mail = 'heythere'
if mail == 'heythere':
    print('okay!')

and prints,

okay

mail = 'heythere'
if mail < 'heythere':
    print ('your word,' + mail + ', comes before mail')
elif mail > 'heythere':
    print ('your word,' + mail + ', comes after mail')
else:
    print('All right, mails')

prints,

All right mails