Every email is an advert. If it gets opened and read to the bottom, you want to connect somehow with your signature. Encourage someone to connect with you or ask a question.
1. Corporate look – Make sure that the person who creates the signature is given that responsibility and this signature is used by every member of staff, rather than having a lot of variance.
No DIY.
2. Include Disclaimers.
This is generally receommended and is a legal requirement for some, such as Financial Advisers
3. Formatting – have the signature created in way that allows it deliver when sent, so no Microsoft Word. Use html longhand and CSS if you can.
4. Width, Height and general layout
Keep the width down below 650 px, so that the signature can be seen when received – test it out on different devices
5. Do Use Tables
Use tables in layout and you can make the lines invisible. It allows people edit specific cells such as Telephone or email
6. KISS – Keep it Simple
Have the relevant details, but this is not a book or a Gallery so do not get carried away.
7. No Bullets
They do not render well
8. No animation
It will not deliver anyway and could get your email blocked
9. No video unless you have some plugin such as Warm Welcome.
A signature is not a movie
10. Use Jpegs
Or maybe GIFS, but no PNGs. Size all images in html and make their size suit the signature, not too big.
11. Reply Signature
This can be smaller than a “Main” Signature.
12. Alt Text
Always add Alt Text description in every image, even Social Icons – you can use Like us on Facebook or Join us in Twitter etc
13. HyperLinks
Hide them or shorten them with bit.ly. Maybe have a landing page to gauge success
14. Make It Social
Social media is a must, so use your signature to connect when emailing, by adding social media links for Twitter Follow or Facebook Share in a click.
15. Try tweaking the signature, do A/B testing if you can and maybe add in an offer from time to time to see if anyone notices. Use the results in your blog
16. Add Logos or Icons that show your Qualifications or Affiliations to professional bodies, even the local Chamber or networks like BNI
17. Add a CTA a Call to Action, such as Get a FREE Quote or a 10% Discount off next purchase
18. Include mobile
19. Include your short Mission Statement if you can
20. Copy and paste your signature in to Notepad to see what it looks like without any images – such as this, where the logos and images do not show
Michael MacGinty – Sales Director – Sales Guide at MEANit Web Design Agency
M: 086 2510117 e: [email protected] www.meanit.ie
“We help ‘Professional Services Businesses‘ to be effective online, to get the customers they really want, do the work they want to do and make the margin they need to make…”
How can we help you?
A7 Enterprise Building, Ballyraine, Letterkenny Co Donegal F92 X566
22 Tonlegee Drive, Raheny, Dublin 5 Co. Dublin
Is your website on a Support Plan to keep it secure? If not click HERE
P.S. If we’re not connected on Facebook yet, c’mon over. Of course you can also find us on Twitter and LinkedIN, too!
Please do refer us with confidence to friends & colleagues – www.meanit.ie
VAT Reg No: IE 9845561J Company Reg: 518814
Finalist Best Professional Services Award – Chamber of Commerce
Setting up business email?
We recommend you use Microsoft Exchange or 365 or use Google Suite. The fee is about €5 a month and they are both about the same. Yes you can get FREE gmail, but if you are running a business, then get proper business email accounts set up. Unless you are technical around the subject of email. And we do recommend you get someone technical, qualified and dependable to do this for you. We work with the guys at www.itus-tech.com
You would be best to get your provider to set up Exchange Online for secure and compliant email hosting. Exchange Online offers 50 gigs mailbox per user. Or let them set up Google Suite for you on your computers and phones.
