4. Defending your turf instead of defending merits of your proposal.

Choose alternative that will bring results, not one your ego's riding on. 5. Losing a client or sale because you "lose it".

Pain, physical and emotional, can also cause us to do things "without thinking."

6. Firing a good worker because you're "on fire".

The office thermostat causes a lot of stress in offices. When it gets too hot, we get groggy, then prone to anger and violence. 7. Freezing in middle of your keynote speech.

The brain can't differentiate between what's real and not real. Speaking isn't life-threatening. It isn't even dangerous, but many of us act as if it were.

8. Pounding your chest instead of pounding pavement.

Posturing rarely gets you what you want. Instead of bellowing, strutting and bluffing, try honest communication and empathy.

9. Snoozing and losing.

Sleep is primal; get enough or you'll be dosing off in meetings.

10. Shooting up instead of shooting up corporate ladder. Addictions reside in reptilian brain. Please get help if you need to. Passing out at client-company picnic will ruin your career, and alcohol will ruin your life.

An honest, up-front subject line ensures your message will be read, if addressee is interested. For example, if I'm a customer of Sally's Garden Center, I'll be interested that she's having a sale, and will save message.

=> The Message

TELL ME WHAT YOU WANT! Please. Don't obfuscate or waffle. If I don't know what you want after giving message a quick read, I'm not going to read it twice. It's easier to hit delete button.

Make your message short. Try to keep it at one screen, which means less than 200 words. Use plenty of white space, don't send me entire 200 words without a paragraph break.

HTML or text?

Your choice. However, I admit I'm biased against HTML. Not only because it's becoming format of choice for spammers, but also because people who use HTML emphasize medium, not message.

A year or two ago Flash-animated Web sites were all rage. They had same problem. Nothing much to say, and they said it with pretty pictures and glowing colors. Look, I read magazines. I watch TV. I don't need pretty pictures. I just want to know why you're sending me a message.

=> Don't send message attachments

With all viruses around, this one should be obvious, but it's not.

If you want to send someone an attachment, send them an email message first, to let them know what attachment is, and ask them whether they want to receive it. (If you want to send someone a two megabyte file, answer will be NO. Whatever it is, send it by postal mail.)

Like most people, I don't open an attachment unless I know who attachment is from, and what attachment is.

I expect to receive attachments from my clients. My students also innocently send attachments until I tell them that I prefer their exercises pasted into a text email, not sent as five DOC attachments.

If I don't know you, and you send me an attachment, I'll delete your message, including attachment.

=> Include ALL your contact details

Spammers never include verifiable names, phone and fax numbers, and postal addresses.

So you MUST include them if you want someone to take your email message seriously. This is easiest way to differentiate yourself from spammers.

If someone trusts me enough to send me their phone and fax numbers, and their postal address, I know they're sending a serious message, and I'll read message carefully.

Getting your email messages read is easy. Just treat people you contact same way you want to be treated. If you do that, your messages will be read.

***Resource box: if using, please include***

Veteran multi-published author and copywriter Angela Booth crafts words for your business --- words to sell, educate or persuade. E-books and e-courses on Web site. FREE ezines for writers and small biz: http://www.digital-e.biz/