“...Please leave a detailed message after the beep!”
“Hi, it’s Janet calling. I’d love the opportunity to talk to you about my business. Please call me back at this number. It should show up on your caller ID. Thanks, bye!”
By a show of hands, who thinks that voicemail message is missing some key details? (You’ve got your hand up in the air, right?) Let’s start with four fairly obvious ones:
1. Janet’s full name
2. The name of her business
3. Contact information (without having to rely on caller ID)
4. At least a small clue as to the type of business Janet has or a way to find that information elsewhere (like a website)
Most people wouldn't consider leaving a phone message without these details, but these days more and more business is done electronically rather than over the phone. Even still, I say the same rules apply.
What’s that? Faster than typing, more professional than an anonymous email, and able to inform and impress with little to no effort?!
(Cue Superman theme music...)
It’s the email signature to the rescue!
Email signatures can be as simple as your name, company, and contact info, or they can include things like the company logo, graphic design elements, and links your company’s social networking profiles. The important thing is they’re set to appear at the bottom of all your outgoing emails and will make it easier for people to locate your name, company information, and how they can contact you.
OK, so how about some tips!
Tip #1
Include your company logo! Branding is more than just a logo a graphic designer put together for your business. It’s how you present your business to the world, and it should be seamlessly woven into all aspects. It doesn’t have to be over the top or complicated (in fact, simple is sometimes better!) but make sure your logo’s there.
Tip #2
Include your email address. Just like leaving your phone number in a voicemail, including your email address makes it easier for people to contact you. Plus, not all email clients include this information in replies or forwards (it may say something like “On January 21, 2012, Janet Jones wrote:” with no mention of an email address).
Tip #3
Make sure the important details are in text. Graphics are great, but if your name, email address, phone number, etc. are embedded in that graphic rather than displayed via text, it will throw one of the great benefits of email signatures right out the window. (Splat!) Names can be hard to remember, much less spell. So unless your name is John Smith or Janet Jones, why not make it easy for people to copy and paste it. Same goes for phone numbers and email addresses - make it easy for people to recommend your business and pass along that contact information!
Tip #4
Don’t forget a link to your website! Your website should be the hub of all your marketing efforts. It should be full of great information for potential customers, plus it’s open 24/7, so why not take advantage of it whenever you can!
Tip #5
Don’t go overboard. Even though it might be new and exciting, it’s important not to overstuff your email signatures. Most people don’t want to scroll through your fax number, physical address, company history, pager number (wait, they still make those?), and favourite inspirational quote with every email they get from you. A lot of that information can be stashed on your website, and if people need to find it, they’ll look!