Set up your email

Email is as important to your online business as your phone number -- and maybe even more important at times.

You want your email address to match your domain name. So, for example, your email address might look something like this: yourname@yourcompany.com. Moving on from an address that includes @gmail or @hotmail or @yahoo will help demonstrate that your company means serious business and isn't just a hobby.

Google offers a great email service you already may use. It's called Gmail, and it also provides calendars, contacts and many other useful business-management tools. You can take advantage of all of these free online services and still have an address that features your domain name. For more information about how to make this happen, visit Google Apps for your domain.

As you consider Google Apps for Your Domain, make sure you compare the free and paid options. Starting with the free option is fine for most startups. Following the installation instructions is relatively simple -- but the main pitfall can come from failing to update your DNS Mail eXchange (MX) records to point to Google.com. Contact Red27 for help with this task -- and with choosing the business-management tools that are right for your company.