E-mail is one of the most crucial communication tools at the disposal of businesses (second only to smoke signals and neck-and-neck with pheromones). Let’s take a brief look at how e-mail is used and then get a sense of some of the most popular e-mail clients for business purposes.
Using E-mail to Your Advantage
The following are three ways you can use e-mail – just to consider how you might want to expand your usage of the technology. Think of this section in the same category as a plumber’s tutorial on fuller utilization of your garbage disposal.
- Standard limited-interaction usage
If your business is small, your Internet Service Provider (ISP) or website hosting company may already be providing you with several accounts for a low price or free of charge. If your business gets bigger, you may want to look into a more sophisticated system. Gmail is a free service to consider – you can use any of your e-mail addresses from within a Gmail account under Settings > Accounts & Import (e-Cuban cigars incur a smuggling surcharge).
- Subscription lists
Have you amassed a list of e-mail subscribers? If you haven’t, do so. An e-mail subscription list is one of the best ways to interact with individuals who have come into contact with your business. If you are looking for a way to send out a message to a large group of people at one time, consider FreeLists. Be very aware of spam laws (not to be confused with “ham laws” a.k.a. Kosher laws). MailChimp is one service to consider as well – it will allow you to send e-mails out to as many as 500 individuals without costing you a penny.
Three Services to Consider
The following are three of the most common webmail clients on the planet:
- Outlook – Though often bashed for being a Microsoft product that can be an annoying default when Office is installed, the advantage of Outlook is that it is fully integrated with other Microsoft software. If you’re in a Microsoft Windows environment, you may appreciate this application the most.
- Apple Mail – This program is similarly designed to Outlook but for the iOS platform. It is preferable if you need full integration in an Apple environment. Keep in mind, Johnny Appleseed never needed a computer. He just built trees. Maybe you want to give it all away and head for the hills.
- Thunderbird – If you like open-source offerings such as Mozilla Firefox, Thunderbird is its partner. If you choose Thunderbird, be sure to add Lightning – which allows the program to give you its full functionality.
Remember as you think about e-mail that it is not just a method to contact individuals but also a method to contact large groups of people. Whatever service you choose, use e-mail to its fullest capabilities. The last thing you want to do, as your plumber will tell you, is have a garbage disposal sitting there waiting to eat large quantities of wet bread. Feed your e-mail system as you feed your garbage disposal: three times a day, plus regular snacks.
