Several of the people I work with share the same dilemma. Everyday, hundreds of unsolicited e-mails pop out of their account as they sit almost motionless in front of their computers. I was personally informed that, because of this, at least a couple of them have painfully decided to do away with electronic mail. It is sad that due to the greed and barbarism of a few, many are suffering.

E-mail is a wonderful communications medium. It's almost like a medium out of fantasy land. It is instant and nearly free. In fact, as proof of its efficiency and popularity, it now outnumbers snail mail ten to one. Unfortunately, this figure includes annoying electronic junk mail.

This article is not about the well-covered merits of e-mail. Neither is it about its features, which you can readily find in your provider's web site. This is for the people who are about to give up. I hope this will also serve as an energy booster for those e-fighters out there.

It's Your Move!

Whether you have a new account or already have several for a few years, now is the time for some counter-measures. Your objective is to prevent bulk and junk e-mail from interfering in your productive business life. I didn't even know you can have an in-box with several pages of incoming messages until I got 700+ new e-mails in a day. Choose one or as many of the following strategies that will suit your needs.

Use Multiple Accounts

Providers often allow you to access several accounts all at once (or at least give you an idea about your mail volume). See "options" or your help center. Although it seems time consuming initially, this approach will enable you to categorize your mail. It's wise to have your personal, business and other specific types of correspondence directed into their own special place.

Advantages:

• One account can accidentally disappear, but things will not be a total disaster. But beware, opening up several accounts is sometimes seen as a trademark of spammers. Be professional in all aspects of your business.
• You can attend to leads or inquiries and other urgent matters regularly while putting minor matters aside temporarily. You can save time and effort by not having to sift through dozens of unsorted e-mails. Personal pleasantries can wait when you're trying to put food on the table.
• You can even have an e-mail address devoted to e-zine subscriptions, submission confirmations or sweepstakes. Open this in your spare time or not at all. You will probably lose nothing. Remember those sites that blackmail you for an address before letting you in? You really need them bad, didn't you? This is for them.

Disadvantages:

• This can still be time consuming, but the advantages outweigh the trouble and frustration that sorting can bring. It can be a heterogeneous mix of gold and goo. If done right, priority messages will usually be found in the right account.

Arm Yourself With Knowledge

• Be familiar with the tactics spammers use and save yourself the trouble of dealing with their evil craft too intimately.
• Beware of untitled and generic messages. They usually sound prophetic, vague or personal. Do you ever bother opening up those messages entitled "Info you requested," "Hello," "I saw your ad," and the like? They feed on our fear of missing something important.
• Never unsubscribe. It just tells the sender that you still exist. The next wave hits harder.
• Even with careful dealings, spammers will still find you once in a while. I believe they use a devious software that systematically harvests e-mail addresses from ads and websites. Brute force is needed, but just block the sender. Not everyone has the time to formally complain daily. Even blocking seems crazy if you have to do it 700 times!

More Tools

• Consider using auto-responders. You can also construct ads with ready-made subject lines that prospects have to use. This way, you don't have to open unfamiliar mail. Compulsive curiosity can kill your cash kitty. Time is money. Research new ways to streamline your new communications vehicle that is called e-mail.

When we don't want government intervention, and some lawless marketers can't restrain themselves from spewing out internet junk, what are the choices left to us?