Want to make a great impression by email? Read this first.

Need to make a good impression when sending out an important email? Send it to yourself first to see what it will look like.

Many people don't realize that some email programs, like Microsoft Outlook, are notorious for sending out a message that doesn't look exactly like you created it, especially if you've been doing some cut and paste while editing. Keep doing this until what you receive is exactly what you want the recipient to see.

You can improve your chances of success if you stick to basic formatting including fonts (Arial and Times New Roman), Bold, Italic, and Bullets. More advanced features like tables and font sizes that look great in one email program may not look so hot in another.

Also, don't rely on graphics in your message. Many email programs and even web based email systems like GMail don't display images unless specifically allowed to do so.