Match Your Email to Your Custom Domain

Every week I encounter a business or organization who still uses an e-mail address with a nondescript domain address. ginasflowers@yahoo.com or fishinginc@ameritech.net

There’s really no excuse for this. Domains cost about $10 per year, and you can get your e-mail hosted at your custom domain name free by Google. Google also has spelled out all the steps you need to take to set this up. I admit, if you haven’t done it before, it can be a bit off-putting. However, there are professionals around who can set it up in a couple of hours.

Because I feel so strongly that every business and organization should have a custom domain name for their e-mail at least, if not for their Web site, I’m offering to donate my time to set it up for you in 2010.

I’ll pick one organization each month (maybe more if the response is great), and we’ll get together and ensure you have a domain name set up and walk through the process of getting your e-mail hosted by Google Apps and your MX (mail exchange) records properly configured in your DNS. Just contact me through my site, and let me know what your current domain name is (if you have one) and why I should pick you.

If you’re up for doing it on your own, you can sign up for Google Apps here and then follow these instructions to get the e-mail switched over. Please note that the free version has a limited number of users (50) and no e-mail bulk import tool. However, you can take a 30-day free trial of the Premier version, which gives temporary access to the bulk mail import tool. Import all your mail for all your users, then you can cancel the trial. 501(c)(3) Non-profits may have free access to the Google Apps Premier edition after validating their status.

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