GMail as a main co e-mail...
 

Do you think it's professional to use gmail as your main company e-mail address? If no, why not? if yes, why?

I'm leaning towards no. Mainly security issues. I also don't think people will consider a company professional if they use a free email services as the main contact mechanism. Thoughts?

You can put out whatever email you want and have it forward to your gmail.

As for the free email vs. domain email argument. Every single wanabee has a domain, hell they cost next to nothing. Why would anyone feel any safer with an @personaldomain than an @freeaccount.

I personally am pro gmail.

BTW Andre did that guy work out?

Professional is based on how you deal with people.

What's so professional about registering a domain for 10 bucks and setting up a pop?

if you're dealing with computer savvy people the gmail will be fine, however normal folks usually find domain addresses more professional.

I think gmail actually offer the ability to host your domain email....they had a beta program out for that...

I'm more likely to delete an email from a free service before even reading it. If I do read it, it depends on the content whether or not I might consider it professional or not. On the other hand, one of my first thoughts is "why don't you want me to know your site domain"? must be a spammer or something shady. Delete.

The contact emails for my domains are [email protected] but just forward to gmail.

Then in gmail settings I set my 'reply to' address as [email protected].

So unless someone closely reads the headers, they wont even notice.

Google is now offering their gmail software as google 'hosted email' You set the mx record to forward to google and you can use the same software as gmail for your business email, on your own domain name, and its fully skinnable... we use it here, and have no complaints.