Seven Steps to Better Email Management

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.