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A professional email address builds credibility with athletes and parents. This guide walks you through setting up coach@yourbusiness.com using Google Workspace in about 30 minutes.
Why does this matter? Parents and athletes trust businesses with professional emails. A custom domain email like coach@smithtraining.com looks more credible than coach_smith_2019@gmail.com on your website, invoices, and business cards.

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What you’ll need

Before starting, make sure you have:
  • A domain name (like smithtraining.com) — we’ll help you get one if needed
  • A credit card for Google Workspace ($6/month per user)
  • About 30 minutes
1

Get your domain name

Your domain is your business address on the internet (example: smithtraining.com).
Google walks you through purchasing a domain during Workspace signup. This is the simplest option—everything stays in one place and DNS records are configured automatically.Cost: ~$12/year for most .com domains
Domain name tips:
  • Keep it short and easy to spell
  • Use .com if available (most trusted)
  • Match your business name when possible
  • Avoid hyphens and numbers
2

Sign up for Google Workspace

Google Workspace gives you professional email plus Google Drive, Calendar, and Meet—all connected to your domain.

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Go to Google Workspace

  1. Visit workspace.google.com
  2. Click Get Started or Start Free Trial

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Enter your business info

  • Business name: Your coaching business name
  • Number of employees: Select “Just you” or your team size
  • Country: United States

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Choose your plan

For most coaches, Business Starter ($6/user/month) is perfect:
FeatureIncluded
Professional email @yourdomain.com✓
30 GB storage per user✓
Video meetings (100 participants)✓
Standard security✓
You can upgrade to Business Standard ($12/month) later if you need more storage or features.

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Enter your domain

  • Already own a domain? Enter it here
  • Need to buy one? Google will help you search and purchase

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Create your admin account

Choose a professional email address:
Good examplesAvoid
coach@smithtraining.comcoachj2019@smithtraining.com
john@smithtraining.comjohn_smith_coach@smithtraining.com
info@smithtraining.comthebestcoach123@smithtraining.com

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Complete payment

Enter your payment info. Google typically offers a 14-day free trial.
3

Verify your domain

Skip this step if you bought your domain through Google—verification is automatic.
Google needs to confirm you own your domain. This sounds technical, but just follow these steps:

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Get your verification code

Google provides a verification code that looks like:
google-site-verification=ABC123xyz...

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Add the code to your domain settings

  1. Log into Namecheap → Domain List → Manage
  2. Click Advanced DNS
  3. Click Add New Record
  4. Configure the record:
    • Type: TXT
    • Host: @
    • Value: Paste the Google verification code
    • TTL: Automatic
  5. Click Save All Changes

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Complete verification

Click Verify in Google Workspace. Wait 5-10 minutes if it doesn’t work immediately—DNS changes take time to propagate.
DNS changes can take up to 1 hour to propagate. If verification fails, wait and try again.
4

Set up email routing (MX records)

Skip this step if you bought your domain through Google—MX records are configured automatically.
MX records tell the internet where to deliver your emails. You need to point them to Google’s mail servers.

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Delete existing MX records

First, remove any existing MX records in your domain settings.

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Add Google’s MX records

Add these five records exactly as shown:
PriorityMail Server
1ASPMX.L.GOOGLE.COM
5ALT1.ASPMX.L.GOOGLE.COM
5ALT2.ASPMX.L.GOOGLE.COM
10ALT3.ASPMX.L.GOOGLE.COM
10ALT4.ASPMX.L.GOOGLE.COM
  1. Go to Advanced DNS → Mail Settings
  2. Select Custom MX
  3. Add each record from the table above
  4. Click Save All Changes
MX record changes can take up to 48 hours, but usually work within 1-2 hours. Test by sending an email from a different account.
5

Access your new email

Once setup is complete, access your professional email:

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On the web

  1. Go to gmail.com
  2. Sign in with your new email (coach@yourdomain.com)
  3. Use the password you created during signup

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On your phone

  1. Download the Gmail app (if you don’t have it)
  2. Tap Add Account → Google
  3. Sign in with your new business email
Send a test email to yourself from a personal account to confirm everything works!
6

Set up your profile

Complete these important first steps to look professional:

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Add a profile photo

  1. Go to gmail.com → Click your initials (top right)
  2. Click Manage your Google Account
  3. Select Personal info → Photo
  4. Upload a professional headshot

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Create your email signature

  1. In Gmail: Click the gear icon → See all settings
  2. Scroll to Signature → Click Create new
  3. Add your professional signature:
John Smith
Head Coach, Smith Training Academy
📞 (555) 123-4567
🌐 smithtraining.com
📍 Chicago, IL
Keep signatures simple. Include your name, title, phone, website, and location. Avoid quotes, images, and excessive formatting.

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Forward your old email (optional)

If people still email your old personal address:
  1. Log into your old Gmail account
  2. Go to Settings → Forwarding and POP/IMAP
  3. Click Add a forwarding address
  4. Enter your new business email
  5. Verify and enable forwarding

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Cost summary

ItemCost
Domain name~$12/year
Google Workspace (Business Starter)$6/month per user
Total for 1 person~$84/year

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Troubleshooting

  • Wait and retry: DNS changes can take up to 1 hour. Try again later.
  • Check for typos: Verify you pasted the complete verification code.
  • Remove extra spaces: Ensure no spaces before or after the code.
  • Correct record type: Make sure you created a TXT record, not another type.
  • Wait for propagation: MX records can take up to 48 hours (usually 1-2 hours).
  • Verify MX records: Double-check all five records are entered correctly.
  • Test from external account: Send a test email from Gmail or another provider.
  • Check spam folder: Your first emails might land in spam.
  1. Go to accounts.google.com
  2. Click Forgot password
  3. Follow the recovery steps using your backup email or phone
  • Check credentials: Use your full email address (coach@domain.com)
  • Enable less secure apps: Some older phones need this setting (not recommended long-term)
  • Update Gmail app: Make sure you have the latest version

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Quick reference

TaskWhere to go
Check your emailgmail.com
Manage Google Workspaceadmin.google.com
Add more email usersadmin.google.com → Users
View your billingadmin.google.com → Billing
Get help from Googlesupport.google.com/a

Need help?

Our team is here to help you get set up. Reach out if you run into any issues.