First impressions are important. Sometimes you meet potential clients in real life, sometimes they find you on Linkedin or your personal website. And other times you meet them because someone refers you (this is the best way to meet potential clients).

But when someone refers you, they usually see your email address before they see your portfolio. So it’s important that it looks professional.

Let's play a game

If you don't think an email can make much of an impression, let's do a quick test: Which email looks more professional to you?

agencyname@gmail.com or contact@agencyname.com

We all have a gmail account, we all know that gmail is free. Seeing an agency using a gmail address make them come across as cheap. If they don't even invest in a proper email address, are they going to invest into their clients?

Alright, next test: Would you pay a receipt if it came from this email?

receipts.amazon@gmail.com

You might think it's a spam email. What if you got the exact same email with the same content but from receipts@amazon.com? You're more likely going to trust it, right?

You only get one first impression

First impressions count. So pick an email address that sounds professional. Setting up a proper email address makes your business more tangible as well.

How do I get a professional email address?

Getting a professional email address is normally quite cheap. Some providers even offer it for free if you buy a domain or hosting. For now, you can start with just an email. If you’re planning to have a full-fletched website, buying a package which includes a domain name AND email might be the best option.

The eMail provider I'm using

I’m using ionos for hosting my email address and personal website. So far, I’ve not had any issues. The customer service is also great (used them a few times when I couldn’t figure something out on my website, eg. how to set up my 404 error page)

If you’re looking for a reliable provider, you can sign up with ionos here.

Disclaimer: I’m not getting paid to promote them, I’ve just done some research on finding the best provider when I started freelancing 4 years ago and they were the cheapest option. I’ve been happy with the service ever since. But it's been a few years since I've done my research, so there might be better options out there. For transparency: it’s an affiliate link 🤫

Benefits to a professional email

With a professional email address, you don't just come across as a proper freelancer, you will also have a separate inbox. This will help you separate your work and life admin and allow you to manage your tasks better.

Which email did you choose?

If you’re torn between different email options (eg. info@designagency.com vs hi@yourname.com), I recommend using your name.

This way, even if you change your mind about the services you offer or if you outgrow your company, you don’t lose your personal brand.

This can be tricky if your name is John Smith, because chances are your name is taken. But it’s possible. My name in Austria is more or less like John Smith in the UK 🙈. I even went to school with another Elisabeth Mayr 😅 which must have been a pain for the teachers. But I still managed to get a domain with my name 💪

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