Professional email is non-negotiable. Your email address is often the first impression customers have of your business.
Why Professional Email Matters
❌ Bad: [email protected], [email protected] ✓ Good: [email protected], [email protected]
Professional email shows:
- You're a legitimate business
- You're serious and established
- You respect your brand
Options for Business Email
Google Workspace (Recommended)
Cost: $6-18/user/month Includes:
- Professional email (@yourcompany.com)
- Gmail interface (familiar to most)
- Google Drive, Docs, Sheets
- Google Meet video calling
- Calendar and contacts
- 30 GB - 5 TB storage
Best for: Most businesses, especially if already using Google products
Microsoft 365
Cost: $6-22/user/month Includes:
- Professional email (@yourcompany.com)
- Outlook email client
- Office apps (Word, Excel, PowerPoint)
- OneDrive storage
- Teams for collaboration
- 50 GB - 1 TB storage
Best for: Businesses that need Office applications, working with Netherlands partners
Other Options
Zoho Mail
- $1-7/user/month
- Good budget option
- Less familiar interface
Custom Email Hosting
- Your web host may offer email
- Often limited features
- Can be unreliable
Not Recommended:
- Free email (Gmail, Yahoo personal)
- Unprofessional for business
Setting Up Professional Email
Step 1: Choose Your Domain
- Have a domain? Use it (company.com, business.sr)
- Don't have domain? Register one first
- Domains cost $10-50/year depending on extension (.com, .sr, .net)
Step 2: Sign Up for Email Service
- Choose Google Workspace or Microsoft 365
- Select plan and number of users
- Payment via credit card (most accept international cards)
Step 3: Verify Domain Ownership
- Add DNS records to prove you own the domain
- Provider gives step-by-step instructions
- May take 24-48 hours to propagate
Step 4: Create Email Addresses
- You: [email protected]
- General: [email protected], [email protected]
- Specific: sales@, support@, accounting@
Don't create too many initially—add as needed.
Step 5: Set Up Email Client
- Use webmail (easiest)
- Or configure desktop/mobile apps
- Outlook, Thunderbird, Apple Mail all work
Email Best Practices
Professional Signature
Include:
- Full name and title
- Company name
- Phone number
- Website
- (Optional) Address, social media
Example:
Maria Lopez
Owner, Decor Studio Suriname
[email protected]
+597 123-4567
www.decorstudio.sr
Email Etiquette
- Respond within 24 hours (business days)
- Use clear subject lines - "Invoice 2024-015" not "Question"
- Keep it professional - But friendly
- Proofread before sending - Typos look bad
- Don't overuse CC - Only include who needs to see it
Organization
- Use labels/folders - Clients, Suppliers, Internal
- Archive old emails - Don't delete, but move to archive
- Unsubscribe from newsletters - Keep inbox clean
- Use filters - Auto-sort incoming mail
Security Tips
- Strong password - 16+ characters, unique to email
- Enable 2FA - Two-factor authentication is essential
- Be wary of phishing - Don't click suspicious links
- Don't share passwords - Even with employees (give them their own accounts)
- Regular backups - Email providers backup, but download important emails too
Mobile Access
Both Google Workspace and Microsoft 365 have excellent mobile apps:
- Install official app (Gmail or Outlook)
- Push notifications for new mail
- Reply quickly from anywhere
- Secure with biometric lock
Cost Considerations
Solo entrepreneur:
- 1 user = $6-12/month
- Annual = $72-144
Small team (5 people):
- 5 users = $30-90/month
- Annual = $360-1,080
Worth it? Absolutely. Professional email is foundation of business communication.
Common Issues
Email going to spam:
- Configure SPF, DKIM, DMARC records (provider helps with this)
- Don't send mass emails from personal email
- Use email marketing service for newsletters
Can't receive emails:
- Check inbox storage
- Verify DNS settings
- Check spam folder
- Contact provider support
Forgot password:
- Use account recovery process
- This is why backup email/phone important
- Enable 2FA to prevent unauthorized resets
Migration from Free Email
Don't delete old email account!
- Set up new professional email
- Set up forwarding from old to new email
- Update email on all accounts (banks, suppliers, etc.)
- Inform clients of new email
- Keep old account active for 3-6 months for stragglers
- Eventually forward and close old account
Regional Considerations
Suriname
- Both Google and Microsoft work fine with Surinamese internet
- Payment in USD (consider exchange rate)
- No local support, but 24/7 online support
- Works on mobile data (Digicel, Telesur)
Netherlands Connection
- Same email services used in NL
- Easy collaboration with Dutch partners
- No compatibility issues
Next Steps
Once you have professional email:
→ Phone System → Video Conferencing
Professional email is a small investment that pays big dividends in credibility and trust.