With so many free tools and applications for your business available on the market, you may be surprised to hear me say this, but in my opinion, the best tool for starting your business and keeping all of your information organized is [still] the regular old Google platform. Not only is this the best platform in the way of convenience and portability, but it’s also FREE, which makes it even more appealing. You may have to upgrade at some point, but the Google platform has all of the tools you need to get started and stay organized.
As a dedicated Android user, I use the Google platform for a ton of daily and weekly tasks. I love the Google platform because with Google Docs, Sheets, Drive, Calendar, and Gmail, I can easily keep all aspects of my business organized. And the best part is that I can access Google on any desktop, tablet, or phone if I choose, making these areas of my business as accessible as possible, not only for sending emails, but also for adding quick notes, amending, and sharing files, or scheduling appointments.
Gmail
For basic email functions, I use Google Gmail because of its amazing compatibility with so many other applications. With the Gmail platform, you can use your email to sign in to other apps and save passwords. And because it is so easily accessible on any device, you are able to accomplish a wide range of tasks from anywhere.
To create a new Google Gmail, you need to create a new Google account. Complete the simple prompts with your desired account information to set up your new google account in a matter of minutes. After creating this account, you will now have a separate Gmail address and Google Drive storage specific to this new email.
You can personalize this email’s desktop by selecting the gear icon in the upper right corner near your profile icon. You are able to choose how the email appears, email themes, and how email is sorted. If you go into the more advanced settings option, you are able to change text options, Gmail display options, spelling and grammar options, button options, keyboard shortcuts, and any other email-specific options you choose.
Then install the Gmail app on your phone from the Google Play store, if you don’t already have it, to be able to check email and receive notifications on your mobile device. You can also find and install all of your other Google apps here like Drive, Sheets, and Documents if you need mobile use of these apps as well.
Personalizing Your Account
Once you have set up the Google Gmail account, you can update personal information and personalize your google account by selecting “Manage Google Account” under your profile icon. Here you can make changes to your settings, security, and sharing options, as well as manage payments and subscriptions. You can also opt-in for special business features that help to connect you with more customers for free and add your business to Google Search and Google Maps.
Google Drive & Organization
Now that you have set up the Gmail you want to use for your business or organization’s correspondence, you can begin to add files to your Google Drive cloud storage. You can find the Google Drive triangle icon by logging into your email and selecting the grid of boxes next to your profile photo or icon in the upper right corner. This opens a new window with your Google Drive storage files. With the standard Gmail account, you receive 15 GB of Google Drive file storage. Any Google documents or Google spreadsheets you create will be automatically saved here. You can also create forms and questionnaires here too. Files can easily be shared in Google Drive by sending an email invite to your Drive document or folder.
If you choose to upgrade at some point, you can manage your storage in the data and personalization menu in “Manage your Google Account” located below your profile photo in the upper right of your Chrome browser when signed into Gmail.
The basic Google platform has so many amazing features and apps to help you save time and increase your accessibility and productivity from your phone or desktop. That is why I still recommend Google’s basic platform, especially to my smaller clients who are just starting out and need the increased capabilities without the cost. And with this platform, you are always able to upgrade to enable even more enhanced features to further benefit you and your growing business.
