E-mail is the marketing vehicle of choice for independent planners who need to get the word out about their services. We tapped several planners for tips on how to keep recipients from hitting the delete key:

• Use an easy-to-read font, such as Arial.

• Address recipients by their names.

• Avoid errors in addresses by not requiring retyping.

• Use the BCC feature for group e-mails to avoid exposing recipients' e-mail addresses to others.

• Make sure that the subject line resonates with recipients and provides a compelling reason for them to open the e-mail.

• Don't send attachments; instead, include a link to the information on your Web site.

• Keep it short — no more than 25 lines, or one screen's worth of information.

• For maximum effectiveness, schedule broadcast e-mails for Tuesday through Thursday at 10 a.m. CST.

• It's now required by law to provide an “opt-out” option for those who prefer not to receive further messages from your organization.