From Gmail to Pro: Why Your Email Address Matters Now More Than Ever

Week 18 - Professional Email Addresses: Haff Notes 52-Week Business in Plain English Challenge

Welcome to Week 18 of our 52-Week Business in Plain English Challenge! Last week, we explored Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) and how they can keep your business running smoothly even when life throws curveballs your way.

This week, we're tackling something that might seem small but has become increasingly crucial for your business success: your professional email address.

💡 Your email address is often your first touchpoint with customers—and recent changes in email regulations have made having a professional address more important than ever.

New to the Haff Notes Business in Plain English series? You can catch up on all previous articles in the archive at haffnotes.substack.com where each article builds on the last to help you create your comprehensive business plan.

The Shift That Changed Everything

If you've been using a personal email address (like yourname@gmail.com or yourbusinessname@gmail.com) for your business communications, you're not alone. It's how most of us start! But here's what you might not know: the email world has changed dramatically in the past year.

In February 2024, major email providers including Gmail and Yahoo implemented strict new authentication requirements to combat spam. These changes, part of what's being called the "Email Deliverability Reset," have made it significantly harder for marketing emails sent from free email domains (like gmail.com or yahoo.com) to reach their intended recipients.

I learned about this the hard way when a nutrition coach I work with couldn't figure out why her client newsletter open rates had suddenly plummeted. After some digging, we discovered her emails weren't even making it to inboxes—they were landing straight in spam folders or being rejected entirely. The culprit? She was sending business communications from a personal Gmail address.

Why This Matters for Your Business

You might be thinking, "But I'm just a small business—surely this doesn't apply to me?"

Even if you’re a small business not sending thousands of emails a day, using a free email address can still trigger deliverability issues—especially when using email marketing tools.

Here's what happens when you use a personal email address (yourbusinessname@gmail.com) for business:

1. Lower deliverability rates: Your emails are more likely to land in spam folders

2. Reduced credibility: Customers may question whether you're a legitimate business

3. Limited marketing options: Many email marketing platforms now require business domain emails

The Technical Why Behind Email Changes

Without getting too technical, here's what's happening:

Email providers now require something called "domain authentication" to verify that emails are actually coming from who they claim to be. When you use a Gmail address with an email marketing service, there's a mismatch—the email says it's from you@gmail.com, but it's actually being sent through another company's servers.

This triggers spam filters because:

• You don't "own" gmail.com, so you can't properly authenticate messages

• Free email services are commonly used by spammers

• It can look unprofessional when marketing emails come from personal accounts

Think of it this way: It's like sending business mail with a return address that belongs to someone else's house. Of course, the post office would get suspicious!

The Professional Email Solution

The good news is that solving this problem is surprisingly simple: get an email address connected to your business domain (the yourbusiness.com part).

Take for example:

Instead of: candle.crafts@gmail.com

You need: yourname@candlecrafts.com or hello@candlecrafts.com

This simple change makes a world of difference because:

1. Your emails actually reach people: Proper authentication means better deliverability

2. You look instantly more professional: A branded email address signals that you're established and serious

3. You control your email destiny: You're not at the mercy of free email providers' changing policies

What If You Already Own Your Domain?

Many of you already have a domain name for your business website. If that's you, you're halfway there! You just need to set up email services for that domain.

For my bookstore, we already owned islanderbookshop.com, and our Shopify store pointed to it. The next step was simply adding professional email addresses that used that domain.

Setting Up Your Professional Email: Easier Than You Think

I promise this is simpler than it sounds! Here's how to get started:

Option 1: Google Workspace (My Personal Recommendation)

Google Workspace gives you professional email plus access to all Google's tools (Drive, Docs, Sheets, Calendar) in a dedicated workspace for your business.

1. Sign up at workspace.google.com

2. Follow their setup wizard to connect your domain

3. Create your business email addresses

Cost: About $8-12 per month per user, depending on the plan you choose.

I prefer this option because I love working in the Google ecosystem—Google Docs, Google Drive, and especially Google Calendar are fantastic tools for running a business.

Option 2: Email Through Your Domain Provider

Many domain providers like GoDaddy offer email services that come with your domain purchase.

1. Log into your domain provider account

2. Look for "Email" or "Professional Email" options

3. Follow their setup instructions

Cost: Usually $5-10 per month per mailbox.

What About the Technical Setup?

The good news is that most of the technical configuration happens automatically now. When you set up Google Workspace, it will guide you through connecting to your domain provider, often with just a few clicks.

If you do hit a roadblock, both domain providers and email services have support teams ready to help. I've called GoDaddy numerous times over the years, and while you might wait on hold a bit, they're incredibly helpful at walking you through any technical steps.

Pro Tips from Years of Experience

After setting up professional email for multiple businesses, here are my top recommendations:

1. Create both personal and general addresses. I recommend setting up your name@yourdomain.com for personalized communication, plus a general address like hello@yourdomain.com or info@yourdomain.com for your website and public-facing materials.

2. Consider email forwarding. You can set up your hello@yourdomain.com to forward to your main business email so you don't have to check multiple inboxes. *not recommended but is possible and may help your workflow

3. Use email signatures. Create a professional signature with your name, business, and contact information to add polish to every message.

Your Action Steps This Week:

1. Check if you have a domain: If you already have a business website, you already have a domain name. If not, purchasing one should be your first step.

2. Choose an email provider: Decide between Google Workspace or your domain provider's email service based on your preferences.

3. Set up your professional email: Create at least two addresses—one with your name and one general address (like hello@ or info@).

4. Update your materials: Once your new email is ready, update your business cards, social media profiles, email marketing platforms, and anywhere else your contact information appears.

If you already have a professional email set up, use this week to make sure all your online profiles and marketing materials are consistent with your professional address.

Remember...

Your email address might seem like a small detail, but in today's digital landscape, it's become a critical factor in whether your messages actually reach your customers. It's more than just appearances—it's about ensuring that your communications get through.

If you complete this step today, take a moment to celebrate—it’s a huge credibility upgrade and a smart move toward protecting your business communications.

Next week we will delve into developing email sequences and copy you can reuse throughout your newsletters, social media, and more. To get a jump on next week’s article - sign up for The Spice House’s newsletter (sign up in their footer) - and take a look as they start to arrive in your inbox.

Look for things like:

1. How do they welcome you?

2. What products do they share with you in their newsletter?

3. Do they offer any incentives to buy?

The Spice House does a remarkable job with their automated email sequences, and serves as a great way to ideate what you may want to build out for your small business.

Here's to building a business you love to own,