Email address for startups: off to a good start
The good news: this is exactly the moment when it's easy. You don't yet have an address that appears in dozens of places, no old messages to move, no business cards to throw away. Starting well now takes half a day; correcting it later costs a lot more.
Why you arrange this right away as a startup
In the first weeks of your business you often reach quickly for a free address, just to be able to email. Understandable, but it works against you as soon as you go public. That address ends up on your website, your quotes, your listing in search engines and your social media. Every place you have to change later is a reason not to do it.
By setting it up first, you build everything on the right address straight away. Your website, your invoices and your signature are correct from the start. You never have to email customers with "note, my address has changed", a message that comes across as confusing precisely for a startup.
Step 1: choose your address
The first choice is your email address itself, and it matters more than it seems. For a starting sole proprietorship, a personal address usually works best: firstname@yourbusiness.com. It's recognizable and fits the fact that people do business with you. If you're thinking of a team down the line, also keep info@ or hello@ in mind.
Take your time with this, because you don't want to change this address again. In choosing your professional email address the considerations are lined up: first name or function, capitals, dots and common mistakes.
Step 2: link your domain
Your address runs on a domain name, and you may already have registered one when you chose your business name. If you don't have one yet, that needn't hold you up: you bring an existing domain along, or Mailflux registers and manages one for you. To bring your own domain along you need access to the DNS settings; that sounds more technical than it is, and we'll help you through it.
Step 3: set it up properly and completely
While you're at it, set it up neatly right away. Get your signature ready, use a few of your 20 free aliases for, say, invoices@, and turn on two-step verification for security. A handy tool is the checklist for a professional email address: with it you tick off in one go what a startup often forgets.
What your email should be able to do from day one
As a startup you want something that works and grows with you, without paying now for superfluous features:
- Works everywhere right away, via webmail in the browser and via your trusted mail program on phone and laptop.
- Secured by default, with antivirus, anti-spam and anti-malware, filtering against phishing and automatic backups.
- European, GDPR-compliant hosting, so your customer data is set up right from the start.
- Room to grow, with aliases now and the option to add mailboxes later.
Why Mailflux is a nice start
Mailflux is professional email on your own domain, hosted in Europe and GDPR-compliant. You start affordably with the Basic plan at €4.99 per mailbox per month (billed annually, excluding the domain name), with 8 GB of storage. If you want a calendar and task list right away that you can synchronize, then Pro at €6.99 is for you. No office suite full of tools you don't yet use as a startup, just email that's right.
You don't need technical knowledge for this. If you get stuck linking your domain or setting up your mail program, you get real, personal service. Once your business is a bit further along, email for freelancers and the self-employed is a nice fit, and on who Mailflux is for you'll see all the situations lined up.
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
When should I best arrange my email address as a startup?
As early as possible, ideally before you put your address on your website, quotes and business cards. Then you build everything on the right address straight away and don't have to correct anything later or notify customers.
Can I start small and expand later?
Yes. You start with one mailbox and 20 free aliases, and add extra mailboxes later as you start collaborating. You also choose a plan per mailbox, so you only pay for what you really need now.
What does an email address cost for a starting entrepreneur?
The Basic plan costs €4.99 per mailbox per month, billed annually and excluding the domain name. A setup or migration fee may be added. You pay for email, not for a full office suite.