If you run a business, chances are email is essential to your company’s communications. We send approximately 333.2 billion emails every day, ranging from promotional coupons to transaction summaries and job interview invitations¹. However, most of these emails go unopened. Consider that while email open rates vary based on your industry and target audience, the average for all industries is only 21.33 percent². Keep in mind, too, that nonprofits have the highest email open rate at 30.85%, followed by restaurants and realtors at 30.09% and 28.37%, respectively¹. No matter whether your business is a hair salon, a coffee shop, or an airline, you need a solution for greater email engagement.
Enter email signatures. A memorable signature ends your business emails on a high note, so you can make an outstanding first impression on your recipients³. Your signature is also an opportunity not just to tell recipients who you are, but to connect with them and support your marketing goals as well⁴. In this article, we will share some helpful tips for creating standout signatures for your business emails.
One best practice for creating a standout business email signature is to build it from the top down³. You should begin by placing your name and title at the top of your signature, as seen below³. You must also be clear to all recipients about exactly what you want them to see first, and which information matters most to them, such as your business’s physical address or social media channels³. In short, your signature should reflect who you are and the image you want to project to your email recipients, be they coworkers, customers, or vendors.
(Image courtesy of https://fitsmallbusiness.com/email-signature-examples/)
Another helpful tip for creating your business email signature is to keep it aligned with the rest of your company’s communications. Since branding works best when you use it consistently across all platforms, you should ideally source colors from your brand’s palette, for example. Additionally, if you wish to incorporate your company’s logo into your signature, keep it to one side and align it with your text. For instance, placing your logo on the left lets you align any text or social media links alongside, so it looks more organized. In short, brand consistency is key for predictably awesome email signatures.
While building your signature from the top down and maintaining brand consistency are crucial, what if mobile users cannot read your email? Since 70 percent of people use their smartphones to read email, you must optimize your email signature for mobile devices⁴. Consider how your text and images will appear if they are minimized to fit on smaller phone or tablet screens³. For example, if your logo is excessively wordy or does not minimize well, replace it with a simpler icon, such as a pizza slice if you run a pizzeria³. You must also test your social media and call-to-action links to guarantee their effectiveness and compatibility with mobile devices³. For instance, if you have social media icons like Facebook and Instagram in your signature, make sure they work when you tap them on your device³.
Still another helpful tip for creating a standout email signature is to include social media icons³. While 7 percent of email signatures attach Twitter details, 3 percent include Facebook links, and only 2 percent feature LinkedIn attached, links to your personal or business social media accounts are a predictably awesome way to drive extra traffic¹. If your LinkedIn profile stands out from the crowd, or you have a portfolio of work such as blog articles you wish to highlight, linking to your social media profiles encourages email recipients to learn more about you and your business³.
Sure, links to your business’s social media accounts are helpful, but you should also include a call-to-action in your email signature for extra credibility³. This is especially helpful if you are working toward a sales or marketing goal⁴. For example, if you are trying to sign clients up for content strategy work with your marketing agency, this can help boost your company’s credibility³. In summary, what better way to engage your email recipients than by encouraging them to purchase your products or sign up for your services?
(Image courtesy of https://www.wisestamp.com/signature-examples/cta-email-signature/)
If you run a restaurant, a hotel, or a retail store, your physical presence is a key part of your business. Therefore, you should also include a link to your location on Google Maps in your signature⁴. With a Google Maps link, your recipients can click directly from your email to Maps when they read it on your smartphone⁴. This makes it easier for them to locate you on the go, whether they are in Byram, Bismarck, or Baton Rouge⁴.
Finally, no matter which information you include in your business email signature, simplicity is key. While it is tempting to include as many details as possible for your recipients, too much information can overwhelm and even alienate them⁴. For instance, your recipients will be confused if you include too many links and calls-to-action in your signature⁴. Rather, you should include only one link and a few social media icons to make your signature easier to read and recipients more likely to convert⁴. Any way you slice it, a simple yet effective signature is essential for creating predictably awesome business emails.
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Sources:
¹Zippia. “75 Incredible Email Statistics [2022]: How Many Emails Are Sent Per Day?” by Chris Kolmar. Retrieved from https://www.zippia.com/advice/how-many-emails-are-sent-per-day/#:~:text=After%20extensive%20research%2C%20our%20data%20analysis%20team%20concluded%3A,for%20nurturing%20leads%20and%20generating%20revenue.%20More%20items.
²Mailmunch. “Email Open Rate: Statistics & 17 Best Practices (2022 Guide)” by Ammar Mazhar. Retrieved from https://www.mailmunch.com/blog/email-open-rate#average-email-open-rates-by-industry.
³Copper. “How to Write the Perfect Email Signature” by Kimberlee Meier. Retrieved from https://www.copper.com/resources/email-signature.
⁴Right Inbox. “15 Best Email Signatures Examples for 2023” by David Campbell. Retrieved from https://www.rightinbox.com/blog/email-signatures-examples#Importance_of_an_Email_Signature.
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