What your email address says about you
This article advises small business owners to use professional email addresses rather than free webmail services like Gmail or Hotmail. It argues that a custom domain email builds customer trust and perceived legitimacy.
Why it matters
Professional branding is a critical factor for small businesses competing for contracts and client trust in a digital-first economy.
What The Tech? with Your Mate Matt<p><p><p><p>There's a small thing that quietly costs regional businesses work, and it's your email address.<p><p>I'm talking about the bob_plumbing_1987@hotmail.com situation. <p><p>Or the gmail one. Or, if you've been around long enough, the bigpond address you've had since the dial-up days.<p><p>Nothing wrong with those addresses. They send and receive mail fine. But when a customer's deciding whether to trust you with a few grand of work, the little signals add up. An email ending in @yourbusiness.com.au reads like a real business. One ending in @gmail.com reads like a side hustle, fair or not.<p><p>I see it most with trades and accommodation. <p><p>A bloke quotes a $4000 deck and the quote lands from a free webmail account. The customer doesn't think "scammer" exactly. <p><p>They just feel a tiny bit less sure. That hesitation is enough to make them get one more quote.
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