Isn't there just one kind of e-mail? (local application or client email.)

As far as you are concerned the answer to that is probably yes. To you it will be the same. How it works, and how you access it is what can be different. You have two kinds of basic email service. There is “web based” and there is local application or client email.

Web based email is an email service you must browse to with a web browser, and login to on to it on the web to use it. This means the provider of that email keeps the email for you on their server for you until you go to it with your browser and use their service.

A local client simply means it is a program installed on your pc at home, or even at work. If it’s a mail program on your pc, its local. With a local client, you use it from your pc, create mails, get them, send them and do all the things you would from the web based on you pc.

A local client accesses your mail from your Internet connection, and logs into the server for that client seamlessly when you open it and use it. Outlook, Outlook Express, and a few others are local email applications.

The benefit of having a client on your pc is the ability to access, retrieve and send mail to many different web based email services. If you have a Windows operating system it comes with Outlook and Outlook Express. You can configure either of these to do this.

So if you had a mail account with Yahoo and Hotmail for instance, and you have WinXP on your pc, you can set up Outlook Express to get your mail from those two services without ever having to browse to Yahoo or Hotmail to get it.

With a local client you have many more features not available on web-based clients. While the major providers do have most essential things you need, a local application gives you more flexibility and customization. It is also much easier to make folders and keep your mails organized.

If you are a web marketer or do any transactions online, you should use a local mail client.

Why?

Because transactions online provide you an email receipt. You need to save those receipts in case there are any problems with the service or product your purchased online. That is your only proof you have until if or when, you are mailed a hardcopy receipt. Proof of purchase is a necessary evil now, too many sites purport to give you something for a fee, and do not.

There are many fields of Internet Marketing where this type of fraud is very prevalent. Many times an email receipt is the only shred of evidence you have to prove this if you would need to file a complaint to the authorities.

If you are thinking of starting a home business that exploits the web-marketing arena, you will have to have your own email address. It will be essential that you do this for several reasons. A mailing list is the marketer’s number one resource. As you begin this venture, and progress with it, you will accumulate names and email addresses of important people.

People that buy from you, those that you buy from, and resources you go to for advertising and other similar web based services. You will need your emails saved, and organized in logically named folders to make them easy to find when needed. There are thousands of sites you can purchase advertising resources from. As you do, you will notice the ones that work, and want to go back to them to purchase more. Having one folder with hundreds of saved emails is NOT efficient.

You will spend a lot of time, possibly hours; hunting down an old email you saved 6 months ago if it is among hundreds of other emails. Some web-based clients allow you to make folders to store mail in, but most are only cumbersome at best and not very convenient. Plus you have to do that over a network connection. Even with a DSL or Cable connection, you have lag time accessing these folders because of the load on their servers.

With a local client all of this storage is being done on your pc, and you have no lag time at all, the folders and mails in them are a click away. Even if you don’t plan to do a home business, this one reason is the most compelling to use a local mail client on your pc.

Reason number one to use a local client?

Backup.

You can save a copy of your mail, and your address book, in a separate file for safety in case you have a hard drive crash or your operating system takes a dump on you. Backup is your best friend in a bad situation. Always take time to do this.