Every few weeks some one that I'm in conversation with informs me that they rarely (if ever) check their junk e-mail folder. One guy recently looked at me and sincerely asked "you're supposed to check that?"

I was surprised to learn that so many people inherently trust their e-mail software to correctly evaluate what is spam and what is legitimate e-mail. Many people (it appears) rarely check their junk for the occasional "legit" message that gets mis-placed into junk.

In my experience, hardly a week goes by when I don't find a client's message or an inquiry from a prospective client routed to my junk folder. One of these incidents happened just a couple of weeks ago. I was routinely inspecting my junk folder (something I do several times a day) and noticed a message that had been generated from the contact page of my own web site New Bedford Internet.

It turned out to be a request for advice from a local New Bedford based business. They were exploring web site design options and wanted to ask me some questions. To cut a long story short, I was at that business place answering questions and making recommendations that very same day. I came out of a two hour meeting with a check in hand and a new client excited and eager to begin their web adventure!

Had it not been for the habit of checking my junk folder daily, I might have lost that project and the opportunity to make some new friends. There's no need to throw away business by not paying attention.

On a side note: An additional bonus from this "not so junk" discovery is that I've met some more of New Bedford's finest citizens and business people. It's still a thrill to live here after eight years. New Bedford and its surrounding communities of Fairhaven, Dartmouth, Westport, Acushnet, Mattapoisett and Fall River have some of the most approachable and down to earth people in the world. Why would you want to miss out on some great friendships and good business because you didn't scan an eye over your junk mail?