EMAIL ADDRESS GUIDE
Professional email address ideas for small businesses
A good business email address is easy to remember and makes its purpose clear. Use addresses such as hello@yourdomain.com or billing@yourdomain.com to help people reach the right place.
Email alias ideas by purpose
| Purpose | Address ideas | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| General contact | hello@, contact@, info@ | Website, business cards, and first enquiries |
| Sales | sales@, quotes@, partnerships@ | Product questions, estimates, and collaborations |
| Customer support | support@, help@, care@ | Questions from existing customers |
| Billing | billing@, invoices@, accounts@ | Payments, receipts, and account questions |
| Bookings | bookings@, appointments@, events@ | Scheduling and availability requests |
| Privacy and security | privacy@, security@ | Data requests and vulnerability reports |
Start with a few useful addresses
Create an address for each distinct kind of conversation, not every possible department. A practical starter set is:
- hello@ for general enquiries
- sales@ for new business
- support@ for customer questions
- billing@ for payments and invoices
If one person handles everything, these may all point to one monitored inbox. If several people share responsibility, choose a team inbox or agree on an owner for each address.
How to choose an alias name
Keep it short and familiar
Prefer common words people can spell after hearing them once. Avoid unfamiliar abbreviations, long project names, and punctuation that is easy to mistype.
Use role addresses for shared work
Addresses like support@ can remain useful when a person changes roles. Use a person's name when the address is intentionally personal, and plan who owns it if they leave.
Give each address a clear purpose
Avoid making hello@, contact@, and info@ compete for the same job unless they have distinct owners or uses.
Choose the destination before publishing
Use an inbox someone checks regularly. Forwarding does not create a mailbox or guarantee a reply. Test delivery with non-critical messages before publishing the address.
Alias versus mailbox
An email alias is an alternate address that routes incoming mail to a mailbox. A mailbox stores and manages email under its own account. Forwarding can help you use a domain address with an existing inbox, but forwarding alone does not let you send from that address. For the differences, compare email forwarding with hosted email.
Set up addresses carefully
Confirm domain ownership, choose and verify a destination inbox, and review your provider's mail-routing instructions. Existing MX records can affect current email delivery, so understand what is configured before changing DNS.
Read how setup works and the email forwarding FAQs before changing mail routing.
Frequently asked questions
What email address should a small business use?
Start with a memorable general address like hello@yourdomain.com. Add addresses such as sales@ or support@ when they serve a distinct purpose and have a clear owner.
Is info@ or hello@ better?
Both are familiar. Choose one that fits your brand and use it consistently. You rarely need both unless they handle different kinds of enquiries.
Can I send email from a forwarded alias?
Forwarding handles incoming mail. Sending from the custom address requires a separate feature from your email provider. The current CyanDB development preview does not deliver or forward real email.