I am not one for throwing around clichés, but when it comes to this one, I can't help but agree with it: You only get one chance to make a first impression.

When meeting new people (a potential client, a possible business partner, a new contact or a new friend) it is natural to want to put your best foot forward to make a positive impression. Some factors we focus on to help present ourselves include wearing the proper attire, being well groomed, properly verbalizing your message and showing proper etiquette... among other things. Another key factor that is often overlooked is the importance of creating and sharing your own personal brand... for as little as $10.

Start building your brand by registering your personal domain name (www)

The internet helps support your networking efforts more than you can imagine. Why not make sure that it includes some information about yourself and how you want to be perceived? People often overlook the basic personal branding tool that will most likely live with you the rest of your life - your personal email address.

HockeyFan69@gmail.com, SweetLips2277@hotmail.com and BeckyDancingQueen19@yahoo.com are examples of fine email addresses to share with your childhood friends or close buddies, but would you and do you feel confident in sharing an email like this with new contacts? I can't tell you how impressive it is when you meet new people and network outside of business parameters and they provide personal email addresses that include their personal name as their domain - john@doe.com, stephanie@jones.ca and mike@oreilly.com are perfect examples that scream professionalism. Remember, business email addresses are always great to share for business purposes, but what happens when you move on from that position with the company?

Sure, there is a cost to web hosting, but the benefits of having a personal website (or at least a domain presence for email purposes) largely outweigh the hosting fees - creating a positive image and presence in our digital culture. In addition to that, you will also be perceived as a forward-thinker and an early adopter of this global trend. There is a growing importance of online presence and reputation that is dominating traditional paper resumes. Personal websites will become a modern necessity for any young graduates, professionals and networkers.

3 Reasons Why You Need a Personal Domain

Impress others with your personal business card!

Creating your personal business card that includes your personalized email address easily creates a new channel for potential employers and business partners to contact you - increasing the occurrences of this happening. Adding a website to your list of contact information enables potential employers to comfortably conduct active research on yourself, helping address any questions they may have.

Expose your personal identity to the world!

Register for a domain name that reflects your first and last name. If the domain is not available, try close variations to reflect your name. If potential employers or business partners take the time and effort to seek more information about you on the web, make sure you have done all that you can so they can find you. It is much more important to create a personal website rather than relying on your profile at a social networking website like facebook, twitter and linkedin.

Showcase your personal work, skills and image with pride!

It is key to show pride in yourself and your work. By creating and maintaining a personal web presence, this shows potential partners and employers that you have pride in the things you do and are associated with.