Are you ready to step up your game!? If you are using an @gmail or @hotmail or @aol type account for your business, now is your change to look a little more #profresh. Get a professional email account via Google Apps for 50% off! It's the email service I've been using for YEARS and I love it. Steps: Go here, http://goo.gl/sPHVsQ (affiliate link) When asked us code "9TMA3MMHVVLJGX" * You'll get 50% off the first year. Normal cost is $50 per year so you'll pay $25 for the first year. * You'll have ONE email addess, typically people do Name@YourWebsite.com This offer expires December 31st. Pin it!Too often I come across business owners who have "lost" access to their domain (aka www.businessname.com). Here is how the story goes: "My ________ bought the domain for me because I had no idea what I was doing. Now s/he is ignoring my calls and emails and texts. Now what?" You can fill in the ______ with: boyfriend, programmer, husband, good friend, girlfriend, wife, son, daughter, etc. If they are ignoring you and basically holding your domain hostage you need to kiss that domain good-bye. To get it back (assuming the other party does not want to give it back) would mean bringing them to court. ![]() Because stories like this are so common I NEVER EVER will buy a domain for someone. I simply send them these instructions:
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The link I posted above is an affiliate link. That means I get a kickback if you buy a domain through GoDaddy. But kickback or not, I strongly recommend GoDaddy. They are HUGE, so I know the company is not going to disappear. Their customer service is the BEST I've seen. You can call them up and get real help. Sometimes they even call you just to make sure everything is OK or to remind you your domain is about to expire. Really, I love them. The only reason not to love GoDaddy is (as you saw) they try to upsell you on services. Now that you've bought your own domain you know it is safe (just do not lose the password) :) When I first started out I used an @hotmail.com address for my business. This was in 2004 before @gmail.com was public. But after I few years I knew it was time for an @MyDomain.com email address. By then I had a gmail account and I loved the ease of it so signing up with Google Apps was a no-brainer.
Your Google Apps email looks just like gmail but the address will be @YourDomain.com instead of @gmail.com. The cost is $5 a month per user or $50 a year. To save some money go here (affiliate link) and give this promo code a try. It is first come, first served so it may or may not work.
![]() No matter which website builder you are using, the odds are you will be offered a URL (branded with their domain). However, before you start to promote your business, you must get your own URL. For example, if the name of your business is “Chicago Massage”, Weebly will give you the URL http://www.chicagomassage.weebly.com In your marketing efforts, you’ll find it MUCH easier to use your own URL. Doesn’t it look (and feel) much better to post www.ChicagoMassage.com? Here is a summary of benefits of using your own URL:
Where to get a URL: I strongly recommend you use www.GoDaddy.com to buy your URL. GoDaddy.com is known for always trying to up-sell you (so say no to everything they try to toss in your cart along with your URL), BUT their customer service is excellent! If you experience any trouble, you can easily call them and they’ll walk you through whatever you are trying to do. They periodically even call you to see if you need any help. A URL (aka domain) will cost around $12, but before you check-out go to Retailmenot.com and see if there are any promo codes you can use. Often you can get the cost down to $3 or so. How to get a custom email (now that you have a URL): Now that you have a URL, it means you can get a matching email address. I recommend you ONLY use Google Apps. The cost is $50 a year per user (you should only need/want one email address), but worth it as you can then use Google Apps for your calendar, Google Drive, Analytics, and so many more tools that you will need as your business grows. The reasons for having a custom email address are pretty repetitive with the reasons for obtaining a custom domain. It’s more professional, you will have it posted all over the Internet, etc. Bottom Line Do not spend time publishing your business all over the internet until you have a URL. When you switch platforms (aka you move from Weebly to Wix), you do not want to lose all of the people who find your online postings AFTER your move. |
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April 2022
AuthorLaura Occhipinti is on a mission to point people to websites, apps, and products that they MUST know about! Categories
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