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An interesting post on CBS MoneyWatch explores ways to streamline your email workflow. I found the article useful, yet there are some recommendations I feel don't work well for writers. I'd like to suggest some modifications that fit better with a writer's life. There's no doubt that an organized email system enhances productivity.
The author recommends that email be handled like an appointment. You only deal with email at specific times and for a specific span of time. This is a good strategy.
Open your day with a 30 - 60 minute session. Occasionally, you'll have to take longer if you have several clients needing responses. The number of additional clock-in times will depend upon the nature of your writing business.
There are specific tasks you'll want to work through during your opening email-handling session.
1. Scan your messages from the bottom up. During this step you'll see emails that you need to respond to and emails that aren't worth bothering with. You'll also see if there are several messages from the same client.
2. Delete emails you know you'll never read. Spam, offers that you aren't interested in, etc. just clutter up your inbox. Use Shift and your mouse to quickly delete blocks of emails that aren't important to you.
3. Flag and drag mail you want to read later. If there's mail you'd like to read later, flag it. Then drag it into its own special folder. For example if you are a content writer, there might be a good article that's come in on SEO that you don't have time to read during the session. By flagging it, you give it priority as an investment in your personal development. When the list of flagged items gets too long, make it one of your tasks to scan through the list, and delete anything that no longer seems important.
4. Read and respond to client emails. Always start from the oldest email before reading the newest. Read all email from a client, then determine whether you can reply to the most recent email or whether it would be better to respond to each email separately.
5. Schedule appointments for mail you need to respond to in the next session. If you run out of time, flag lower-priority responses for your next session. Set these up as appointments so you don't overlook them. Or mark emails as unread so they remain in your unread mail folder. What is lower priority in the morning will increase in priority as time passes.
6. Delete or file anything you have read. Create folders for each client and move correspondence into the client's folder after you have read and responded to the email. Finding a client message is as simple as clicking on the folder and scanning. Even though Outlook has a user-friendly search feature in 2007 and 2010, having a client folder is more efficient.
If you are an independent contractor, develop a system for sorting all your mail. You can add folders to Outlook to manage every type of email you receive. Here are some of the folders I've created to keep important information accessible.
Amazon BusinessAmazon PersonalAmazon KindleBusiness PurchasesClient Sign-in InformationMembershipsMarketingNeed to ReadResume Clients (Each client has a sub-folder.)SEOWebinar ReplaysWriting Clients (Each client has a sub folder.)7. Stop when time runs out and get back to earning income. Unless you are paid for the time you respond to emails, stick to this guideline. Check for any unfinished emails. Save them to draft. I've moved on to other tasks thinking I've responded to an email, only to discover at the end of the day that it's sitting there underneath another window. This can happen when you switch to your browser to research a point, or a phone call interrupts your process. Keeping your email time within certain time parameters will prevent you dribbling your day away on efforts that don't pay your bills.
Successive Sessions
All of your following email sessions will open with completing any drafts you saved during the previous session. The steps after that remain the same. I like to leave my office at the end of the day with all emails responded to. If this just isn't possible, I schedule the response for the next morning.
The original article, Email Workflow Designed to Optimize Your Time, may be found at CBSNews.com.
Email management is an important part of Denise Rutledge's work as a ghost writer. She offers a number of writing services designed to help her clients achieve their full business potential. Her work includes SEO articles, eBooks and CreateSpace books, sales letters and website content.You may learn more about her services at Writing as a Ghost.com.
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