Email and domains
Free is not always better!
Often, we come across businesses who may have just invested a lot into building and growing their business. For example, they may have bought a van and had expensive sign-writing, yet the email address printed is the company name followed by an ISP for example fredbloggscatering@btinternet.com. The cost of a professional email such as office@fredbloggscatering.co.uk can be a matter of just a few pounds a month and does wonders for the legitimacy of your business.
A professional email address will run through business servers that check emails for spam and viruses. The service is generally much faster on account of the fully maintained servers and In the event of an issue, there is a human being available to speak to for support.
There are 4 types of email system:
POP – This is the most basic email protocol. If you use your email account on more than once device, such as your phone, tablet or laptop, all devices will receive emails, but if you send or delete an email on one device, this will not syncronise to other devices.
IMAP – This is a basic sync email system. Although there are limitations, emails work as above but they will also sync between devices. i.e an email sent on your laptop will also show in the sent items on your phone.
MAPI – This is similar to IMAP but is used by large organisations such as Google.
Exchange – This is the highest level of email protocol. Whilst it is the most expensive (around £50 per year), it is by far the best security-wise. Emails, contacts, schedules, and notes are all held in the cloud and synchronised across all devices. There are many advantages in using Exchange, especially for business.
Moving from your old email address to a new one is very straightforward. Once the new email and domain have been purchased, QLine IT can help you either permanently forward your old account to the new one, or alternatively, send an email to all of your old contacts informing them of your new address. A professional Exchange email address is easy to add to Microsoft Outlook, allowing emails to be downloaded and managed on your computer rather than using a less secure webmail portal via your browser.
Domain names
Along with a professional email system, it is also important to have a domain name that suits you or can be used if you or your business. A domain name is essentially a website address, e.g. www.joebloggs.com or fredsmith.co.uk. There are millions of combinations you can choose from, but as anyone, anywhere in the world can purchase a domain, you may find your preferred online identity or brand already taken.
If you are starting up as a sole trader, always check that the domain is available before choosing your business name. A domain is your identity and public profile and should be purchased from a reputable and reliable reseller (we can assist with this purchase). Always buy a domain with both extensions (.co.uk and .com) as this helps enormously with search engine optimisation (SEO). The cost of a domain is normally £5-£10 per year as domains are leased rather than owned.
If you are a residential client just wanting a more professional or reliable email service, you could choose, for example, your surname, town or street as the domain. e.g www.holmesfamily.co.uk. If available, you could then prefix this with any name you wish to create a unique email address for yourself. e.g. claire@holmesfamily.co.uk.
It is usually very quick and easy to purchase a domain and setup a new email address but should you require it, QLine IT can provide all the help you need.
