Your ideas are brilliant. Your emails are eloquent.

And yet, all you ever hear is crickets.

The problem is all they ever hear is white noise.

So what can you do to make sure your emails stand out enough to at least be read?

1. Always use the same font in all your emails. Pick something other than Arial or Times Roman, but a font that is clean and easy to read. It needs to be just different enough to stick out. It's a subliminal way of conveying your emails are unique.

2. Speaking of emails: keep 'em short, of course. But also use a slightly larger font, 12-14 points should do it. It's easier to read and looks cleaner. Don't go to big or it starts looking like a PTA flier from your kid's school.

3. Spend more time crafting a good subject line. You don't want to look like spam. You don't want to undersell or oversell the importance of your email. You're building and maintaining your credibility for future emails. In three words or less, stick to the subject and any action required (i.e. urgent meeting tomorrow, looking for feedback, need your timesheet, etc.) What three words will make them open the email?

4. If the subject line doesn't work, most people have their email set up to see the first line or two in a window at the bottom. Think of that first sentence as your elevator pitch to get them to open the email and read on.

5. You'd be surprised how many people in the business world still struggle with attachments. When possible, cut and paste the document at the bottom of the email as a backup (text only, that is).

6. Keep your emails light. If you are sending big moosey attachments like pictures, large pdf files, etc., send them one at a time. Fat, hard- to- download emails tick people off. If you're sending four pdf files, note 1 of 4, 2 of 4, etc on the subject line, so the recepient knows whether they got it all.

7. For the colleagues you email back and forth with all day long, save up your messages when deadlines allow and put them all into one email. Consider a "Daily Update" email with bullet points of information. The recepient will appreciate the consistency and your efforts to streamline the number of emails.

8. Know when to pick up the phone instead. If it's a sensitive subject and you want to make sure your tone and intentions are clear, don't rely on email. Pick up the phone.

9. Are you emailing the person in the next cubicle? It may be appropriate to say it in an email if it's really meaty information that requires time and care to process through. If the email is an invitation to go to lunch or a meeting reminder, get out of your chair and go say it in person.

10. If you need confirmation that your email has been read, ask for it. Don't bother with those automated features. There are too many ways around it and anything that involves a popup window for the recepient is obnoxious.