Emails are quite a powerful marketing tool, if not misused. Misusing electronic mail is an actual trend. It happens to us all on a daily basis. You've received them: the very inviting email that suggests to visit a certain website where a wonderful Russian lady awaits to become the perfect bride, or to read news from a Nigerian magnate that wants to give us a few million dollars, etc…

These are really annoying Spam emails, but these are not the only emails that are Spam. Even legitimate companies perform a type of less insistent Spam to sell their products. As a matter of fact they do not really Spam, but send unsolicited commercial emails. Because people don't really know the definition of Spam (unsolicited bulk email) they tend to treat this type of Internet marketing approach aggressively and lose trust and respect for the companies practicing it.

If you are serious about Internet marketing you cannot use emails to spam people trying to make a sale. You should use emails to communicate with your clients and business partners. Writing a business email is not as easy as it may seem. When you send out a business email you send a message that represents your company. If the email is not properly written the clients will doubt your professionalism. It doesn't matter what business you are in. Sending a properly formatted email shows respect for the receiver. Just consider emails your online stationery. Treat an email as you treat that perfectly designed piece of paper you use to write business letters on.

When you compose an email you notice that there is a subject line. Don't ignore it. That's the most important part of your message: type in a short summary of your message. This is how the reader will know how urgent or interesting your message is. For example, if you write a message as a follow-up for a phone conversation, write that in the title. It will remind your client or business partner that he or she was expecting a message from you. Don't assume that people will just remember who you are and what you do. Unless you already have a long-term partnership, understand that they are busy too, and don't waste their time.

When you format your email, keep in mind that plain text is still the best email format. Some people disable html. If you are a huge fan of HTML, send your email as plain text and HTML, allowing your readers to make the choice. Keep your lines and your message short and clear. Don't “stuff” your message with words. Remember to respect your client's time: get to the point. Use line breaks to separate paragraphs and ideas. The reader should be able to follow your message easily.

Last but not least, don't forget your email signature and the disclaimer. The email signature is a very good promotion tool. Business signatures start with a brief, serious courtesy, followed by your name, your function, a brief description of your website or business (that will act like a sales pitch) and a link to your site. Don't forget the http:// in your link, as many email programs fail to identify www.yoursite.com as a link, forcing the readers to copy-paste it in their browsers instead of conveniently clicking on it to see your site.

The disclaimer is also very important, especially when you send attachments, for example: “Although reasonable precautions have been taken to ensure no viruses are present in this email, (your company) cannot accept responsibility for any loss or damage arising from the use of this email or attachments.”

Remember: any document you send out of your company, whether in electronic format or paper, needs to respect your corporate identity standards. As an online entrepreneur, you'll be sending emails every day. So build up a strong business identity and BOOST YOUR BUSINESS by sending out professional emails.