Email signatures are an often overlooked part of your visual identity. With the volume of email contact for today’s digital entrepreneur, it’s important that you capitalize on this opportunity.
Your email signature is your electronic letterhead that actually tells a story in itself. This is an opportunity to exercise consistency and carry your colors, style, voice, mission and professionalism all the way through.
A strong email signature includes:
- Logo
- Tagline
- Branded colors
- Branded font
- Call to Action (CTA)
Include a CTA in your signature with links to something that is currently happening (webinar, workshop, event, etc) or to direct people to learn more about who you are, or even to download a free, proprietary digital resource. You can also direct people to check out your social media channels and invite them to follow you to “stay in the loop” or engage with the tribe/community you’ve built.
As most people have transitioned from talking on the phone or in person to communicating via email, it’s important to make an effort to include some humanity in your correspondence. A beefed up email signature will not only give someone multiple options to get a deeper glimpse into the brand, but it is also a chance to educate, enlighten and engage.
Educate
This does not mean to provide knowledge to the person you are corresponding with, rather give them more information about the brand and your role in the company. Many people don’t know much about what makes you, so by including the tagline, links to learn more and keeping the branding consistent all the way through, they can decipher more about you and the brand. It also shows that you are thorough, dedicated and engaged.
Enlighten
We aren’t all on a spiritual journey to transcend this realm. Rather, we are looking to make a connection and align with someone else’s mission in this world. An enlightening aspect of an email signature may be something as simple as a one-liner about your mission or a link to an article showcasing the brand getting involved in the community. Your signature is another opportunity to show your humanity and leave the person you’re corresponding with a
Engage
This is where the CTA comes into play. By including links in your email signature, you are directing the person you’re corresponding with to engage with your brand, apart from communicating with you. This allows them to discover more about the company and engage with your community (if you include links to your social media) and encourages them to become more personally invested in the brand. Engagement and interaction perpetuate the humanity of the brand and opens the door for brand loyalty.
Here’s an example of how my email signature looks right now.
Don’t get married to your signature. You should change the CTA often, depending on what you have going on, and also ensure that the other links are rotating as well. People will notice when something is new. Whether the email is your main form of communication or you use it sparingly, a strong signature will make a lasting impression.