The Internet is like a parallel world: our websites are our business presentations, our e-mail - our conversations; a discussion list is like a business networking meeting and our e-mail addresses are part of our personal presence. They speak for us - just like the rest of our e-mail.

I make some mistakes in English, because it is my fourth language. Sometimes I butcher the language BUT I always check my spelling before I send anything anywhere. Just like in the "real world" I would think twice before addressing all of you during a meeting, I care about the image I create in people's minds on the Internet.

In the "real world" the way we dress and groom ourselves speaks volumes about us. Like it or not - people judge you (and you judge others) using some kind of, not too sophisticated, rather superficial, value system.

The same thing happens here on the Internet. Of course, it takes a while before we develop our "evaluation system". But we all do. I wrote recently about my way of figuring out whether or not a person writing to me is a good listener. I learned from my own mistakes. My ex-computer specialist, a local guy I met at my Chamber of Commerce, had an e-mail address "clutterburg@xxxxx.com" (I changed only the second part but it was one of those free e-mail places). From the day we met I was wondering why he, a computer specialist after all, was using a free e-mail account - but I didn't listen. Yeah, even that "clutterburg" part passed me by! Big mistake. Because the clutter he created in my computer caused a big time failure of my hard disk drive and put me out of business for more than 2 weeks...

When I look back, I see that this guy was shouting loud and clear "Hey, Wanda! I am a clutter-specialist and I am not taking myself and my business seriously enough to spend 20 bucks a month for a serious e-mail account" ($20 was half of his hourly fee).

I chose to ignore this message and I paid the price.

Now think, we all know that in the western culture, a business person who wears a well cut jacket does make a much better first impression than someone in a cheap piece from K-Mart - like it or not. A letter written on a good quality stationary commands far more attention than a message on some ordinary piece of paper.. On the Internet sending an e-mail from a cost-free account at hotmail can make a big difference. In many cases those letters are dumped upon arrival.

An e-mail address is very much like any other image issue. Having a free one might be functional in many cases, just like wearing old sneakers is comfortable around the house. But in a business situation they both might backfire. Is there a serious business person who would deliver a sales presentation in some worn out clothes that didn't see a cleaner for a while - ONLY because they are free? Or just because it feels comfortable? I don't think so... (and if there are exceptions... heck, they are just exceptions).

Call me superficial, but I prefer to deal with people who are well groomed when they meet with me (even though I know that many brilliant minds don't use deodorants). I prefer people who write on a decent quality stationary (even though I know that some of the wisest words in the world were written on paper napkins). I also prefer people actually employing BOTH of their hands when writing e-mail letters to me (so that they can use lower AND upper case letters and address me "Wanda" not "wanda").

And finally - yes, in my opinion there is a BIG advantage when someone uses their own paid e-mail address. Preferably even attached to their own domain. Willing to invest at least 20 bucks a month to make a stronger first impression? Compare the cost to buying a well cut business suit from Armani! I consider this a very wise investment... And I like wise business people.

Using free e-mail you risk sending a message that you are not willing to invest in your business.

Free e-mail is perfect for students, for Internet surfers and for many other things but it is not a good idea to use it in your business correspondence. Like it or not, many times (more often than you might think) a letter mailed from that kind of address will not be even opened. No to mention read or answered.

So, if you think that you are really smart because you are saving those twenty dollars a month... think again!

Why would any smart business person risk THAT?