So consider what you are, and what you want that impression to be. If you’re a club or private individual - even one with something to sell - you can readily go to a “free” Internet service provider such as Freeserve because in that context, it’s a sensible choice and will be seen as such. However, not many clients would admire a major enterprise for doing the same.

Even at the individual level, there are certain occupations where having your own domain name is practically essential. The most obvious ones are professional services such as lawyers. These services sell solidity, competence, trustworthiness and reassurance, so you don’t want any cracks visible. And the individual who wants to look established should also buy a domain for the same reasons.

In between lie new and small businesses, traders, and companies that perhaps don’t sell directly to the public, but want a low-rent advert to remind people of their name and location. Malls like DudleyMall can provide a very economical hosting service and also be located in a "local area" collection of businesses.

Another option is “forwarding”. You buy a domain name which you advertise on your letterheads and everywhere else. But the domain is “parked”, which means kept alive but not hosted, and is therefore very cheap. When clients email this domain, their mail is invisibly forwarded to you at any other address you wish (for example, a free service). Similarly, web visitors can be forwarded to your real page, which might also be on a free service or at a different, lower price location such as DudleyMall. Note, however, that you cannot hide the web address that will appear at the top of your screen.

Email, the Unsung Hero
This is a good moment to talk about electronic mail. The web is the pretty face of the Internet, but email is enormously important. It can turn a web visitor into an instant client. It also allows relatively fast interchange between client and seller, even if you can never catch the other person on the phone.

Having enough electronic mail accounts lets you to filter material to the right destination within your business. And setting it up with autoresponders allows enquirers to receive standard answers without staff involvement at all (once you’ve written the text for the responses, of course).

There is one crucial point here: be sure to answer emails with reasonable promptness. It is part and parcel of your image. Remember: you are trying to look efficient, solid, trustworthy... Well, are you really? What’s your impression of a firm that responds poorly?

If you cannot cope with emails, don't provide email addresses to clients. You will certainly miss out on business, but that may be better than driving it away. But without emails you will also be reducing the power of your image.