| Many new business owners begin their venture and | | | | au), your employees and any generalised email |
| get very busy very quickly, whether it's from trying | | | | addresses that make your business look more |
| to find new business or because the venture took | | | | professional (e.g. info, sales or au and these can easily |
| off better than they had expected, either way once | | | | be directed to your inbox or any other staff |
| the ball starts rolling it's very difficult to stop it or | | | | members that may deal with that particular |
| slow it down, even for a short time, just to get | | | | department). Starting in this manner means that your |
| organised. So before you begin your new venture | | | | business cards will have the correct details from day |
| and as part of your business plan, you should briefly | | | | one, any important relations with the bank, landlords, |
| consider your business domain name, email and | | | | suppliers, etc, all get directed to your correct email |
| website hosting. You may argue that you have more | | | | address and you won't have the inconvenience of |
| important matters to organise and that a website is | | | | trying to change this over later on. Also, you are not |
| the least of your priorities at the moment; however | | | | reliant on your internet service provider (ISP) and |
| it is a simple and inexpensive step to giving you a | | | | therefore will always maintain the same email |
| professional image from the outset, as well as good | | | | addresses that you control, no matter where you |
| organisation. | | | | move or relocate. |
| A good practise is to register your domain name as | | | | Benefits of having your own email address: |
| soon as you have decided what your business name | | | | • Market your business name rather than that of |
| will be. In most countries you can register the name | | | | your ISP or free email provider |
| regardless of whether you have a business name | | | | • Benefits potential buyers of your business if |
| registered already, however certain countries, like | | | | you ever choose to sell it. This makes for a much |
| Australia, won't allow you to register au or.net.au | | | | easier handover |
| domain name (e.g. au) until your business name is | | | | • Not limited to a certain number of free |
| registered. Many people think that a registered | | | | accounts that you are allowed from your ISP |
| business guarantees them the same domain as their | | | | If you've agreed with the above, or even if you're |
| business name; however this is not entirely the case. | | | | not 100% convinced, but see some merit in it, then |
| If another business starts operating with a similar | | | | you should seriously consider registering your domain |
| name to yours, selling a completely different product, | | | | name right away, before somebody else does - it is |
| they may get the name you wanted, so it's a good | | | | a negligible cost to your business, so there is really no |
| idea to register it as soon as you can. You own it | | | | reason to delay it. |
| then and can use it when it suits you. | | | | Once you have chosen a web hosting provider to |
| Even if you don't want a website right away, a | | | | register your domain name - you can include an email |
| domain name can still be used for email. You own the | | | | and website hosting option that are usually provided |
| domain and you can create whatever email | | | | as a relatively inexpensive package. That way, you |
| addresses you want (with the right web hosting | | | | can start using your email right away and your |
| service provider). This means that from the very | | | | hosting web space will be there waiting for you to |
| start you can create email addresses for yourself | | | | publish a website when convenient to you. |