fusion IT

This Harvard Business Review post by Mavericks at Work author, Bill Taylor, gives us something to think about over the weekend.

It’s a question posed by ad legend Roy Spence of GSD&M:  If your company went out of business tomorrow, would anybody really miss you and why?

Your employees? Your clients? Your Vendors? Are you making the sort of impact on them that a year later, their lives and businesses would still be impacted? Taylor states:

“If your customers can live without you, eventually they will.”

How can you differentiate your business from your competitors? How can you create emotional connections around your brand? How can you create an experience for your clients? How can you forge better relationships with the people who bring you business?

If you think your small business doesn’t need this level of planning and strategy? Think again.

Small Business Trends has a great article detailing all the various challenges in choosing the perfect name for your business.

The article covers legal aspects, domain names (which factor into your e-mail addresses) as well as Twitter and social media. Because so many .com domains are taken, you will likely have to get a little creative, perhaps using a company slogan.

It’s an iterative process fraught with setbacks. And you only have one chance to get it right! Be sure to work with a branding specialist, or at least a handful of brand-savvy colleagues.

Take a look at this comical chart that measures your computer skills based on your e-mail address*. It’s funny because there is a grain of truth to it, as most people use one of these services or those of their home Internet Service Provider (ISP). Unfortunately, many freelancers, sole proprietors, and small business also fit into this category.

So what’s wrong with using your home ISP/Yahoo/AOL/Hotmail/Gmail account for business? Two things.

First, you are forfeiting a  branding opportunity, whether it is your ”personal brand” or your company’s brand. Second, and closely tied to your brand, is trust. If you do not have your own domain name (something.com or .org or .net) for your e-Mail (and website!), your business seems temporary or amateur.

Quoting Nine Essential Trust Indicators for Your SMB Web Site:

It’s a lot easier to trust someone who has clearly invested in their business over someone who simply stumbled across a free Yahoo or Gmail account… It’s a very simple trust cue that packs a big punch.

In other words, people are less likely to bring you their business. More bluntly, you are turning away money.

Chances are, getting a domain name for your business is one of those things you’ve thought about, but put off because of the hassle. Perhaps you couldn’t find a domain that you liked. Perhaps you bought a domain and got overwhelmed by all the choices and technicalities at the domain name “registrar”. Maybe changing your e-mail address seemed like a huge headache.

Whatever your reason, it’s time you gave the issue some serious thought.

fusion IT has helped numerous professionals and business set up new domains (along with their web sites and e-mail accounts) and we have overcome every possible obstacle. We can confidently guide you through any domain name, web site, and/or e-mail transition. And we are streamlining the process to keep it simple and affordable. Contact us today for fixed price domain name registration (or transition) packages. (Contact info is below in the footer.)

(*Unfortunately, the chart leaves out Internet provider address such as @comcast.net or verizon.net, which we, if forced, would have to rank below Gmail.)