If you're like most small business owners, you use e-mail to keep in contact with vendors, customers, and other small business owners. E-mail is a great tool for communicating with others, but it's easy to forget some of the basic rules of e-mail etiquette when you're using it every day. As a refresher, here are 7 e-mail etiquette tips to help you make your e-mails as professional as possible.

Avoid Busy Backgrounds

MS Outlook and other e-mail programs allow you to choose your own stationery so that you can personalize your e-mail messages. Some of these backgrounds are tasteful and subdued, but others are way too busy to be used for professional correspondence. Stick with a subtle background or a white background for best results.

Proofread Every E-mail

If you're writing an e-mail to your mom, it's probably okay to leave a few typos in place. If you're writing to customers or vendors, you want to be as professional as possible. Review your e-mails for obvious errors in spelling and grammar and remove any typos you encounter. This will help you communicate more effectively and will keep your credibility as high as possible.

Avoid Chat Abbreviations

If you're e-mailing a professional contact, avoid using abbreviations like "LOL" and "ROFL." When you start using these common chat abbreviations too often, your e-mail can turn into something that looks like this - "OMG ur so kewl!"

Write Clear Subject Lines

If you're writing a professional e-mail, avoid generic subject lines like "Hello." A subject line should give the recipient an idea of what the e-mail is about as well as its level of urgency. Those who scan their subject lines to decide if an e-mail needs to be read immediately won't be too eager to open a message that has such a generic title. Stick with a specific title such as "Agenda for Thursday's Meeting" or "Budget for Software Project."

Avoid Forwards

Many family members and friends share e-mail forwards to give each other some laughs. If you're sending an e-mail to a professional contact, avoid sending these generic forwards. Your contacts may not be too happy when their inbox starts filling up and they need to spend extra time sorting their e-mail because you sent them 15 forwards.

Write Clearly

When you're writing an e-mail, avoid using terms that can be easily misinterpreted. Since you don't have the benefit of hearing the sender's tone of voice or seeing their body language in an e-mail, misunderstandings are more common than you think.

Use the Telephone if Necessary

If you have something important to discuss with a professional contact, use the telephone or meet in person if necessary. If you meet with the person, you'll have the benefit of seeing their reaction and easing their concerns at one time instead of having to send several e-mails back and forth to each other. This can help you avoid misunderstandings and can save the time it would take you to read and respond to each individual e-mail.

Use these tips when you're writing professional e-mail messages and you'll be able to communicate more effectively and avoid misunderstandings.