Dealing with too much email? Below are some simple email protocols to help gain some efficiency and become more productive.

1. Use the SUBJECT Line! Sending an email with a blank subject line often leads to the message being ignored.
2. Can you fit your entire message in the subject line? Use the subject line coupled with EOM. If you can convey the entire message in less than 160 characters or so, put the whole message in the subject line and end with [EOM]. This keeps the recipient from having to actually open an e-mail (especially useful on Blackberry and other mobile devices). Example: Please note that the conference call today at 3 p.m. is in the main conference room [EOM]
3. Is no reply required? Use NRR. Example: Notes from the conference call are attached. [NRR]
4. Is an action required? Use AR. Example: Need a decision on invites for the lunch meeting. [AR]
5. Is your message simply an FYI? Use FYI in the subject line so that the recipient knows they can review the email at their convenience. This can be useful when forwarding emails. Example: [FYI] FW: Proposal for ABC Corp

Free is good. Google has two hosted email solutions that offer great SPAM protection – Gmail and Google Hosted Apps. The fact that you, as a small business owner, can take advantage of Gmail and other Google apps using your own domain name is pretty powerful stuff.

SOLUTION ONE – Google Gmail Solution. Not a perfect solution. I’ll explain why in a minute. The Google SPAM filter worked extremely well during my tests. This is the easier of the two solutions to implement.

The following assumes that you have POP3 email server and account information for your domain.

How does it work?

1. Register for a Gmail account at Google.com.
2. Add you’re your POP3 email account to Gmail.
3. Gmail checks your email account and automatically filters SPAM and viruses.

What are the issues?

1. If you send a new POP3 email or reply back to a POP3 email using Gmail, Gmail adds the following to the ‘From:’ line: your_username@gmail.com This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it on behalf of Your Name [ you@yourname.tld This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it ]A little sloppy. Not terrible.
2. In Gmail, you have two options for checking email with your POP3 email account.
   1. Download email to Gmail and delete it from your POP3 email server. Your email will no longer show up in your desktop email client. This will work fine if you plan to use Gmail as your mail client from now on.
   2. Leave a copy of the email on the POP3 email server. Your email will stay on the server and will be downloaded by your email client when you connect – SPAM and all!

SOLUTION TWO – Google Apps. Although this solution gets pretty technical, I highly recommend it. Feel free to drop me a line if you choose this option. I’ll do what I can to help you with the configuration. Basically, it involves you redirecting the email function from your current provider to Google. Your current provider may continue to host your website if you’d like. Google will take over your email hosting; most likely providing far superior SPAM and virus protection. This solution also eliminates both of the Solution One issues listed above.

Here’s the catch – Your current domain registrar must allow you to make the redirect changes to your existing domain.

Your registrar must allow you to make MX record changes to your DNS. Your MX (a.k.a. Email server) records must be updated to point to Google.com, NOT your current registrar. Other DNS entries for your website will remain intact.

DNS changes (including MX record updates) are typically done from an online control panel at your domain registrar.