Creating the Perfect Email Signature

Rebecca Mazin
Fri, 11 Nov 2011 09:00:00 +0000

Whether you are a solo practitioner, a small business owner or a member of a larger team, your email signature can be a terrific communications tool that actually enhances connections and spreads information.

An email message I read this morning reminded me of how important a signature can be. I do some library-related work, and noted that a message I received from a local administrator listed the library hours at the bottom of the signature.

It was like a reminder that said, "We're open, come visit, here's when."

The fine print

An increasing number of emails conclude with a disclaimer about email content or recipients. Attorneys close emails with the inevitable required confidentiality notice, and others add language noting that content is "intended only for the individual or the entity to whom it is addressed..." followed by instructions to keep certain content confidential and deleted if received in error.

Keep on including the fine print if it is required or you find it an important disclaimer for your business. But tt's the information above the small type that can be really useful.

The basics

Regardless of the size of your organization an email signature should be standardized and include the most basic information. The bare minimum is a full name, title, company name, and phone number. Including a phone number makes it easy for a reader to pick up the phone and call.

An email address in a signature may seem redundant because it is in the "To" box. But here, too, repetition makes life easier for the recipient. They may want to cut and paste it to another location or send contact information without forwarding the entire email.

Don't forget to include the signature in both new messages and responses. This is particularly helpful for identification in a chain of back-and-forth correspondence.

What about using a street or mailing address? For some messages you may simply not want to give out all this information. For others the address may just be too long. Whatever decision you make about addresses, be consistent—including mobile email.

Think of the email signature as letterhead: You wouldn't allow five different employees to use three different formats. And don't assume that internal emails are fine without a signature; the same contact information can save time or be helpful in a forwarded message.

The extras

The space below your basic contact information is prime electronic real estate for keeping people up to date. I like to rotate between a recommendation to read my blog and one of my books. If you can share something useful, like a great new product or event, tout it with a link in this spot. The company URL is a common item to include, but your most current content may be more interesting. I frequently click on these links and learn a great deal that adds to my connection with a business. Readers always welcome helpful information, particularly if it saves them time, such as the library schedule I mentioned previously.

It's also a good idea to rotate the additional items in your email signature. Just like walking past required workplace posters, people are less likely to read the same thing they see every day.

And don't just send out an email to team members with the new signature format. The protocol can be part of a policy, onboarding, or a template in your email program. Reviewing the content in meetings or communications training will enhance the value and consistent implementation.

It may take some teaching to staff hooked on texting, but in the long run good use of this space will enhance communications and connections.

More articles from AllBusiness.com:

5 Ways to Help Your Brand Make a Great First Impression

10 Tips to a Successful Comment Marketing Campaign

Can an Email Agreement Be a Binding Contract?