Keep Your Emails!

Folks, let this be a good reminder to keep your emails!

My practice is to have a folder called “Emails” that is stored in every job folder. All emails related to that project get saved in the folder. I save them out of my mail app and number them 1, 2, 3, etc. so they are in chronological order. This keeps the emails in my mail app manageable and keeps the emails with the project. Maybe there’s a better way to do this, but my method works for me.

Anyway, when I got to work this morning, there was an email from a client saying they received their sample of a case bound book and the title was wrong. (There are multiple layers with this client, and the email was not coming from the person I directly deal with.) First thing I did was poop my pants. Second thing I did was pull the job files out of my archives and go through all of the emails. Sure enough, there was the email directing the change in book title from the person I directly deal with. I was able to email the person that I directly deal with and say you sent me an email on this day at this time asking me to make the change, and you emailed approval of the final art on this day at this time.

This is not the first time I’ve had to go back to archived emails to verify or confirm an action. If you don’t already archive emails, let this be a strong suggestion that it’s a good practice to get into.

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These days, there’s really no reason NOT to keep your emails.

I have every single (non-junk) email I’ve ever received backed up in two places.

I have a really bad memory when it comes to names, so if someone sends me a text or email out of the blue, I search for the history I have with that person.

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I do the same thing anytime I received changes on projects.

This is actually where cloud automation services come in handy.
Set rules for emails from specific address to be downloaded, converted to a word/pdf and archived into specific folders on dropbox or gdrive.

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Print … is also an excellent format in which to save emails.

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Steve_O, thank you for a very timely, smart suggestion.

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