Writing ability is the single most important weapon you can wield in cyberspace. The words you write are your best and often only chance to create an impression on customers. Just as your confidence in an off-line vendor is affected by that person's command of the language, your prospects' opinion of you in cyberspace is affected by your command of the written word. Before you will ever have the chance to impress customers with your superior service, expertise, or follow-up, many of your prospects will decide whether or not to do business with you by the quality of your written communications.

None of us likes to think our writing skills need improving, and even fewer of us are willing to spend the time and energy to improve them. But consider this: your larger and better-financed competitors pay professional writers to create their storefront copy, produce electronic publications and brochures, and perhaps even pen their e-mail for them. In order to compete, you must develop the same professionalism in your writing. Professionalism in writing means:

• Correctness.

  Messages filled with errors tell everyone that you don't care enough about your online presence to get it right. Strive to eliminate spelling, grammar, or formatting errors from all you online messages. If you can't spot the errors, have someone else proofread your text or pick up a good business writing guide at your local bookstore.

• Clarity.

  Use words that say exactly what you mean to say. Vague or ambiguous messages cause confusion that will either abort a budding business relationship entirely, or force you to waste time sending further messages before making your point.

• Economy.

  Say what you have to say in as little space as possible. Nobody in cyberspace has enough time, so any message that wastes time automatically gets a negative reception. Respect your prospects' and customers' time by keeping messages brief and to the point.

• Personality.

  Infuse as much of your business identity into a message as possible, and speak directly to the individual reader. Use the same words and figures of speech you use in day-to-day conversation, and envision a specific person as your correspondent whenever you write something. The pros also know that using words like "you," "we," "us," and "our" makes a message much more personal. Everyone who reads your message should feel as if the message is directed specifically at them.

So rather than dashing off messages without a second thought, give your writing the same care and consideration you would use in designing a print ad or reviewing the copy for a printed brochure. It means an extra investment of time, but the payoff will be a better online presence, higher customer confidence, and a fatter bottom line.