Email tips: How to use rules, folders and signatures

Watching the screen

In the same way we regularly clean up our office, so, too we should tidy up our inbox. These email tips include ideas on how to use rules, folders, signatures and more to streamline your email.

From my experience, email users fall into one of 3 categories:

1. The Hoarder keeps absolutely everything…..just in case;

2. The Deleter instantly deletes what they don't need;

3. The In Betweener describes those that try to manage it as best they can, but occasionally want to smash the keyboard with a hammer.

Author’s Note: By the way I have done this (smashing a keyboard with a hammer)…I recommend it as a cathartic experience, just don’t do it on the keyboard you use every day!

In the same way we clean up our desk and our office, so, too we should think about tidying up our email. With ideas on how to use email rules, folders, signatures and more, these email tips can help.

Like a filing cabinet, over time your email becomes clogged up with messages and attachments that you just don’t get around to printing, deleting or filing.

Once a quarter, try allocating some time to review your email, whether you are utilising its capabilities and if it is still reflecting the image you want to portray to clients.

Here are seven tips to consider:

1. Do you have a big long list of folders for your messages?

Perhaps you can abbreviate it by creating main 'category' folders to which you add sub folders. In Outlook, sub folders can be created by dragging a folder to the folder you want it inside of. For example, you could have a client folder and have sub folders representing each of your clients. Or you can have a client folder and two sub folders for active and inactive clients.

2. Utilise rules

Once you have created folders, rules enable you to automate messages you send to clients to go straight to the client folder, which saves you having to find and file them later. See your email program's Help feature to learn more about rules.

3. Check your email signature.

Do you have one? If not, you might want to consider a signature with your contact details, or revamp the one you have. Signatures are a great way of encouraging prospective clients to visit your website or sign up to a newsletter. Try not to make it too long and change it from time to time.

4. Empty your deleted items bin.

If you haven’t retrieved a message from deleted items today, chances are you are never going to need it. If you aren’t sure, archive it or print it out instead.

5. Utilise other capabilities

Examples are tasks or calendar in your mail. Messages can often be dragged and dropped to the calendar or task list to create an entry to which you can add reminders.

6. Check your email at certain times of the day

This is as opposed to having messages download every ten minutes or so. This avoids the obvious interruptions, but rest assured, the world won’t stop if you don’t answer your emails within 30 seconds of receiving them.

7. BACK UP your email and contacts.

To find where these are stored on your computer, go to Tools on the Outlook menu, Options, Mail Setup, Data Files.

Donna has also written another article about how to set up a computer backup system - Ed

Donna Hanson specialises in computer and technology related education for business and corporate users. Her company provides customised training and resources to help users understand and increase their knowledge of computer related technology.

7 comments | Add your own

I was referred to your website and have browsed, very inspiring. However I did not find what I was searchign for, do you know of a site whereby individuals who work for themselves can get in contact with others should they wish to share commercial office space when the home office situation has run it's course? Tarsha Burn from Sydney
Hi Tarsha, Thanks for your feedback. I don't know of any sites that would give you the info you're after. Some networking groups have mailing lists for their members, I quite often get "Fab office space available" emails through my networking group (Last Thursday Club). Next time I get one I'll forward it to you! Sam Leader from Sydney, NSW | Read my articles
I know this is a practical/technical issue, but can anyone offer instructions for making a backup from Outlook 2000? This includes attachments that haven't been saved separately. Also when outlook does its auto archive thing, where does everything get stored and how best do you look for an old email? Richard from Adelaide
Just a quick note re point 1. Creating extra folders is bad (ie. 1 for each client) particularly when you want to change your auto-archive settings (which involves going to each folder independantly). A right pain. Instead, put all the Client email in a folder and Group by sender. Viola! Alternative #2 - use Categories - my Accounts and Sales folder has categories like Bills, Invoices, Quotes Andrew Way from Thebarton, SA
Hi Andrew,
Some great options to try as well. As with most computer applications there are many ways to do similar things, you just need to find the right one for you! Donna Hanson from Melbourne
Richard,
One way to back up your Outlook files and attachments is by going to the file menu, choose import and export, choose to export to a file and save the file as a pst. When you choose the folders you want to export (ie inbox), don't forget to tick the box saying subfolders.
Hope this helps Donna Hanson from Melbourne
We enjoy reading your weekly soloist jolt and find so much to ponder over and put in place. Our little holiday house business is growing slowly; thanks to your hints and stories etc we are confident our venture will expand even more. Jan and Lin Bell - Bells By the Beach Holiday House from Ocean Grove, Victoria.

7 comments | Add your own

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