Secrets to making money online with your list funnel

Creating a product funnel is needed to make money online from any email list. How you do it is different from how it's been described. There are secrets behind this new strategy to improve your income ability.
There is a great potential in product funnels as used in mailing lists to earn you money.

But they have to be set up correctly - something most of the advice I've gathered from articles on the web don't do.

Let's cover some basics. 3-4% of the people you contact (or opt-in) will buy anything you put in front of them - so the bigger your list, the more income you will make.

80% of your total income will come from 20% of your public - more or less. (And this means 64% comes from 4%, 51% comes from .3% - at least on paper.)

As people don't find things to be of value, they will drop off/opt-out.

With a poor conversion factor, you will probably wind up with 50% or more of your list being that 3-4% and so this will skew your data. High opt-outs, few purchases will give you a steady income - as long as you keep creating new products for these "buy anything" public. You are then in maintain mode for this small niche - and your income is pegged.

You want to be able to scale your income and keep increasing it, plus freeing your time to find new niches - not just new stuff to sell old customers.

Conversion is the key. You have to take that 80% of your public and convert them to buyers - if not big buyers, you want them to move up your funnel as fast as possible.

There are a couple of solutions to this: [Note that the below is new theory based on study of brick-and-mortar sales functions - but what works in the real world converts over to the virtual simply.]

1) Make your funnel look like an upside down champagne glass (the old-fashioned wide at the top, thin stem and then flattening out to a base as wide as the top - an hourglass that was sat on, more or less).

What you don't want is to have a shape like a grain silo - straight sides up and down with only one path to the top, take it or leave it.

Think champagne glassses - for the expensive varieties of that beverage you can celebrate with. You want to have lots of introductory services so that they can take cheap or free courses one after the other, while you continue to build relationships with them - plying them with various surveys until you know where they personally are coming from/looking for and also you have a better idea where your beginning list participants are at. Many don't buy right off, so give them more to do which builds trust so they will.

The top of your upside-down champagne-glass-funnel is wide again - but for those who have made it right on up with their Paypal account open to you at every offer. You have to keep them buying, so have a lot of new material up there, which they can use and benefit from. This doesn't just mean selling them more hours of personal coaching - which is expensive for you as well. New webinars on your latest research - on a reserved seat basis - is probably a more likely ticket.

2) Make people an affiliate at every level. This builds your community and allows participation. As well, you can offer rewards to top-performing affiliates, so that they work for you just to earn those top rewards (which other people buy outright). Regular training webinars at an affordable price also will keep them working for you. This is also a way for these people to get more exposure to your solutions and makes them more able to afford your higher-end services.

Now an interesting organizational point comes up. You are going to not just "segment" your list as some articles have pointed out, but you are going to have to subdivide it, stratify it, and then segment those stratas and divisions. Let's clarify those terms:

Division - part of the list by product line. You have an autoresponder service which should give you virtually unlimited email series. Set up your service so that you are servicing each different product line as itself.

Example: I have a list for people interested in self-help books and products. Another division would be the list of affiliates selling my self-help products. Affiliates wouldn't be excluded from taking services - they should be encouraged - but regular public wouldn't know what's in the affiliate division, unless they signed up for it. Now, in the self-help area, I have general self-help and a section just based on the Law of Attraction. These people can go back and forth through all the lower-level ecourses I offer (and I am planning about 5 or more, in addition to special reports, MP3's, etc.) Afterall, they are part of the self-help division, if not (yet) self-help affiliates.

Example: Suppose I start a blook on earning money through Internet marketing. This is a completely different division to self-help. Even the affiliate program is completely different. Now they could actually subscribe to my self-help division, but generally I wouldn't offer it in my email series - except perhaps at the very top end.

What this does is to enable you to have multiple income sources from the Internet, using the same autoresponder service for each source - but being able to keep them straight from each other. Note that each ecourse is its own series, as might be each special report. But at the end of each ecourse is the option to sign up for another ecourse - which continues until they buy something, where they are bumped upstairs. Your subscribers move seamlessly from segment to segment until they "graduate" to the next higher level through buying a higher-priced service.

Not to be cruel, they are able to complete their current ecourse, but ecourses after that will have a different set of emails, thought the material will be the same.

This opens up Stratas. Once a person has bought something, you want to sell them the next gradient material - although they might jump for your top-dollar item right off the bat, so you have to craft these carefully.

Example: person on a free ecourse buys your $47 item. Now you are going to work on getting them to buy your $147 or $197 item - but you can occasionally offer them a glimpse at webinars or personal coaching, just to tantalize them. If they don't buy, then get them in for another round of services at that level. More ecourses, with emails that offer them more $47 - $197 items of the same value are in order. As they trust you to deliver, they'll order from you. And the freebies you give out at this level (which are not widely available) are all valued at $47 or more.

Once they buy a $147 or greater level item, they are bumped upstairs to another strata. On that level, the freebies are proportionately greater in value, and they are being offered your $297 item. They may start racking up their credit cards at this point - if not, give them another high value service.

At the top strata, you can give them everything you have to offer for sale, since they trust you inplicitly with delivering high-quality items routinely. At this point, you also should have a sales record of them, as well as what courses they have taken - so you can personally suggest some items to them based on their experience. You now have developed a one-on-one relationship and can easily move into the per-hour coaching. Enough of these and you can reserve a suite of rooms and a meeting hall in some exotic locale so that they can all meet you in person and get their questions answered personally. A workshop - which they foot the bill for.

With the whole system in place, I can now talk to you about Segments. On the intro strata, the people who didn't buy right off got another intro service. Each intro service is a segment. On the next strata up, they could take more courses (segments), but the emails were tailored to their new status as a paid customer. Here they go again from segment to segment until they buy the next-higher course.

As you test and tweak your squeeze pages, you will be able to move them rapidly up to the highest levels where you can have them buy anything and everything. Your conversion rates will be much higher and your efficiency at turning newbies into trusting supporters will be high.

Why do I say to make affiliates at every strata/level? Because they can give their own testimonials about how your product has helped them change their own lives. If you set up your autoresponder properly, you can allow them to email that segment of your list with appropriate offers - or create a new segment just for joint ventures (and be able to shut it down if you have too many opt-outs happening from confusing cross-sales). But good affiliates can open up trusted lines with individuals on your funnel and help them take their next higher step - as the affiliate gets paid all the way.

The logical solution for Affiliates is to offer them personally segmented lists, available to them and to you only - in this way, they have a guaranteed percentage of all their sales to these individuals.

Yes, this would get complicated real fast - but around this time you are making so much income that you hire a person to chart this all out (and who is paid a percentage of the total gross, so constantly works to keep it efficient and come up with new ideas).

The above was based on studies of a multi-national organization and interviews with top sales personell on every level as well as their immediate managers through the course of several years.

What autoresponders do is allow you to have a multi-national sales force for your particular niche products - but automate them instead of having to deal with the massive HR headaches and meet that regular payroll. Start small and when you get past your first couple million in income, you can then contract someone to keep your ball rolling for your - freeing you to find more niches to invest your time in...

Now these are just notes at this point, a lot has to be fleshed out and tested. But I thought to break this to you early as I continue my research into this field.

Popular Uses of the Internet

Usage of the Internet is becoming more common due to rapid advancement of technology and the power of globalization. You can use it to communicate with people, gather infromation, even set up shop to sell stuff.

Usage of the Internet is becoming more common due to rapid advancement of technology and the power of globalization. Societies are becoming more inter-connected. Thoughts from different cultures are shared through the use of Internet chat rooms and web postings. Study results also track the most popular uses of the Internet: “this year's study shows that e-mail is the top task conducted online, followed by general surfing, reading News, shopping, and seeking entertainment News.” (Chang Joshua (2005)) It can be summarized that the Internet is now being used for common, everyday tasks that would have normally taken more time to complete.

Internet shopping is becoming popular amongst users in developed nations, as it is more efficient to ‘shop on the Internet’ than to go physically into the stores. The Internet provides a virtual environment where consumers’ demands are met with supplies. For example, research has shown that shopping on the Internet can result in lower search costs and better product selections. This is because the shopper has the ability to analyze prices from various stores without having to travel distances. The shopper can now shop online for goods that are for sale in a foreign nation, and rather than having to travel to the country to receive the goods, the consumer can order online and get it delivered efficiently. According to the Ernst and Young Survey ('Internet Shopping' 1998), prospective shoppers viewed price savings and selection as more important benefits than convenience, which was ranked third. However, using the Internet we have the capacity to achieve both, having the ability to offer shoppers convenience as well as better prices.

Not only has the Internet achieved a more equitable trading environment for consumers, it also gives us the potential to communicate more effectively and efficiently. For example, the cost of sending an email is generally cheaper than posting a letter in the mail, especially for people wishing to communicate internationally. Furthermore, an email can be sent immediately after it is written, and does not need to go through official procedures such as the Post Office and a mail box. The recipient of the email is able to access it from anywhere, as it is a virtual communication tool, as opposed to having a physical mail box where the letters are delivered. Thus, clearly, an Internet communication tool such as the Internet is extremely valuable, especially for travelers who need to be able to be interconnected with their ‘old’ lifestyle whilst journeying to experience foreign cultures.

The power of the Internet not only extends to people who need the convenience of shopping, and to be able to easily communicate with associates and friends, but the Internet also provides an environment for News sharing and encourages people to be updated with the News. Unfortunately, as there currently isn’t any appropriate ‘virtual filtering system’ software out there, although there are many News articles available, they are from the perspective of international media institutions. However, the Internet is constantly changing and is becoming more accommodating to the individual as opposed to just catering to international corporations. Many academics believe that the Internet is a form of communication for people who want to express their own opinions and who don’t want to be repressed by the wealthy, whom are often seen as domineering as they hold too much power in a capitalist society.

Furthermore, many teenagers would also confirm that they have had many positive experiences with the Internet as they believe it is a place for them to ‘escape’ from the pressures of reality and enjoy the entertainment that this system has the ability to provide. Computer games, although some would argue that they actually distract people from reality, provide the opportunity for individuals to express creativity and challenge themselves. Interactive computer games provide an environment where individuals are allowed to explore foreign surroundings and take risks that will result in no harm to the game player. The Internet appeals to the younger generation not only because of entertainment purposes, but young academics have also agreed that the Internet creates convenience to research and university students. This is because many different articles can be found on a specific topic, and not only is the opinions of academics read, but people with unique experiences and in different professions are also heard and critically analyzed. Being an academic myself, I strongly believe that the Internet provides a great environment where people are allowed to share their thoughts and beliefs whilst remaining anonymous.

In conclusion, popular uses of the Internet have largely contributed to the advancement of society. More people are now turning to this phenomenon in order to have an efficient lifestyle where the maximum number of tasks can be achieved everyday. Although some would argue that people are becoming too reliant on the Internet, others would argue that it is a freedom of choice and it is the individuals’ choice to be able to choose how much they should be using the Internet per day, and on how dependent they want to be. Ultimately, the Internet is a tool that is effective when used appropriately and effectively and it is at the discretion of the individual. As quoted by Schipper, “the Internet is a tool that has both good and bad sides; let’s weed out the bad ones.”


Bibliography:

Ernst and Young (2000) 'Global Online Retailing' survey, Stores, Section 2, January

Chang Joshua (2005) ‘Online Shopping: Advantages over the offline alternative.’ [Online] http://www.arraydev.com/commerce/JIBC/0311-07.htm

Schipper George (2005) ‘WI on Globalization’ [Online]
http://www.wupperinst.org/globalisation/html/lit_global.html

How To Organize Your Inbox

As we all know our inboxes have turned into modern day filing systems – and just like in the ‘old’ days they can get chaotic and out of hand in no time. Attempts are made to control the unruly inboxes, but for the most part messages are swept into folders that act as catch alls for everything (unorganized amalgamations of incoherent mess – thank goodness for advanced find!).

Think of the benefits an organized, logical filing system would mean for you: referencing to email...

As we all know our inboxes have turned into modern day filing systems – and just like in the ‘old’ days they can get chaotic and out of hand in no time. Attempts are made to control the unruly inboxes, but for the most part messages are swept into folders that act as catch alls for everything (unorganized amalgamations of incoherent mess – thank goodness for advanced find!).

Think of the benefits an organized, logical filing system would mean for you: referencing to emails that you’ve received, find and view attachments again, decrease your scrolling time, and if you ever need someone to go in and look for something, you will be able to point them in the right folder, rather than having them rummage through all your emails.

Now that you’re eager to change your unorganized inboxes, here are some tips to help you on your way.

Inbox: Your Inbox should be just that – an inbox, not a permanent storage folder by any means. Even if you have a ‘misc’ file off of your inbox, keep your inbox clean and tidy. If you receive emails on a subject that you’re in process of dealing with and you’re not ready to move them into a more permanent folder, create a ‘2do’ folder off of your inbox, from there group messages into subfolders.

This is a great way to keep organized and an easy reference to see what you have to do.

How to use it: When you receive an email for an ongoing or upcoming task, create a folder in your ‘2do’ folder with a name related to that task or client. Move the email into that folder, create a reminder or appointment if necessary, and —voilà!— you now have an organized inbox. When you receive more emails related to this task they can now go straight into the subfolder that you created. Once you have completed this task you can easily move all the contents to a permanent folder of your designation. The key is to keep on top of it and once you’re done with a subfolder in your ‘2do’ folder list, delete or move it. Keeping the folders after a task is over will hinder your organization and add to your electronic clutter.

This method will allow you to have an easy visual reference for work that has to be done, and even if some tasks are ‘back-shelved’ for the moment, you can still see them and keep them fresh in your mind. Once you are able to concentrate on the emails that are just coming in, you will be able to focus more on your business and less on your clutter.

Subfolders: Don’t be afraid to use subfolders, even subfolders in subfolders. Putting items into logical groups is a key to keeping your files organized.

How to use: For example – You may have a number of clients and a couple of different companies that you do work for, and each client/company will have multiple tasks, projects, instructions, etc. Under your Inbox, create a file for each company, under the company create a folder for each client, and under each client create folders for the number of different tasks that you perform.

Having a place to put messages as they come in is a key to staying on top of your tasks and messages. Inboxes have a way of getting large and overwhelming very quickly, putting these steps in place will help to control the unsightly messes and as a bonus keep you organized in the process.

Gmail is Still Beta for a Reason

I think it was the threat of a Gmail revolution that prompted Yahoo to increase the storage space parceled to its free email accounts last year. Who remembers rummaging through our Yahoo email accounts deleting emails only weeks, if not days, old?

I think it was the threat of a Gmail revolution that prompted Yahoo to increase the storage space parceled to its free email accounts last year.  (Yahoo’s paid email at the time, of course, gave storage to spare.  It’s an example of how the whiff of corporate competition can benefit end users or consumers.)  Who remembers rummaging through our Yahoo email accounts deleting emails only weeks, if not days, old?  I think Yahoo copied their color coded warning system of diminishing storage space from the easy-to-comprehend terror levels issued by the federal government.  Gmail’s arrival, though, changed this – we were ready for something better.  Its search-based organization, something we like to see at ConductSearch.com, figured to be a natural step for email world to take.

I believe that something better came, too.  But, something that I’m unlikely to avail myself to because I, like most, am not ready to forego the free, web-based email I am comfortable with for Gmail’s blessings. 

Gmail, like Google, was marketed beautifully from the outset.  How did they manufacture buzz?  By attaching a sense of exclusivity to a Gmail address, that’s how.  That’s no small feat considering that Gmail doesn’t cost anything.  But, they used the invite system and people, exercising the herd mentality as we’re wont to do, were all over it.  Web geeks were all over Gmail and invites for an address even made it to eBay.  I have no doubt Google’s marketing department loved that; they might have even put them up for auction themselves. 

When the hubbub died down a bit I got mine from a friend who works at Google.  I admit to all (and to Mike) that I felt sheer gratitude for the address.  The marketing worked.  That’s about when the magic ended for me.  For starters, it seemed as if Google couldn’t let some standard features be, like…freakin’ folders!

I had a chat with ConductSearch.com’s IT director who, like me, had and disregarded his Gmail account, as did others around the office.  The latest numbers show that Gmail accounts handle less than 4% of email volume and I believe this number is generous.  The number one reason for discontinuance was forgetting passwords.  In other words, there was nothing compelling enough to get a Gmail account and keep it. 

I also learned that others, too, didn’t like the way Gmail “revolutionized” email.  Perhaps this progress was a little forced.  Granted, you can go on any techie board and read how people love Gmail, how effective its spam filters are (might have more to do with that Gmail < 4% penetration), how the flow works, etc.  Ah, rubbish. 

For starters, email is, to me, about communication.  And it’s a slower form of communication than IM, so I don’t need it to be cutting edge, just convenient.  I want my email ordered.  Before computers, when we were waist high in paperwork (I still am, amazingly) we needed folders and labels.  Naturally, as email evolved an organizational system of folders and labels by subject or sender was produced.  And, hey, look what else developed – trash cans, just like in real life.  Love throwing away that clutter.

Well, Gmail trashed the perfectly good email format where trash cans and folders ease the burdens of Inboxes.  Gmail even makes it tough to delete useless email, too.  Google intimates that deletion of email is a non-priority because users are given so much storage space.  Baloney.  It’s an irksome element and on some level I think it has something to do with the fact that I’m served text ads in my own inbox.  People shouldn’t wonder why Gmail is still ‘Beta’, though some joke that Google forgot to take down that label. 

It’s not a coincidence; Google took a shot at revamping email as we know it and it didn’t work – yet.  Unfortunately for Gmail, Instant Messaging has stolen much of their potential thunder and as convergence continues between voice, text, and video – revolutions within a confined space, like email, will not be forthcoming.  I do believe, though, that Google has a longer-term plan for Gmail.  All the applications that Google develops (admittedly, almost none of it is original or innovative – Google calendar, picture sharing, the free word processing download, to name a few) leads me to believe that Google is trying to integrate an all-involved interactive experience for the web user.  I’m pretty sure that Gmail will someday be seamlessly integrated with instant messaging and document sharing within a Google-server based operating system that will free users from any web-borne virus or malicious hacking.  Would be an impressive corporate application, would it not?  It explains, to me at least, Google’s giant server complex being built on the Columbia River that’s been the source of so much speculation.


Jeff Conduct
Director of Marketing
ConductSearch.com
http://www.conductsearch.com
t: 1.888.99CS.NYC
e: marketing@conductsearch.com

A guide of Outlook Express backup

In those days, email loss causes majority of business loss. Viruses, power failures, software failures, hard drive failures are only a few examples of what could destroy the data on a hard drive, including all documents, emails and other files!
Unfortunately many people actually start to do backup copies only after they lose data.

most small companies and home users don’t need to buy an expensive solution for data backup. They can simply copy important files to a CD or DVD, and if an information loss occurs, they can get it back easily.
If it is simply to copy documents, photos and other files, not the same is for emails, attachments, address book, stationery and other related information from your Outlook Express email client.
This article will explain how everybody can create a manual Outlook Express backup copy (because Outlook Express don’t offer a built in backup function) This email program is usually installed with the Windows operating system and is probably among the most commonly used email programs today.

1. Backup email messages
In Outlook Express, emails are stored in files with DBX extension. The easiest way to find these files is to open Outlook Express and from menu select Tools | Options | Maintenance and click the Store Folder button. Here you can find the path to the folder containing your emails.
This procedure works for all kind of email: SMTP / POP3, IMAP, MAPI, or even the Hotmail Account (some messages might be stored only at the Hotmail server).
To save all your emails and attachments you should copy all the DBX files from the folder.

2. Account settings:
Details about your mail and news accounts are stored in the registry. To find them, start RegEdit and select the “HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Internet Account Manager” key from the left panel. To save this data, from menu select: Registry | Export Registry File. Save the file to a name like "accounts.reg". 

3. Mail Rules
The Outlook Express mail rules are stored in the registry, in the “HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Identities” key. To save this data, from menu select: Registry | Export Registry File. Save the file to a name like "rules.reg". 

4. Address Book
The backup of address book is easy to do. It is stored in files with WBA extension. To find the location where address book is stored, you should open Outlook Express and from menu select File | Export | Address Book and select the comma separated text file as your output format. Click Export, select the folder where the backup will be saved and set the name for the backup file. After that click Next and choose the fields you want to include in your backup. Click Finish and your backup will be ready.

5. Stationery
The Outlook Express stationery location is stored in a registry key. To find it, you should open RegEdit, find “HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Shared Tools\Stationery” key and look at “Stationery Folder” value. There you will find the path to stationery folder. To save the stationery, you should copy all files from that folder.

If you think that manual backup is too hard, you can use a backup software tool, which can make the job much easier. Outlook Express Backup Expert is one product that can be used to easily create Outlook Express backups. It can save your emails, attachments, address book, signatures, blocked list, mail rules, stationery, accounts and settings. The biggest advantage to use automatic email backup software is the schedule function, which will create backups at specified time intervals, without user action. The downside of using a automatic email backup utility is that it costs money, usually about 20-30 USD as one time payment, while the manual backups are of course, free.
The conclusion is that email backup is a critical operation for every user.

A free evaluation copy of Outlook Express Backup Expert can be found at: http://www.bodrag.com/outlook-express-backup.html

2 Common E-Mail Problems and What To Do About Them

When it works well, e-mail can be great.  It's hard to beat e-mail for everything from staying in touch with family to requesting information from businesses or other organizations.  Want to send the same message to several people?  Communicate with someone across the continent?  Transmit photos, manuscripts or other information?  For speed and efficiency, this virtually instantaneous medium is one of the most convenient features of modern life.

But e-mail is not without problems.  If you key in the name of an intended recipient but your message keeps bouncing back, you might not be singing e-mail's praises.  Ditto for attachments that won't open or other such nuisances.  With just a little patience, though, you can readily overcome most e-mail problems.  What follows are 4 common e-mail problems along with solutions for overcoming them.

Problem – Returned Messages

This may be the most frustrating of all e-mail problems.  After taking the time to create a message, you click on the “send” button and consider your task accomplished.  But the next thing you know, the message pops up in your in-box with a heading that it did not reach its intended recipient.

Solutions

First, take the simple step of checking to see that the address of your recipient has been entered correctly.  This may seem obvious, but sometimes the only thing wrong is a misplaced letter, the use of “com” instead  of “net”, or some similar error.  If you know the correct address, this is a straightforward matter of double checking each character.  If not, you might need to experiment by sending multiple messages, or by entering alternative addresses with slight variations.  Under this approach, you simply keep track of which messages are bounced back and compare them with the overall list of addresses you used.  If you sent four variations but only three were returned, you have solved the problem by the process of elimination.

Sometimes the source of your problem lies with the recipient.  If messages to other addresses go through but fail here, try to contact the intended recipient by other means and report the situation.  The cause may range from a temporary problem with the recipient's server to a switch to another e-mail provider, to a full in box.  In this case, simply waiting may be the best recourse.  Or a phone call or other communication may be required on your part to obtain the correct e-mail address.  If all your messages are being returned, you may have a connection problem.  See below for more details.

Problem 2 – You Have Lost Your Connection

Sometimes a failure to send or receive e-mail can be traced to a lost connection with your Internet service provider.

Solutions

If you see a “failure to connect” or “no response” message or have otherwise determined that you have failed to connect, double check to make certain there are no physical problems.

First, check your cables and connections.  If you use a dial-up modem, listen to make sure it produces the normal high-pitched dialing sound.  If not, the problem could be a loose connection.  Locate the phone cord that runs from the back of your computer to the phone jack, and then make sure that each end is plugged in snugly.

If you will don't hear the expected dialing sound, check to make sure your phone cord is undamaged.  If it seems worn, replace it with a new one.  Other steps include making certain the line is plugged into the right port, and checking the phone jack by plugging the cord into a different jack.  If you hear the dialing sound after any of these steps, you have made a successful connection.

Connection problems may be more common with dial-up modems than with broadband connections, but the latter are also dependent on physical connections.  A loose wire or poorly connected cable can easily be problematic.  Sometimes a glitch occurs that can be best addressed by repeating portions of the initial set-up process.  A simple fix touted by Verizon technical service reps for some DSL (digital subscriber line) customers is to disconnect the three lines from the back of the modem and then reconnect them in a specified order.  When this action is taken, the online connection is immediately regained.

If you are online but keep getting bumped off, the lost connection can be the result of an unintended software command.  In Outlook Express, for example, you will find the command “Hang up when finished.”  If the box in front of this phrase is checked, the connection will automatically be severed each time you send or download e-mail.  Sometimes a misdirected click of your mouse will cause you to place a check in the box even though you do not realize it.  Simply click on the check mark to make it disappear, and the hang-ups will cease.

These 2 common e-mail problems are quite easy to determine and when rectified will make your emailing experience more enjoyable.

3 More Common E-Mail Problems And What To Do About Them

As we continue to evolve into the world of e-mail that is part of our everyday life, sometimes little problems arise that bother the user.  Previously we talked about returned messages and lost connections, both which can be aggravating, and supplied solutions.  But there are a few more problems that can affect an e-mail user causing frustration and we will address these here, and again provide reasonable solutions to over come them.

Problem 1 – You Cannot Send a Message

Even when there is not a connection problem, you may attempt to send email, but find that it continues to remain in your outbox.

Solution

Typically this is a software problem, the result of otherwise unapparent damage or corruption to one or more e-mail messages.  To address this problem, first copy any unsent messages as text.  Then save them on the computer's hard drive or a back-up storage medium.  After all messages have been saved, highlight all the messages in your outbox and click on “delete” or “clear”.  When clearing your outbox, start over.  Just copy unsent messages from the text files, pass them into new e-mail messages and resend.

Problem 2 – The E-mail is Missing an Attachment or the Attachment Won't Open

An especially handy feature of e-mail is the ability to send and receive attachments.  Transmitting documents, photos or other such information can save time and money compared to the U.S. Mail or express delivery services.  At the same time, attachments can be real headaches.  A common frustration is to receive an e-mail message that refers to an attachment, but then find nothing is there.

Solutions

Often the best solution is to request that the sender try once again, since it is not unusual for the writer to refer to an attachment, but then forget to attach it.  Even if this is not the case, your request might prompt the sender to re-think the attachment's format before transmitting again.  If the problem continues, consider asking the sender to paste the contents inside an e-mail message and try again.  This may disrupt formatting, but can be an effective way to circumvent attachment problems.

If you see a message that the attachment has been deleted, it may be that your anti-virus software has detected a virus, and you're better off without it anyway.  But if you find that all attachments are indiscriminately being deleted, check your mail properties.  If a box is checked that blocks all attachments, remove the check mark so that you can receive attachments.  If you then receive a message from an unknown person, or if the message or attachment seems suspicious, delete the message without opening the attachment.

A related problem is to see that an attachment has been transmitted, but find that you are unable to open it.  The causes (and thus the solutions) vary.  In some cases, the problem is that the software used by the sender does not match that of the recipient.  As with a missing attachment, a simple fix is to ask the sender to copy and paste the contents of the attachment within a follow up mail message.  Even if formatting is disrupted, you can still get the gist of the information.  You can also use your own copying and pasting process to reformat the contents, if that is important.

Another strategy is to save the document to your hard drive, and then open the software program that was used initially to create it.  Once this program is in use, your computer may be able to recognize what had been the attachment, and open it.  If you do not have the appropriate software loaded on your computer, you may be able to download it from the Internet; just follow the on screen prompts to proceed.

Problem 3 – You Have too Much Incoming Mail or Cannot Download What You Have

If you are receiving large volumes of e-mail, you may be vulnerable to several difficulties.

Solutions

Many Internet service providers place limits on the amount of storage provided to each user (although some have recently increased storage limits).  If a pre-set limit is reached (perhaps because you've gone too long without downloading your e-mail, or have been inundated by SPAM or virus induced flood of messages), additional messages will be bounced back to those who sent them.

Of course the direct approach is to download your mail and then weed it out, but a smarter move may be to access your e-mail account via Web mail.  That way you can see a listing of all messages and quickly delete any that do not appear to be of interest.  The end result is the same, but this step can save a great deal of downloading time if you're using a dial up modem.  It also adds an extra measure of virus protection even if you have a broadband connection.  Since you're deleting messages from your ISP's server before they ever have a chance to infect your computer, it's like killing mosquitoes before they bite you – instead of afterwards.

If you do not have a Web mail account, it's easy to get one.  Simply go to a provider such as Yahoo (www.yahoo.com) or Lycos (www.lycos.com) and register.  You can also use a site such as mail2web (www.mail2web.com) or webmail4free.com without even registering.  Go to the site and enter you e-mail address and password.  You will see a listing of all incoming mail, which you can read and then retain for downloading, or delete, as you choose.

A similar challenge may be caused by unusually large message.  Again, this problem is more common with dial-up modems, where hefty messages may take an annoyingly long time to download.  In the worst cases, you may find yourself unable to receive other messages, because the connection with the server where your messages are stored is severed when a time limit has been reached.

Use of Web mail can also do the trick here.  Just log on to the third-party site, peruse the list of messages in your inbox, and choose the one that is the largest (most Web mail programs automatically list the size of each message).  If the message seems of potential interest, open and read it, and then delete it.  Or if it is obviously spam or something in which you have no interest, you can delete the message without even bothering to read it.  Once you have removed the offending message, your other incoming mail will no longer be blocked.

If you do not have Web mail, an option is to contact your Internet Service Provider and ask for help.  Once a customer service representative deletes the offending message from the ISP's server, you can then download all remaining messages.

Also keep in mind that retaining too much e-mail can be an organizational problem, if not a technical one.  Take time to delete e-mail that does not need to be saved for future reference.  Allowing too many messages to accumulate wastes storage space and makes it more difficult to find important messages when you need to refer to them.  For messages that merit retention, create a series of folders so that they can be readily located, and so that your inbox will not become too full.