Business Email Hosting
When you need a new personal email account, you can simply go to Yahoo! or Gmail and hope your favorite username is still available. But when it comes to your business, the choice is not so clear.
The offerings at Yahoo!, Gmail and the like may be free, but they could be costly for your business. Free email accounts can convey an air of unprofessionalism, the last thing you want to project for your small business.
If you are serious about your business, you need a professional email host, but how do you choose the right one? Here are some key things to consider when selecting an email hosting service for your new business.
Can the Account Grow with Your Business?
When your business is new and relatively small, its hosting requirements may be quite limited. But as your firm grows and expands, the demands on its email account may increase substantially.
Before you sign up for a business email host, think about the types of services they offer and the costs of what they provide. Can the service expand with your business, and what are the costs of that expansion? Having an email host that can grow with your business is essential, so do your homework and get it right the first time.
Does the Host Offer Shared Calendars and Other Business Essentials?
Email is just part of the business hosting picture, and email may not be all you need. Some hosts offer only email services, while others include hosting for your website, shared calendar functions and support for traveling and work-at-home employees.
Depending on the offerings, these enhanced services could be more cost effective than purchasing support on a piecemeal basis. When comparing the cost of business services and email hosting, it is important to compare apples to apples, so you can get the best overall value for your business.
Is There a Steep Learning Curve?
As a business owner, staying profitable and keeping yourself and your employees productive are two of your main considerations. The last thing you want to do is spend time learning a new email system or working out the bugs of a new software package.
The size and slope of the learning curve is a major issue when choosing email hosting for your business. An email system that is easy to learn, robust and flexible could be well worth the extra cost, while a service that is hard to navigate and difficult to learn is no bargain.
Finding a quality email host for your small business is no easy task, and there are a number of things to consider. From the size of your business to the size of the learning curve, these factors could tip the balance and help you select the best possible provider for your small business.