Your words and the way you present and convey your message are what counts ensure your message is read make your e-mail stands out from the rest entice your prospect to click the link and open it ensure that your prospect reads and acts on your message. Why use e-mail as a marketing tool? E-mail is cheap, fast and effective. It allows you to communicate with your prospects and customers quickly and easily, wherever they are in the world.

The problem is, nearly everyone with a computer knows this, so most of them use e-mail to communicate their messages. This has resulted in overflowing inboxes across the globe, and essentially means that your e-mail message is respond to a prospect’s request for information follow up an old client contact your existing customers invite people to visit your Web site broadcast your Web site address Viral marketing is another technique that can be used to full effect in e-mails. If you create and use a signature file (six lines or less including your URL) to go at the end of every e-mail you send, your message is spread when people forward on your e-mail messages. Of course, you must give them a good reason for doing so, and the best way is to include in your e-mail beneficial ideas or information that people will want to pass on to their friends.

12 INSIDER TIPS for Writing Effective E-Mails

Remember, you’re jostling for position in very busy inboxes, so you need to get your e-mails right:

1. Make your ‘Subject’ line interesting, compelling and concise, so that the prospect is motivated to open the message. For example, “Web marketing tips to help you double your online business” would be better than “My update.”

2. Make full use of the ‘Stationery’ feature of your e-mail manager to put color and images into your messages. You can get a personalized e-mail header like the one above at http://www.email-it.ws/ps1053″

3. Format your e-mails so they are easy to read in any browser. If your e-mail program doesn’t include word-wrapping facilities, make your line length a maximum of 60 characters and press return at the end of each line. When printed, it will be neatly laid out.

4. Use short paragraphs, headings and subheadings, bulleted lists and summaries, and add white space to ease reading.

5. Think about what you want to say before you write your e-mail and then organize your ideas. Think about your audience. Imagine the person you are e-mailing. Think about what questions your e-mail recipients may have about your offer, service or product.

6. Jot down the key points you want to get across. Establish your primary point and use that as the e-mail header or as the headline.

7. Expand that main point in your first paragraph of text.

8. Only make one point per paragraph and keep sentences and paragraphs short.

9. Keep the text upper and lower case and don’t ‘shout’ by using capitals.

10. Always tell your prospect what to do next. Use a call to action, e.g., “Becoming an Email IT Worldwide associate is FREE. Join now by clicking on http://www.email-it.ws/ps1053″

11. Always check the e-mail for errors, omissions and spelling mistakes. Proofread as well as spell-check for errors the spell-checker may miss, and make sure you’ve included that attachment.

12. Target a specific audience who need your information. Don’t bulk e-mail your message to thousands of untargeted people.

E-mail is one of the best online marketing tools at your disposal. Use it wisely and make your messages stand out from the rest; find out what works and what doesn’t, and come up with your own winning formula.

Peter Sumner