Brand is everything when you are visiting a website. You want your customers feel that they are dealing with a professional company and they can feel secure and safe in working with you. First impressions is everything.

The first thing you should really do, is to purchase your own domain. A domain is like a car registration plate. You buy the right to use that particular name, and you can apply it to any website you want.

You can buy a domain very quickly and easily from Network Solutions, one of the oldest and largest domain registrars on the Internet.

While many small businesses do this, many forget to do the all important next step - use their domain as their primary email address.

Nothing says "mom+pop" shop quicker than a fancy looking site, sitting proudly on their own domain, only to be let down with a @aol.com / @hotmail.com / @gmail.com email address. You've gone to the length of securing your own domain, but fail to use it in the one place it will be remembered the most: email!

There are many services that can run and host your domain orientated email for you. Google does a great service for small businesses that is free if you are a light user.

Blog-City recognizes this problem that small businesses experience which is why we offer free email forwarding with every business blog. Find out more here