Having a domain name is not required for you to have a live, functioning website. Many free hosting providers will give you an address where your pages can be viewed, but it is usually a long, difficult-to-remember one that says nothing about your business. The reasons for choosing and registering a good domain name for your business are several:

* It is easier to spell and remember a good domain name, which makes it easier for your customers to find you

* It looks more professional because you have committed time and resources to building a professional site that has it's own "address"

* If you don't go to the trouble of carefully selecting and obtaining a domain name for your business, then don't expect customers to beat a path to your door

Remember: you are going to be competing with other businesses that probably have registered a domain name and you need to be on par with them if you are going after the same customers. It is very inexpensive to register a domain name. Getting a domain name is not going to make or break your business online, but it is one of the many small things that add up to a world-class, competitive presence that says you mean business.

Money saving tip: many web hosting providers offer package deals - if you sign up with them to host your site they can register your domain name for you at no cost.

Approximate cost:  From $0 to $35.00 per domain name.

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