Mail2World Blog

Mail2World’s 10 Golden Rules for Business Email Etiquette

Hello World,

As with any form of communication there is a certain set of unspoken rules of etiquette, even with email. Not following these rules can sometimes annoy your friends or lead to embarrassing moments in the office. Here at Mail2World we care about you and your communications, so we thought we would add to our last post on etiquette and give you some “Golden” tips on the etiquette of writing an email. Because unlike some of the newer forms of communication such as texting and/or Twitter, we don’t limit your communications. Email more than ever is becoming an important tool for precise communication and most businesses are also using email to document business transactions and interactions.

1. Do not—under any circumstances— send chain letters. No one likes chain letters, specially office colleagues. Chain letters tend to be full of inappropriate jokes or pictures that may be offensive. Think of your audience if you still decide to send one, regardless of how funny you think it may be.
2. Use the “Reply All” button sparingly. There is a huge difference between the “Reply” and the “Reply All.” The “Reply All” should only be used if you are absolutely positive ALL of the recipients will benefit from your reply. Otherwise, some recipients will receive messages not intended for them or you’ll annoy everyone with this type of over communication. So many “Reply All” situations have gotten the sender in serious hot water in the office. If your message requires more than one reply, it’s time to take your communication to the meeting room or have a phone conversation.
3. Use proper English. Text message acronyms, chat terms, or message shorthand are an integral part of communicating in today’s digital age, but it’s never appropriate in email messages, specially business email. Use proper English for the proper mode of communication tool you are using.
4. Capitalize and Punctuate. If your business emails do not have any capitalization or punctuation, you will simply be viewed as lazy. Email messages that are littered with mistakes won’t place you in a positive light in the mind of the recipient. There are no excuses for typos! Use the spell checker and built-in dictionary to polish up your email message.
5. Do not use emoticons. Emoticons can be shared between friends in personal email messages. They have their place in text messages and for chatting, but they don’t belong in a business email. If you want to be taken seriously, don’t use them or use them sparingly. ;-)
6. Use standard formatting practices. Standard formatting for a business email is clear readable, left-aligned, black, Arial or similar font in a 10 or 12 point size. Following this simple email formatting tip will do the trick.
7. Do not attach large or unnecessary files. Attaching large or unnecessary files could get your message to “not pass go and be sent directly to the spam or trash folder.” All email providers and lots of corporate email systems have spam filtering software that review attachments for security reasons.
8. Add a disclaimer to all your emails.  Any message to recipients that includes sensitive information or are sent outside your company should include a legal disclaimer. The disclaimer will serve as protection for you and/or your company. If you’re also sending images or files that are proprietary, you should say so!
9. Keep it short and sweet. Everybody is busy, so your message should be clear and to the point. A precise message is also more likely to receive an immediate response. If you have a lot to communicate, attach a report with details and summarize in your email or build better relationships by communicating details in person or by phone.
10. Keep your signature simple. There is no reason to have a novel in your signature. Your basic contact information and a disclaimer will suffice.

Well, I hope that you found this golden list of tips helpful and that you use them in your next email communication.

Mail2World Account Renewals Made Easy

Is it time to renew your Platinum account? Renewing your Platinum account provides you with many benefits. Platinum account members enjoy:

• Unlimited Email Storage
• POP/IMAP Functionality
• WAP Access
• Email Forwarding
• Auto Responder
• Additional Aliases & Identities
• Phone Support
• No advertisements

All for $19.99 a year! Here are some easy to follow steps to auto renew or manually renew your account. Don’t miss out on Platinum Member only benefits.

The first 3 easy steps, you should know!

1. Click on the Options link in the upper-right hand corner on your email interface.
2. Click on Platinum eXtras! Renewal under the Services section.
3. Select the renewal option that works best for you Auto Renew or Manually Renew.

Auto Renew Steps
The auto renew option will charge your credit card annually on the day the order was created. For example, orders made on March 19^th 2012 will be renewed the following year March 19^th 2013. If your order wasn’t renewed due to outdated or expired card information then your best option is to manually renew to ensure your Platinum account is renewed. To use the auto renew for a new order and credit card you must cancel the old order.

Manual Renew Steps
Fill in the appropriate fields for a manual renewal order.

1. Select the manual renewal radio button.
2. Select an order number.
3. Select your Payment Option.
4. Fill out the form that appears next.
5. Finally, click Renew Manually button.

 We hope you enjoy the many benefits of being a Platinum member. Don’t forget to renew your account today!

Note: Users must ensure the credit card they have on file is current before their account renewal date to take advantage of the auto renewal option. Updating card information on the day of the renewal will not guarantee the order is processed correctly. For updating card information on the same day an account is up for renewal it is best to use the manual renewal option.

To sign-up for a new platinum account, login to your account and click on the Platinum Services ( e X t r a s ! ) under the services section.  Click on the Buy Link next to the Platinum Mail offering! Voila, after completing the upgrade process your account will be upgraded.

Best,
-A.B

Mail2World’s “Forgot My Password Tool”

Hello World,

What’s our number one support question from our users? “How do I reset my password?” Regardless as to why you need to reset it, we can help you by following the simple step-by-step procedures below: 

Go here to access the Password Retrieval Tool:
(http://www.mail2world.com/user/forgot_password_1.asp)

Please remember our Customer Service team can not retrieve or access your password for you. We do not maintain or have access to any personal records. Read our other posts on password retrieval here if you need more information. 

(If you’re  a Platinum account user, please contact our Customer Service team for additional assistance. Our support staff can confirm account information via your payment records associated with your account.)

1. Click the Forgot Password? Link (located beneath the login fields). The Forgot Your Password page will load.

 

2. Type your email address.

3. Type in the Zip/Postal code that you registered your account with.

 

4. Select the secret question that you most likely remember the answer to.

5. Type in a new password that you can easily remember but make it complex enough to secure your account.

6. Re-type your new password again.

7. Click the “…Continue” button.

 

8. Click the “Please log-in” button to access your account with your new password.

Note: It is very important that users provide accurate information when registering a new Mail2World free email account. If the information is inaccurate it could make retrieving access to an account virtually impossible. The essential information for a successful password reset includes: username, security answers and the zip code used to register the account.

I hope you all found this post helpful. Happy emailing everyone!

Best,
-A.B.

Switching to a New Mail2World Account Made Easy

Hello World,

Have you ever wanted to change your email address but didn't know how to port all of your emails over to your new account? Well, here at Mail2World, we have two possible solutions to your problem.

You can use the POP Collector feature to import messages from all your other accounts once you upgrade to a platinum account or request a username change via phone or email to our support department. (this option is only available to users who upgrade to a Platinum account*). The support department will assist you in changing your account’s username to the one you wish. This will also leave you with a new email address to match the username change.

*Platinum users receive the added benefit of having phone and email support available to them!

Some reasons you may need a new account:

1. Your other email service doesn’t have a reliable spam filter and you receive tons of spam per day.
2. Have multiple accounts to check such as (personal, work and business).
3. Multiple username and passwords to remember.
4. Simply want a different username.
5. You are missing features that are important to you from one or more of your other accounts.

The easiest way to aggregate messages from all your email accounts in to one, central inbox is to use Mail2World’s POP Collector. To start using the POP Collector:

1. Go to Options in the upper-right side corner.
2. Go to the Mail Management section.
3. Click on POP Collector.
4. Click on Add POP Server.
5. Fill in the appropriate fields with your account details and email preferences.
6. Click Save or Save and Add Another.

Note: I believe that we are the only hosted email service that allows a username change for a upgraded account.

Best,
-A.B.

Mail2World Announces Key 2012 Business Objectives

The New Year is viewed as a fresh start, a clean slate if you will for most of us. How many of you made and are adhering to your New Year’s resolutions? For us, at Mail2World, we set business objectives instead of resolutions. It’s important to maintain a focus on your resolutions/objectives throughout the year so that you and businesses like us don’t lose sight of the big goals. When setting your resolutions make them bold, ambitious so that your rewards will be equally satisfying when you achieve them. Here are some of Mail2World’s marketing objectives for the year:

• Increase customer engagement through social media. Engage customers, partners, and clients in our business activities via social media outlets and through digital media opportunities.
• Develop more Green IT Initiatives. Create a culture of environmental responsibility by seeking additional initiatives to our Mail2World Green IT plan. Remain a leader in Green IT.  (By the way, we still have one of the most energy efficient data centers around. We previously wrote about Green IT in an older post.)
• Maintain brand/awareness recognition.  Increase Mail2World brand and product awareness and recognition through interactive communication vehicles and vigorous marketing Initiatives.
• Increasing global partnership. Partner with the best-in-class providers and integrators  to innovate and improve product and service offering to customers.

These are the top four objectives that we would like to focus on for this year. I realize that resolutions are easily forgotten or set aside but don’t lose focus! Our business objectives are important to Mail2World’s team in maintaining our leadership in email and collaboration solutions. Work hard to make your resolutions a part of your success in 2012!

Anyone have some business resolutions/objectives they would like to share? Please leave a comment below. Happy emailing everyone!

Best,
AB

Are you rich or plain? Mail2World’s Rich Text Toolbar

Hello World,

Do you like writing in plain text or do you prefer the rich text format where you can add bold, italics and color to your message? If so, we have the email tool for you! Did you know you could customize your Mail2World email with rich formatting? You can add color to your greetings, underline key points, or make your words stand out from the crowd by using the bold feature. You can accomplish all this and more by using Mail2World’s Rich Text toolbar.

Some key rich text toolbar features you might find useful include:

1. Bold - Select the text within your message that you wish to appear in bold.
2. Underline - Make your message text underlined
3. Bulleted List - Create a neat bulleted list in your email.
4. Numbered List - Put a neatly numbered list of items in your email message.
5. Font - Change the way the type looks in your message.
6. Font Color - Change the color of the text in your message.
7. Emoticons - Send a smile with your email.
8. Add Hyperlink - Put a clickable hyperlink in your email message
9. Background Color - Change the background color of your message to a specific color of your choice.
10. Increase Indent - Increase the distance your text is indented.
11. Decrease Indent - Decrease the distance your text is indented.
12. Paragraph: Align Justify - Change the alignment of the text in your message

So get a little colorful and bring your messages to life with the rich text features you get from Mail2World. You can activate and deactivate the rich text toolbar by clicking on the link to the right of the subject field.

For a detailed explanation on the entire rich text toolbar, please see Mail2World’s User Help Guide. Plain text or rich text … we hope our rich text tool helps your email messages stand out! Happy rich text formatting!

Note: The Rich Text toolbar is most compatible with the Microsoft Internet Explorer browser.

Best,
-A.B.

Mail2World Can Help You Get Ready for the Holidays

As soon as Halloween is over most people turn their attention to the “real” holidays… you know Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year.  Planning, coordinating, hosting, participating regardless of your role for the holiday festivities and wherever you might be going, it can be a real source of stress.  This is where Mail2World’s calendar can be real handy.

The Mail2World Calendar can help coordinate holiday activities using features such as:

• Scheduling Appointments - For those days that you will be on vacation and unable to respond to emails immediately.
• Schedule Reminders - If you have to pick up a loved one from the airport,  you can set up a reminder to receive an email reminding you of the scheduled pickup.
• Tasks - You can also use the calendar to prioritize tasks that must get done before a certain date or event. Can anyone say “mistletoe?”
• Notes - Are useful for writing things down quickly.

All these scheduled items can be viewed on a daily, weekly, monthly (the recommended way), or even yearly method using the tabs at the top of the calendar page. We have pointed out the different calendar functions for all of you in the image below.

 Using some or all of these features might help relieve some of the stresses you experience during the holiday season. But the calendar can be utilized all year around. You can start with this holiday season and staying organized with your Mail2World calendar, after all, our lives can get pretty busy but we don’t have to miss out on those important things in life.

Happy scheduling everyone! 

Best,
-A.B.

What Does Your Email Address Say About You

Hello World,

I’m about to offer a tip that most of you would probably file under the “No kidding, Sherlock” category but some might actually find it pretty useful for future pondering. Selecting a professional looking email address is essential for submitting resumes, client communications, and even setting up online banking with your financial institution just to name a few examples.

You would be surprised at how many variations of “crazydancedude01@freeemailprovider.com” we’ve seen here at Mail2World. The idea behind it being that it says something about the personality of its owner. The fact is, an email address like the one on the right side of the image below may portray immaturity to the recipient as oppose to your interests.

Anyway, the “No kidding, Sherlock” advice is this: any professional living in the year 2011 needs to maintain a professional sounding email address, separate from their work email address and separate from their personal email address. You never know when that email address might come in handy.

Mail2World offers you 2000 Domains for Personalization…

A good email address should consist of your name, first, last and letters or numbers that have significant meaning to you. For common names like John Smith, you probably won’t find jsmith@mail2world.com available, but you might find johnsmithJS05@mail2world.com. This is a good choice for an email because it contains your name (First and Last), your initials, and/or numbers that are significant to you. Plus, when you sign up with our free email you have the option to pick a free domain name from over 2000 domain names available. Try johnsmith@mail2john.com or johnsmith@mail2teacher.com, or johnsmith@mail2consultant.com...got it? Now go get it! You can sign up for a free email account at http://www.mail2world.com.

Here is a list of five quick tips for a professional email address:

Email Address Recommendations

1. Use your name (First and Last) as much as possible.
2. Select other letters and numbers after your names that are significant to you.
3. Avoid using personal email address for professional communications.
4. Don’t use nicknames because it makes difficult for the recipient to determine who you are.
5. Mail2World will allow you to choose your own domain name from over 2000 domains!

Best,
-A.B.

Using Mail2World’s Backpack Email Feature for File Storage

Hello World,

Mail2World prides itself on the email features that it is constantly developing to improve our customer’s user experience.  One particular email feature known as “Backpack,” primary purpose is to assist users with large files to store and transport within the Mail2World webmail environment.   But Backpack does have some added features that not everyone is aware of and hopefully by the end of this article you could take advantage of some of the features in your email correspondence.

 We developed Backpack for storing large files such as images, videos, and even larger than usual text documents. Once you have uploaded your files you can organize them in folders you create, view them within the Backpack interface, or even share those files with a friend via email.  If files are already uploaded to your account it makes sending attachments much faster and simpler.

While I am sure you are all familiar with uploading and file management. I’m almost certain that some of you aren’t aware of some of these Backpack features:

• Pictures can be viewed in a slideshow format
• View photos in thumbnail form
• Video and music files could also be uploaded and organized

As you know, Mail2world provides lots of features that allow you to make your email experience efficient and productive. 

So the next time you are in your Mail2World email account give Backpack a test drive by uploading some pictures or music by your favorite artist.  You will not be disappointed at how efficiently it will run.

Happy emailing everyone!

Best,
A.B.

Mail2World Wants to Facebook You!

Continuing with the social media trend from our previous post, “Mail2World Tweeting on Twitter for You” we wanted all our readers to know that we have also made some enhancements to our Facebook page. With about 500 million users opting to keep up-to-date on products, news, ands brands via Facebook, Mail2World will now bring you the latest from our blog and products via Facebook’s social network. Facebook is the current most popular communication tool to deliver direct messages to individuals, brands/companies. Our Mail2World Facebook wall is open to all of its friends and soon to be friends.

 

We will be “sharing” some of the same information that we “Tweet” on Twitter with a little bit extra sprinkled in. All the usual items such as comments, the latest topics, blog posts, and press releases but we also want to make sure you can personally see what we’re up to! So be sure to visit http://www.facebook.com/mail2worldinc, like our page, and drop us a line, we want to hear from you!

Best,
A.B.