Chances are you could be missing important business opportunities if your email Inbox utilizes a spam filter. Take a few minutes now to investigate your email screening procedures for messages received from unknown senders. You might even discover a new client hiding among the spam!

Email inquiries from new business prospects, which by definition are unknown and unexpected when they arrive in your Inbox, can take a detour to your spam box without your knowledge.

When was the last time you did not receive an email sent by a client or friend? Failed email delivery can be quite common. Usually the sender just emails you again until you receive the message.

Now imagine a situation where somebody (like a prospective legal client) sends you an email that you don't receive, but they don't tell you about it. Attorneys or paralegals frequently contact a number of experts via email and engage the most qualified candidate who responds first. You miss out on a potential engagement if the email inquiry does not show up in your inbox.

Here are five easy steps to protect your email, receive incoming leads and avoid technical nightmares:

1. Check your spam box often if you use automated email filtering. Microsoft Outlook 2003 and AOL give you the ability to control the settings and security levels for your incoming email.

2. Add a response form to your Website. Your Webmaster can set this up so that you are automatically alerted with an email recognized by your server.

3. Update your 'safe' and 'blocked' sender lists often, especially if delivery is controlled at the ISP level. Add a law firm's email domain to your approved email list when you get a new client from the firm.

4. Separate business from personal correspondence by using two different email accounts.

5. Avoid downloading free software or clicking on unsolicited ads. If you do, you may find yourself subject to a virus or malicious Adware attack.