I love how email has evolved in recent years. It’s great that you can add your picture or one that represents who you are or what your company does. And with social media’s popularity, having a picture and some extras in our emails makes a lot of sense.
People are used to more and more visuals in communication now. But most of us spend less time on our email signatures than our voicemails. However, this is another opportunity to make a strong first impression.
Your department or company may want all email signatures to be similar, perhaps including a logo, website, social media channels, office number, disclaimer, etc. My company, Green Avenue, is the same way.
But I can still personalize my email with a nice head shot. And instead of saying “Warm Regards” or “Yours Truly” at the end, for years I’ve written “With Enthusiasm” before my name. Anyone who knows me says it sums me up perfectly. Heck, if you like it, I’ll even let you borrow it for your email signature!
My former boss at the Hamilton County Soil and Water Conservation District had a beautiful picture of a drop of water bouncing and leaving ripples in her email signature. She definitely captured what we did – and you know the saying, “a picture is worth a thousand words.”
Another former City of Noblesville coworker named Cindy always signed her emails, “Serving Joyfully.” This reflected her personality well.
Maybe you have some leeway, and you can explore different fonts and colors for your email signature. Or perhaps you’d just like a little help in this area because you’re short on time. You can try one of these three email signature generators: WiseStamp, NewOldStamp, or htmlsig.
No matter what direction you choose, follow the same guidelines as with voicemail. Be positive, be brief, and only give pertinent information. For example, it’s not necessary to put your email address at the bottom of the message, since people can just hit “reply” to get it.
But your email signature might be a great opportunity to provide a link for your latest promotion, such as an annual native tree sale if you work for a soil and water conservation district. With a little thought and effort, your signature could bring you and your company more benefits than you ever imagined and show the world your positive attitude.
Amy Shankland is a writer and fundraising professional living in Noblesville with her husband John, two sons, two dogs and a cat. You can reach her via email at amys@greenavenue.info.