"I'm done with email!" 

It's always misinterpreted -- why do I have to end everything with :) -- really. 

I'm tired of reading everyone else’s book of problems that now have become my problems because they typed an email and were smart enough to locate the send button.

I've had enough of the 'Email Bravery'... afraid to say it in person but not afraid to type a nasty or bold message from behind locked doors. (same reason I hate message boards!)

I am convinced email:

-- makes people feel important
-- makes people feel like they are doing something (hint, they are not!!!  email is rarely productive)
-- makes it possible for people to shift their 'to do' list to my 'to do' list with the click of the send button

I propose a new email policy for all:

1. Write a subject line that means something -- Re: Re: Re: list -- doesn't mean anything.  Makes me want to hit DELETE. 

2. One thought per email.  One question per email.  I tossed email on my blackberry a year ago... if I still had it I could actually function if email were done this way.

If the email is more than a paragraph long most people get blurry eyed and black out.  Make it simple.  Make it actionable.  Set me up with a Yes | No answer if possible.  Even if it means three emails instead of one.  Great.  This is much easier to respond to on the airplane or when I have a couple of minutes to spare between appointments or focused blocks of work.  If you send me a book I'll probably just mark it new and save it for later.  Don't most people do this?

3. Finally. I think Twitter (I'll admit I thought it was the stupidest idea ever and just another time suck... probably wrong) might work because it only allows 140 characters per post.  Google AdWords ... gotta say your message in 95 characters.  Pure genius!  Imagine if email were limited to 140 characters?  

Every word would have to count.  

1. I can easily find a market of hungry buyers online that want what I have

2. I can get to these hungry buyers via Google AdWords

3. I do not need to be first to market to succeed

4. I can grow slowly and still be successful

5. My solution does not require integration with major industry players to be viable... if integrated it’s a bonus but not a requirement

6. I have found several end users who have agreed to buy what I am selling and secured money from them before building my product or solution (proves idea relevancy)

7. If I'm not number one or two in the market place I could still be a raging success (i.e. after Facebook and MySpace is there really much room left? Does anyone really need another similar Social Media solution? And how much money would it take to compete?)

Not all ideas are good ones.  Not everyone wants what you think they will want.  No one buys for logical reasons... buying decisions are based on emotion and later justified with logic (if possible). 

Be sure before you invest your time and money that there is a market for what you are building.  It will save you a tremendous amount of pain and debt.

Thanks to Google AdWords it isn't that hard to test an idea and prove concept before committing.

I've spent a lot of money learning and studying the game of business.  Got a long ways to go.  But it's had a tremendous impact on my earnings, net worth and opportunities.  Take Dan Kennedy for example, I've probably spent 10k on his stuff in the last 2 years.  Every dollar was well spent.  How many other people would have spent 10k to learn (from just one guy)?  Not many.  And I believe there is a direct correlation between the money spent to learn and grow and your income and opportunity.

It could be argued that 10k is an awful lot of money when you are just getting started or when you are broke.  Agreed.  So here's the solution.  Buy the book.  Dan Kennedy must have 10 books on the market.  Every one of them worth reading.  Every one of his books is packed full of actionable ideas worth 10's to 100's of thousands of dollars if implemented.

Problem is, it seems the all the vast majority of people do is talk and set new year’s resolutions. 

Until you start doing it, implementing and learning, you'll never be able to afford to.  Start with the book.  All the guru's have one.  They've all discovered the same thing.  Books build instant credibility and lead to speaking gigs... and big paydays.  For $10 you can't go wrong... especially with a Dan Kennedy book.