Google Launches a Switch to Gmail Drive With Email Intervention

We’re Gmail fans here at Google Tutor. And whenever there’s an opportunity to promote this amazing web based email client, we are one of the first to jump in. Hence this article on the latest initiative by Google to urge people to switch to Gmail. It’s called Email Intervention.

Despite Gmail’s popularity and superior features, it is still not the dominant player when it comes to free, web based email service. Yahoo Mail and Windows Live Mail (formerly Hotmail) are still ahead although their growth is slowing down unlike that of Gmail, which is growing by leaps and bounds.

One of the major reasons why people do not switch to a new email provider is the lack of clear set of instructions on how to transfer the contacts and old emails. Keeping this in mind, the Gmail team, through this Email Intervention program, wants to ensure a smooth transition to Gmail from the old email account by explaining the benefits of Gmail and the transfer options they’ll get while signing up.

As you see in the screenshot below, it is basically an email newsletter that is sent out to your contacts who are not on Gmail, and they can learn why they need Gmail and how to switch to it.

You need to click on the big Start the Intervention button on the site, sign in to your Gmail to select multiple contacs, and then select from your list of contacts the people whom you’d like to invite to use Gmail. Once you do that, you have the option to customize the email.

There are 3 kinds of email message templates to choose from:

1. Straightforward: I’m here to help
2. Concerned: I’m worried about you
3. Outraged: You’re embarrassing me

Select accordingly, and then proceed to the video. You may choose the default video or add your own. Once you are done, preview and send the email. That is it!

Not sure how many new members this new initiative is likely to bring to Gmail, but it is a cool initiative no doubt and I am definitely planning to use it for some of my contacts. What about you?