Focus the content of your emails.  

When sending an email, try to deal with only one topic at a time.  If you’ve ever sent an email with several questions that all require responses and received an answer to just one of the topics, you know how typical it is for the individual on the receiving end to think they’ve answered you… and then potentially delete the original email.  It’s ok to ask more than one question in one email as long as it all pertains to the same general topic.  The problem comes when you are dealing with several different subjects.  From the recipient’s standpoint, they may feel overwhelmed by all the topics vying for their attention in that one email.  This frustration can lead to putting your email on the back burner or even permanently ignoring it.

Everyone needs an email buddy.  

We’ve all experienced emails we wish we could take back…or wish we had never received.  From time to time, everyone deals with sensitive subjects that when communicated by email have the potential to absolutely explode if not worded correctly.  Identify an email buddy who is willing to review and provide honest evaluation to your sensitive emails before sending.  This simple tactic could save you a lot of grief in the long run.  Make sure your email buddy is someone you trust and can confide in fully.  More importantly, select someone who is going to shoot straight with you and won’t be afraid to tell you when an email could cause problems, and who will openly suggest changes.