

• First name + last name = rogerjones@yourlovelybusinessdomain.com
• First name . last name = roger.jones@yourlovelybusinessdomain.com
• First name – last name = roger-jones@yourlovelybusinessdomain.com
• First name . middle name . last name = roger.spencer.jones@yourlovelybusinessdomain.com
• First name – middle name – last name = roger-spencer-jones@yourlovelybusinessdomain.com
• First initial + last name = rjones@yourlovelybusinessdomain.com
• First initial + middle name + last name = rspencerjonesi@yourlovelybusinessdomain.com
• First initial + middle initial + last name = rsjones@yourlovelybusinessdomain.com

It’s a good idea to start out with a formula that includes at least your first and last names. As your business grows, it’s likely you will have more than one person with the same name at your workplace. Be organized from the start.

What Should You Avoid in Your Business Email Address?

• Avoid long email addresses. If you have a long name, then make sure you abbreviate it to avoid people typing it in wrong. The simpler the better.
• Avoid numbers in your email. Because so many free email addresses are in use, it’s common to see numbers attached to names. If you have a professional email address using your business domain, stay away from numbers.
• Avoid using nicknames. Sure, they’re fun for your personal email, but you don’t want to use them on a professional email address.

Bonus: A Tool for Helping Generate Your Email Combinations

Still struggling? You can use this tool to help you create a combination of your choice:

Professional Email Address Generator

Simply enter your details, click the ‘generate’ button, and it will serve up some possible combinations for your new business email address.

Remember, first impressions count – and that’s as true in business as it is with anything else in life. So don’t sink your chances of landing work or generating income for your business by having a poorly-formatted, unprofessional email address.