Seven Steps to Better Email Management

Entrepreneur.com

These days, email is probably the most important communication tool for businesses. I'd even hazard a guess that in most industries, business professionals either thrive -- or barely survive -- based on their ability to interact via email. And while it's easy to get overwhelmed by your inbox, there are some easy strategies you can implement to keep it all under control. These seven tips will help you better manage your email use:

1. Get rid of consumer email solutions.

Using one of the free email services, such as Hotmail, Yahoo! (YHOO Quote) or MSN (MSFT Quote), is OK for emails to friends and family. For serious business use, however, it's best to use a professional email program hosted by an email provider, your ISP or on a server in your business. Consumer email services don't have the advanced features that more robust and "professional" email programs have. And if you don't have your own domain name, you should -- it's much more professional.

2. Learn how to really use your email program.

I recently switched from Mozilla Thunderbird to Microsoft Outlook. Although I'm a technology expert, I definitely needed training in Outlook to maximize my use of this valuable tool. Once I was through, I knew a lot more about the program and understood just how to use it to my benefit.

Whether you use Outlook, Eudora, Thunderbird, Pegasus, Netscape email or some other email program, having a few hours of training in its use will only help. Probably the best way to get the training you need is to visit the manufacturer's Web site and search for tutorials for the program you're using. If you're unable to find something there, a simple Google (GOOG Quote) search should turn up a tutorial for the program you're using.

3. Keep your inbox manageable.

If you use your inbox to store all your email messages, you'll find that after a short amount of time, especially if you get a lot of email, your inbox will be one big mess, with everything from spam and jokes to business contracts and more. Instead of letting it all just sit there, quickly act on incoming messages so your inbox only holds a minimal amount of email at any given time. I know people who have hundreds and even thousands of messages in their inbox, which is inefficient, to say the least.

4. Maximize the use of folders.

Imagine what would happen if you kept all your client information in the same file folder -- you'd never be able to find the information you were looking for. Email messages work the same way. In order to keep things organized, it's critical to set up folders to archive your messages. You might organize email along projects, clients, business processes, persons or other variables that reflect how you operate on a daily basis.

For instance, if you handle all your company's marketing tasks, you might set up email folders for each project, and subfolders for each mode of advertising. You might also create a folder for each type of outsourcing you do, such as printing, design, Web site design and so on.

5. Automate your email with filters.

Technology should work for you, and email is no exception. If you frequently receive email with a lot of the same subject lines or from the same people, you can set up your email program to automatically route these messages to an appropriate folder or auto-reply to certain messages.

For instance, if your friend Sally only sends you jokes, why not route all her emails to a "Joke" folder for review later on. Or if you frequently get emails asking for directions to your company, set up an auto-reply that will automatically attach a map, link to an online mapping system, and supply basic train and taxi information.

6. Be secure.

No advice on email management would be complete without stressing the importance of secure email use. Be careful of attachments, embedded graphics and links leading to phishing Web sites as you email. If you get an email saying "Your PayPal account needs to be verified" or there's a problem with your mortgage, don't click on the email link provided. Instead, go to PayPal's Web site or that of your financial institution, and log on directly. Or call them to find out whether there is indeed a problem.

7. Back up your email. A critical part of a secure email experience is ensuring that when your computer program crashes, you have an email backup you can turn to for help. Imagine losing a month's worth of new customer information that's stored in your email. Back up the email on your computer, and if you host your own email, be sure you back up your email server as well.

---