I’m passionate about bringing small businesses online – but you knew that.

Sometimes I think I’m making headway and then I will do a workshop with a group of small business owners only to find that some still don’t have websites and some, even those who do have websites, still use email addresses like bob@aol.com or chuck@hotmail.com.

I don’t about you, but using a Hotmail address for your business just might scream the wrong message. I don’t have anything against AOL or Yahoo or Hotmail, I just think every business needs a domain name (and a website) and they need to use that name in their email address. Let the world know you are in business – susie@onecoolflowershop.com

AOL, reading the writing on the wall is doing what they can to right the sinking ship and is now offering something called My Eaddress. This service allows you to register a domain and use it with your AOL account – so now bob@aol.com can become bob@superdupergarage.com, even without a website.

Yahoo offers a domain and Business Email for a flat annual fee of about $35.

Thanks to Ramon Ray at Smallbiztechnology for the heads up on the AOL service – Ray has a great site – check it out

You can register a domain name at GoDaddy or Yahoo Small Business – and don’t forget to go ahead and register your name and the names of each of your kids – you never know how valuable that step may prove some day.