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Many new business owners begin their venture and get very busy very quickly, whether it’s from trying to find new business or because the venture took off better than they had expected, either way once the ball starts rolling it’s very difficult to stop it or slow it down, even for a short time, just to get organised. So before you begin your new venture and as part of your business plan, you should briefly consider your business domain name, email and website hosting. You may argue that you have more important matters to organise and that a website is the least of your priorities at the moment; however it is a simple and inexpensive step to giving you a professional image from the outset, as well as good organisation.

A good practise is to register your domain name as soon as you have decided what your business name will be. In most countries you can register the name regardless of whether you have a business name registered already, however certain countries, like Australia, won’t allow you to register a .com.au or .net.au domain name (e.g. yournewbusinessname.com.au) until your business name is registered. Many people think that a registered business guarantees them the same domain as their business name; however this is not entirely the case. If another business starts operating with a similar name to yours, selling a completely different product, they may get the name you wanted, so it’s a good idea to register it as soon as you can. You own it then and can use it when it suits you.

Even if you don’t want a website right away, a domain name can still be used for email. You own the domain and you can create whatever email addresses you want (with the right web hosting service provider). This means that from the very start you can create email addresses for yourself (yourname@yournewbusinessname.com.au), your employees and any generalised email addresses that make your business look more professional (e.g. info, sales or accounts@yournewbusinessname.com.au and these can easily be directed to your inbox or any other staff members that may deal with that particular department). Starting in this manner means that your business cards will have the correct details from day one, any important relations with the bank, landlords, suppliers, etc, all get directed to your correct email address and you won’t have the inconvenience of trying to change this over later on. Also, you are not reliant on your internet service provider (ISP) and therefore will always maintain the same email addresses that you control, no matter where you move or relocate.

Benefits of having your own email address:

• Market your business name rather than that of your ISP or free email provider

• Benefits potential buyers of your business if you ever choose to sell it. This makes for a much easier handover

• Not limited to a certain number of free accounts that you are allowed from your ISP

If you’ve agreed with the above, or even if you’re not 100% convinced, but see some merit in it, then you should seriously consider registering your domain name right away, before somebody else does - it is a negligible cost to your business, so there is really no reason to delay it.

Once you have chosen a web hosting provider to register your domain name - you can include an email and website hosting option that are usually provided as a relatively inexpensive package. That way, you can start using your email right away and your hosting web space will be there waiting for you to publish a website when convenient to you.

About the Author:
Gavin Payne has been involved in the Hosting industry for over 6 years working with global companies including AT&T, VISA, Peugeot, BMW, Motorola and many others. Today he's the managing director of NewSprout.com.au, an Australian website hosting and domain registration company that provides total web hosting solutions to business and personal clients. For more information visit http://www.newsprout.com.au