Email is a great way to promote your business. First, most people read their email every day. Second, it allows you to send focused messages to a specific target audience. Email messages travel fast and are often forwarded to friends, or people that may find your message interesting. You must take advantage of this by creating a signature file for your messages. If you are using Outlook or Outlook Express, you can easily create your signature file by opening the Tools menu, and clicking on Options Signature. If you're using a web based email service, they will provide you with instructions.
A good signature file must have your name, your contact information, and most importantly: a link to your website and a short, catchy tagline. Remember that for email messages to be an effective marketing tool, you have to send them to people you know, or who have chosen (opted in) to receive them. Use that trust responsabily, by sending only messages that are relevant to the recepients, and don't bombard them with promotional offers. And don't ever, ever, send unsolicited mail (spam). This will not only annoy the recipient, but will most certainly make your marketing efforts backfire, since those on the receiving end will regard you with contempt.
Use email responsibily, and your signature file will be one of the most effective free promotional tool for your business.
-----
Mario Sanchez publishes The Internet Digest (http://www.theinternetdigest.net) a website and newsletter that gives you valuable advice on web design and Internet marketing, one free tip at a time.