Starting a small business involves numerous steps, but setting up a robust digital infrastructure is one of the most crucial. This guide will walk you through the essential steps to ensure your business is ready for the digital world, covering email setup, domain purchase, branded email, business phone, and website creation.
Set up a Recovery Email
First, create a recovery email account for your business. You can use any free email service, but Gmail and ProtonMail are popular options. This account will serve as your recovery and secondary email for important accounts such as banking, custom domain email, phone service, and domain registrar.
Gmail
Gmail is one of the most widely used email services. It’s free, reliable, and offers robust security features. Creating a Gmail account for your business (e.g., [email protected]) ensures you have a dependable backup for crucial accounts.
ProtonMail
ProtonMail is another excellent option, known for its strong emphasis on privacy and security. Using ProtonMail for your recovery email (e.g., [email protected]) adds an extra layer of protection, ensuring that your sensitive information remains secure.
Why is this important?
Using a separate recovery email account ensures that you always have access to crucial accounts even if there are issues with your primary domain. This extra layer of security can prevent potential disruptions in your business operations.
Summary
- Create a recovery email using services like Gmail or ProtonMail.
- Use this email for secondary access to important accounts.
Purchase a Domain
A domain is your business’s online address, like www.santiagogarza.co. It’s where customers will find your website, and it plays a significant role in your online identity.
Why is a domain important?
- Professionalism: A custom domain makes your business appear more professional and trustworthy. For instance, a website with a custom domain (e.g., www.example.com) looks far more professional than one with a free domain (e.g., www.example.freehosting.com).
- Branding: Your domain is a key part of your brand identity. It helps with brand recognition and can make it easier for customers to remember and find you online.
- SEO: A good domain can help with search engine optimization (SEO), making it easier for potential customers to find your business through search engines.
- Control: Owning your domain gives you control over your online presence. You can create custom email addresses, set up your website, and use subdomains as needed.
Cloudflare Registrar
Cloudflare offers domains at cost, with no markup. This is an excellent option if you’re looking to minimize expenses. In addition to domain registration, Cloudflare provides numerous products that simplify securing your site, including DDoS protection, a web application firewall (WAF), SSL/TLS encryption, and performance optimization tools.
Gandi
Gandi is known for transparent pricing and reasonable markups. They also offer additional services that can be beneficial for your business. You can explore their offerings at Gandi Domain Services.
Summary
- Choose a domain that reflects your brand.
- Consider Cloudflare for cost-effective domain registration.
- Explore Gandi for additional services.
Set up a Branded Email
Having a professional email address (e.g., [email protected]) is essential for establishing credibility and trust with your clients and partners.
Why is branded email important?
- Professionalism: A branded email address reinforces your business’s professional image. For example, an email from [email protected] looks far more professional than [email protected]. Additionally, many business systems and contact forms treat accounts with a custom domain differently and usually prioritize these accounts.
- Brand Recognition: Consistent use of your business name across email addresses helps strengthen your brand.
- Trust: Customers are more likely to trust emails from a branded address than a generic one.
Zoho Mail
Zoho offers a range of email plans to suit your business needs:
- Zoho Forever Free Plan: Zoho provides a free plan that can get you started without any initial costs. It’s ideal for small businesses just starting out.
- Zoho Lite: For more features, Zoho Lite starts at an affordable $1 per user per month. This plan includes additional storage and features that can grow with your business.
Gandi Webmail
Gandi provides an affordable webmail service, but it can only be used if you registered your domain through them. This option is convenient if you’ve already chosen Gandi for your domain registration.
Google Workspace Business Starter
Starting at $6 / user / month, Google Workspace offers robust features, including Google Drive and collaboration tools. This plan provides excellent value for small businesses looking for comprehensive productivity solutions.
Summary
- Use a branded email for professionalism and trust.
- Zoho Mail offers free and affordable plans.
- Gandi Webmail is a convenient option if you registered your domain with Gandi.
- Google Workspace provides comprehensive productivity tools.
Get a Business Phone Number
Having a dedicated business phone number separates your personal and professional communications, which is essential for maintaining professionalism and organization.
Why is a business phone important?
- Professionalism: A dedicated business phone number ensures that your business communications remain professional.
- Separation: Keeps your personal and business communications separate.
- Flexibility: Many business phone services offer features like call forwarding, voicemail, and text messaging, which can enhance your business operations.
Google Voice
- Free Plan: Use your free Gmail account to create a free Google Voice number. This option is limited to one user and one number but is a cost-effective solution for solo entrepreneurs.
- Business Plan: Starts at $10 per user per month, offering additional features suitable for business needs, such as multiple numbers and advanced call management.
Zoom Phone
Zoom Phone provides flexible options for businesses of all sizes. It integrates seamlessly with other Zoom services, making it an excellent choice for businesses already using Zoom for meetings.
Grasshopper
Grasshopper is another reliable business phone service that offers various plans tailored to different business needs. It’s known for its ease of use and features like call forwarding and virtual receptionist.
Summary
- Separate business and personal communications with a dedicated business phone.
- Google Voice offers free and affordable plans.
- Zoom Phone is ideal for businesses already using Zoom.
- Grasshopper provides ease of use and flexible features.
Publish Your Website
A website is your business’s online storefront. It’s where customers learn about your products or services, contact you, and make purchases.
Why is a website important?
- Online Presence: A website makes your business accessible to customers 24/7.
- Credibility: A well-designed website adds credibility to your business.
- Marketing: A website is a platform for your marketing efforts, including SEO, content marketing, and social media integration.
WordPress
WordPress is an open-source platform known for its high customizability and ease of use. It is suitable for both small businesses and large enterprises. Affordable hosting options make it accessible to everyone. This blog is hosted on WordPress, showcasing its versatility. Since WordPress is open source, you own your entire site and can move it to any host you like, including hosting it yourself, avoiding vendor lock-in.
Squarespace
Squarespace is known for its easy-to-use editor, making it ideal for non-technical users. Its accessibility features ensure that anyone can create a professional-looking website. It offers beautiful templates and comprehensive support.
Shopify
If your business is focused on e-commerce, Shopify is optimized for online stores and provides numerous features to help you manage and grow your e-commerce business. It includes tools for inventory management, payment processing, and shipping.
Summary
- Create a website to establish an online presence.
- WordPress offers high customizability and ownership.
- Squarespace is user-friendly with beautiful templates.
- Shopify is ideal for e-commerce businesses.
Setting up your digital infrastructure properly is a crucial step for any small business. By following these guidelines, you can ensure that your business has a solid foundation to build upon, helping you to focus on what you do best – running your business.
If you need help setting up your business’s digital infrastructure, contact me for a free consultation.
Thanks for the great info and comparisons, this is the best small business IT needs one stop shop guide I’ve seen.