7 Ways To Tell If Your Business Has Outgrown Microsoft Outlook

Wednesday, August 31, 2011

Microsoft Outlook has many strengths as an email client, calendar and task manager but it will not do some things that are almost required to be successful in email marketing. Microsoft Outlook falls short in sending out bulk or broadcast emails to ones client email list. If you are still using Microsoft Outlook to send email to your many distribution lists then you have an idea of this limitation. Here are the seven questions that you need to ask yourself to know that your business has outgrown Microsoft Outlook.

1. Distribution Lists Management

If you are having trouble keeping your distribution list organized and you don't have a clue who is on or off them? You may have outgrown Microsoft Outlook.

2. Duplicate emails

If you send out emails and are not sure if you sent the same email out more than one time to the same person? You may have outgrown Microsoft Outlook.

3.Using BCC over CC

If you are confused or not sure when to use BCC (Blind Carbon Copy) over CC (Carbon Copy) then you may have outgrown Microsoft Outlook.

4. Follow up

If you do have someone who signs up to be on your mailing list and you don't have a way to automatically get back to them based on the date or how long he or she subscribed then you may have outgrown Microsoft Outlook.

5. Email Campaign Reporting

If you have no idea if the people you send email too even receive or even opened the email message then you may have outgrown Microsoft Outlook.

6. Personalization

If you are unable to personalize your broadcast emails and can't send the same email message to the many people on your list by name then you may have outgrown Microsoft Outlook.

7. Segmentation

If you have no way of determining who on you list fits the target market in which you are focusing your email messages then you may have outgrown Microsoft Outlook.

So you may be asking if I have answer at least 3 out of 7 questions with a "Yes" then what am I to do? Well 3 out 7 means your company should be in the market for a third party broadcast email service or software.

There are several broadcast email service and software answers. Two of the best hosted services are from Roving Software Incorporated and Broadwick Corporation. Roving Software puts out one of the most popular hosted services, Constant Contact and Broadwick counters with Intellicontact. Both are very similar in features and price. These two broadcast email services are ideal for the micro to small businesses who can't afford to outsource entirely but do want some of the responsibility of the sending of the email off their hands.

One of the most noted software solutions to broadcast email is a company by the name of Arial Software. Their flagship software Campaign Enterprise gives professionals one of the most advanced permission email marketing programs in the industry.

Article Source: http://goo.gl/dV6y7

How to Link Contacts With Tasks in Microsoft Outlook 2003

Thursday, August 25, 2011

Linking contacts with tasks can be done in Outlook 2003 by using the contact box. When tasks and contacts are linked, you can keep track of the different tasks to assigned or completed by a specific contact. Once the contact is saved, you can view the link by accessing the Activities tab on the Outlook contact form. The Activities tab will display all linked tasks, emails, journals and notes.

Instructions

Open Outlook 2003 and select "Tasks" from the Navigation Pane. Click "New" on the standard toolbar. A new blank task opens. Type the details of your task in the "Subject" field. Add a start date to your task in the "Start Date" field. Add a due date in the "Due Date" field. Add notes about the task in the notes pane of the task.

Link a contact to the task by adding the contact using the lower "Contacts" button. Click the "Contacts" button to search your global address list or contacts listing. Click the name and select "OK." The contact and task are now linked.

Click "Save and Close" to save this task. The task appears in the task listing of Outlook. Open the contact and select the "Activities" tab. Select "Show" and "Upcoming Tasks/Appointments" to see the linked tasks for the specified contact.

Read more: http://goo.gl/D3FFR

Back Up Office Outlook 2003

Wednesday, August 17, 2011

It is advisable to back up your email files regularly and save them onto some type of removable media, such as a thumb drive or disk, or on a remote location, such as a server. This way, if your computer should crash or your version of Outlook should become damaged, you can retrieve your Outlook files on another computer. Backing up your Outlook ".pst" files is helpful if you buy a new computer, as well.

Instructions

Open Microsoft Outlook 2003. Go to the "File" menu and click " Import and Export" to open the "Import and Export Wizard."


Select "Export to a File" in the "Choose an Action to Perform" box and click "Next." Select "Personal Folder File (.pst)" under "Create a File of Type" and click "Next" again.


Choose "Personal Folders" in the "Select the Folder to Export from" list. Select the "Include Subfolders" check box. Click "Next."


Click the "Browse" button under "Save Exported File As." Navigate to the location where you want to back up your Outlook 2003 files, such as your desktop. Enter a name for the file, such as "Office Outlook Backup," for example.


Choose "Replace Duplicates With Items Exported" if you are backing up over an existing file. This will ensure you have the most current data. Click "Finish."


Read more: http://www.ehow.com/how_5973435_back-up-office-outlook-2003.html#ixzz1VHWSp6bL

How to Backup Microsoft Outlook 2003 With SP2

Friday, August 5, 2011

Microsoft Outlook 2003, which is part of the Microsoft Office software suite, is one of the most popular desktop email clients among computer users running the Windows XP Service Pack 2 operating system. You should perform regular backups of your Outlook data in case of a hardware failure. Outlook 2003 includes a utility program that helps you to quickly back up the contents of your mailbox.

Instructions


Launch the Microsoft Outlook 2003 application on your PC computer.

Open the "File" menu at the top of the window and select "Import and Export."


Choose the "Export to a file" option and then press "Next."


Highlight "Personal Folder File (.pst)" in the list of file types and then press "Next" again.


Highlight the folder or folders in your Outlook mailbox that you want to include in the backup file. You can back up your contacts, calendars and tasks in addition to email. Hit "Next" when you are finished.


Click on the "Browse" button, navigate to the location where you want to save the backup file and then press "OK."


Press the "Finish" button to complete the backup process.


Read more: http://goo.gl/eHRmj