Hello Friends, I have a real pet peeve to share with you and it's not because I don't love and appreciate all of your attention, but this thing has got to stop. What I am talking about my friends is when someone who has me on their email list, sends me an email and forgets to use Bcc or Blind Carbon Copy. What some don't realize is when you don't use the Bcc and use 'To:' or even 'Cc:' you are giving away your whole email list. What you are also doing is allowing those who should not have my email address the chance to sell it or worse send me unsolicited email or SPAM.

This has been happening too many times for me to mention, so I thought I would write about it on my website and try and stop some of the madness. When it comes to email blasts that are targeted to your personal and in some cases confidential email list, you should ALWAYS and I mean ALWAYS use Bcc: Blind Carbon Copy when you're using any email program like Microsoft Outlook. Almost all email programs have this option. Web based emails like Yahoo and Hotmail even have this feature so there is really no excuse to send these blasts without using this option. Here is a step-by-step way to make a BCC (Blind Carbon Copy) line in Microsoft Outlook for Windows 2000.

Step 1

At the top of the menu bar. Click on 'New' and create a 'New Message'.

Step 2

With a new message open click on the 'View' button at the top of the menu bar.

Step 3

The view will have a drop down menu showing the 'BCC' field. Click on that selection.

Step 4

The BCC field should now appear on your new message.

All you have to do now is fill in the Bcc line with all the emails you would have put in the 'To:' or 'Cc' line separating them with a semicolon. One last thing is to remember to put your email address in the 'To:' line. That way you can test and see how all the email addresses will not show up for anyone to see, therefore keeping your email list private. Well that's all for now. Hope you learned something today. Please use this article well and share it with those that are still giving your email to the world without permission. So remember, let's all continue to Bcc and not Cc or To anymore. Now you have the answer.

May you all continue to take your businesses to the next level of success.

Jeffrey Alexander Brathwaite

Jeffrey Alexander Brathwaite, aka "JB" is an Internet technology coach who trains business owners on how to use web strategies to increase their customer base and boost their productivity and profit potential. He is CEO of 2 The Next Level, a web-based technology solutions firm that serves small and medium-sized business clients with ongoing technical, training and Internet marketing communications support.

Prior to establishing 2 The Next Level, Mr. Brathwaite spent the past 15 years working in the areas of computer hardware, software and internet technology sales, e-commerce and website design for companies including AT&T, Lucent Technologies, MCI, Georgia Pacific Corporation, Toshiba America Information Systems, Hotoffice, Sand Hill Systems and Interland.

Mr. Brathwaite demonstrates his commitment to his community through his active service as a Big Brother with Big Brothers/Big Sisters of Metro Atlanta. Currently he serves as the vice-president of the Atlanta Pocket PC Club and as an assistant instructor for the ?Sales Advantage? track with the Dale Carnegie Institute.

Over the course of his career, Mr. Brathwaite has been featured in Black Enterprise Magazine and the Atlanta Journal Constitution.

A native of the Bronx, New York, Mr. Brathwaite pursued his Bachelor of Science degree in Electro-Mechanical Computer Technology at the New York Institute of Technology. Mr. Brathwaite lives in Stone Mountain with James his 1 year old son and Lisa, his lovely bride.