Or, better yet, split up your points into a few different e-mails. For example, if you need to tell me something important about my taxes, ask if I'm available for a conference call tomorrow, and fill me in about your hot date from last weekend, make each subject a separate e-mail. Not only will you ensure that I'll read each point, but if I need to get back to you on something, I can just save that particular message.

Mistake #3: Funky Formatting

Your e-mail program may let you underline, italicize, boldface, and color your words, but when your recipients read your messages, these features may not carry through. Text formatting rarely translates between e-mail systems, and your reader may instead get a garbled mess of abstract characters (like this: "##@@!!&&&<<<>>>") that muddle your message.

A safe way to emphasize a word is to place an *asterisk* before and after word, as I do here often in my e-zine text. Typing words in all-caps is another option. But while caps make an impact when used occasionally, they're extremely hard to read.

THE TOPS AND BOTTOMS OF CAPITAL LETTERS ARE COMPLETELY ALIGNED, MAKING IT HARDER TO QUICKLY DIFFERENTIATE WORDS. NEVER TYPE YOUR WHOLE MESSAGE IN ALL CAPS UNLESS YOU WANT TO IRRITATE SOMEONE, BECAUSE IT COMES ACROSS AS "SCREAMING." ARE YOUR EYES HURTING YET? OK, SORRY!

Typing in all caps also labels you as an Internet newbie -- many computer first-timers are inexplicably attracted to that caps lock key. (Someone should start an intervention group for that.)

Mistake #4: Operating Undercover

Ever get an e-mail from someone and you just can't figure out who it is? I've had to explain many times to associates that e-mail addresses like "fuzzybear4u@wackomail.net" don't quite let your recipients know whom is calling. Many people may even delete your e- mail, mistaking your message for spam. (And goofy screen names don't do much good for your professional image either.)

Even if your identity is obvious based on your e-mail address, it's still a courtesy to sign your e-mail. And even better, include your *signature file.* You know what a signature (or "sig") file is, right? It's that little blurb with contact info that you can automatically insert at end of every e-mail you send.

Most e-mail programs now allow you to use sig files -- even AOL 6.0. At least, just list your name, title, company, phone, e-mail address, and Web site URL. And don't think that including a sig file in every e-mail is overkill -- I find it wonderfully handy to grab a client's phone number off of her last e-mail to me.

The amount spent on e-mail marketing has risen from $97 million in 1999 to almost $1.1 billion in 2000, according to emarketer, with future spending set to increase. This will rise to over $4.5 billion by 2003, emarketer predicts.

With proliferation of e-mail messages in today’s society and cluttered condition of inboxes, it’s a greater challenge to get e-mails opened and actioned. To meet this challenge make e-mails: · Precise, clear and simple · Customer-focused · Timely · Personal · Contain information of value · Well targeted · Urgent · Innovative

Other solutions that enhance an e-mail’s chance of getting read have recently sprung up, including rich media applications. For example, video e-mail is perfect for those who aren’t great copywriters but communicate well when they talk or present something.

Rich Media E-mail Solutions Text can cause misunderstanding and can be ambiguous, and at same time ‘everybody sends text e-mails, they’re boring’. Using audio or video e-mails is a surefire way to rid e-mails of ambiguity. There are several programs available, here are just a few:

elive2u™ is easy to use live real time video email http://www.elive2u.co.uk .

This programme allows you to communicate in real time with anyone, anywhere who is connected on Internet. You just need elive2u™ software, a PC camera microphone and speakers and, providing user owns a web camera, you can send your video email with simplicity of a text based HTML document. Access to live streaming audio/video email is just as simple. Recipients do not need to book or utilize a central server, need no expensive plug-ins and require no software other than their regular email client, as long as it supports HTML and JavaScript.

The elive2u™ software enables user to transmit live streaming audio/video to private email accounts, whichs provides user with totally confidential and private Internet transmission and it’s inexpensive too.

Another company, Emblaze, have licensed Microsoft’s Windows Media Audio and Video Format using their Emblaze™ based solution for video over wireless 2.5G and 3G networks, mobile phones and other low-resource handheld devices. http://www.imagemind.com/. Video Express sends both personal streaming video and audio, therefore not requiring attachments. Your recipient does not have to wait to play your multimedia e-mail because there is no file attachment and they will only need Windows Media Player. All you need is your sound card for voice messages and any Windows compliant video capture board to record video.

Mailround is an innovative email branding service which sends out all outgoing email with company brand www.mailround.com. While http://www.cyberavsolutions.com/products.htm have another video e-mail solution:

VideoLink Mail 2.0 can send both audio and video. It works with any email software that lets you attach a file and also works well with most cameras and video capture cards. The recipient needs no special software to play video, because player is embedded in video.

Videoshare at www.videoshare.com offer a free downloadable software application that enables users to send streaming video via email, greeting cards and embed video on web pages.

There’s plenty to choose from, so why opt for Rich Media?

1. It Gets Attention! If executed properly, return on a rich media email campaign can be much higher than a regular plain text or html campaign.

2. Not only is this a novel way to receive e-mail. It provides its readers with a lot more stimuli and information about product or service, enhancing their chances of buying.

3. Less effort is required to view a video e-mail than to open a text e-mail, click on a link and browse a site.

Whatever you decide, before embarking on a rich media email campaign do your homework. Think about capabilities of your list, your message, your target audience, costs involved and plan your campaign very thoroughly. And always keep abreast of new technologies. So where will e-mail be in another 30 years? I wonder…