How to Get Your Domain Name and Branded Email

Getting your own domain name and email address isn’t hard or expensive. Cost ranges from $4 per month and up depending on the quality and range of services you need. You probably spend way more money per month just on coffee or tea.

Think of a good name
First, think of a good name. For your domain name, it should be based on the name of your current or future acupuncture practice. If you haven’t thought of it yet, below are some good general rules for coming up with the name.

  • Easy to spell
  • Easy to pronounce
  • Easy to remember
  • Easy to associate
  • Helps you market your practice

Don’t be attached to any particular name. You should come up with several candidates. Test them with your friends, colleagues and even patients.

Check to see if it’s available
Once you have your short list of candidates, check to see if they are available for registration. You can check availability at domain name registration web sites such as www.dotster.com. What’s good about checking it here is that they offer alternative ideas if your preferred name is not available.

Register Your Domain Name and Sign Up for Hosting
Registering your domain name only gives you the ownership of the name. But in order to have your branded e-mail and eventual website, you’ll also need to purchase a hosting service plan.

Unless you are tech savvy, we recommend going with a company that handles both domain name registrations and email/web hosting services. As a bonus, some companies will waive the cost of domain name registration when signing-up for hosting. This can save you $15.00 or more per year.

Our Recommendation:
Evotion recommends going with www.Dreamhost.com for registrations and hosting services. Here’s why:

  • Affordable. Hosting plans start at $5.95 per month plus free domain name registration. Save an extra $2.00 off per month for your first year ($24 total) with coupon code ACUPUNCTURE. Or use the following link: http://www.dreamhost.com/r.cgi?531248
  • Green and carbon neutral.
  • Employee-owned.
  • Free hosting for registered 501(c)3 nonprofits.
  • Feature rich. Runs just about everything you will ever need.
  • Excellent support.

This article is written by Evotion, a technology company that specializes in providing technology services for changemakers, including acupuncturists and Chinese Medicine practitioners. The original article was published on the Evosia Blog, a blog about holistic living.