During the recent launch of our newest QuickFile for Outlook addin, we carried out survey’s and also spoke to a few readers and customers personally to find out if they needed help with filing and retrieving emails. This is what I found out…
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Many users still do NOT have a system for filing their emails. Even users who KNEW they needed a system were not using one … They either don’t have the time or enough information to get started. |
The top 3 reasons reported by users for not implementing an email management system are:
Reason #1: Outlook’s built-in automatic filing tools (Rules and Auto-Archive) don’t seem to move things logically for me!
I agree 100%! That’s why in tips #1 and #2 of this upcoming blog post tips series I advise you to turn these features OFF. We’re going to show you an easier way… that still does not need anything outside Outlook or learning a new software.
Reason #2: I don’t have the time.
I think a reader said it best…
When should I file? If I am busy with work then e-mails just build up, if I am busy with e-mails, my work does not get done. (John)
In the next few weeks we’re going to introduce to you a system that takes very little extra time but still gets all your filing done. In the next few weeks, we’ll show you some additional tips to bring the time down to (almost) zero.
Reason #3: How should I structure my email management system… there seems to be so many different ways of doing this.
I like to keep things as simple as possible so I normally recommend to my clients… Create a folder structure inside Outlook that matches the way you file your paper documents. It makes it much easier to find emails (or for that matter anything) later if they’re all filed using the same system.
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You can create and use a simple email management system TODAY… with nothing more than Outlook. This system is already being used by thousands of our customers around the world. Let’s get started… |
In the next few weeks, I will be providing step-by-step instructions for a VERY SIMPLE email management system that will work for any businessperson who works with clients, projects or cases. Use these simple tips to:
- Ensure that your Outlook data file does not get bloated, slow-down and eventually corrupt itself and die (causing possible loss of some if not all your e-mails
- Backup the correct Outlook data files in case of hardware failure
- Organize your emails so that your E-mail Folders matches your paper filing structure
- File your e-mails in a way that lets you quickly see all correspondence (incoming, out-going, to and from anyone) for a project quickly and easily in one place
- Get some control over your e-mails and use your Inbox like a proper In-tray holding only the items that need your attention.
- Easily archive e-mails for completed projects with other electronic documents (Word files, Excel files etc) for the same project.
- Quickly find specific e-mails for a project.
By now you all must be wondering if this is going to be a
FREE tips series or will you have to pay to join?
The tips that I will be sharing with you in the next few weeks has been shared to me by YOU so how can it be charged, therefore this is an absolutely FREE tips series.
I will be posting the tips on this blog in the order that I feel would give you a simple and efficient email management system so I recommend that you go through the tips in the order in which they are presented as they build on each other.
If you have not subscribed to our blog yet, JOIN US today so we can notify you when we post the tips on our blog.
Whats next?
In Tip #1 and #2 next week, I will be showing you why you should not be using Outlook’s Auto-Archiving and Rules feature and how to turn it OFF.
Till then… Have a Better Outlook.
