The signature lines, that is the email signature is not just exceptionally effective, it is absolutely free {providing you use email} and will give high returns as the marketing tool that serves in effect as a ‘business card’ or even an advert for your group or organisation. 

If your group or organisation has 20+ employees that are sending out an average of 10 – 15 emails a day outside of the organisation, then let us suppose the business days are 250 per year that in effect is over 100,000 adverts or business cards that are distributed every year.   

What Is the Signature lines?

Simple put the email signature is automated information that gets added on to the email that goes out.  It usually lets people know more about you, who you are, what your location is and what you do. 

It is your virtual business card and it allows a way for people ‘to back to you’.

Here is an examples to look at:

Michelle Watson
Project Manager 
Local Group For Community Change
Ph: 0121-567-2856
Fax: 0121-567-2857

What an effective Email Signature can do for your group or org’:

In this information age when we are all inundated with far too many emails, the email signature that goes out provides a plain indication to the recipient whom the message is from and gives the viewpoint that clarifies who you are and an instant understanding of what the message may entail. 

It can be taken beyond the basic advantages and can alert the recipient of updates and special news giving then instant and direct access to the website or respond back to the email.

How a Consistent Email Signature Style Benefits Your Org’:

What is essential is that everyone in the org’ uses the similar signature line format.  For instance name, title, email, and the direct phone lines will not be the same.  However, certain fundamentals i.e. the org’ name, its website url, strapline and the display order of fundamentals should be at a set standard for all members.

Signature line recurrently is of benefit and advantageous to the  org’ in these ways:

It will build upon the brand or serve as a recognisable identity for the org’. 

The signature becomes a critical factor of the overall branding.

It will enable the email recipients to make a connection from the variety of emails that are received from various members of your org’.

Below is an example of a standard and appropiate signature and have it can be made more effective: 

{Name} 
{Title}
{Name of org’}
{Street Address}
{Town, City, Postcode}
{Phone Number}
{Fax Number} 
{Email Address}

The recommendation I make is to cut away the street address, any line space, the fax number, and email address. Replace these by adding the org’s website url.

How to Create an Effective Email Sig Line:

Short and sweet.  Signatures should be 4/6 lines, try not to go beyond 8 lines. If you take in to consideration those who receive you email often they will see your email signature again and again. 

What you would include:

{Name} 
{Title}
{Name of org’}
{Phone number}
{Web address}

Some optionals to consider:

Strapline i.e. Promote a specific event that is coming up, any campaign, etc.

A particular graphic that seperates your signature from the email content.

You would not want to include the email address since is appears in the ‘from’ field and also gets forwarded on.  

More creative use for your signature :

A signature can be used motivate clients to access services provide or register for events and workshops. Either ass a line or a link to the webpage. 

Some examples would:

A quote that shares and displays org’s perspective.

A call to action to contribute towards a campaign or some other fundraising activity.

An tagline focusing on an issue.

An announcement of new/current services, events or programs.

An invitation to a new/current services, events, programs, confernece or subscription to a mailing list or newsletter.

Make sure to keep the signatures up to date.

Once you have decided on what will be the content of the signature content and format, you will need to add it to your email program. Remember to train all members in putting a signature per the org’ style and how to add to the email program. 

If you have volunteers then they may also want to share a line or two to promote the cause.  You may not include specifics that are attached to an employee, but may want to include a strapline or target messages and this can be spread out far and wide. maybe a simple message that states, ‘hey! I volunteer for xxx, do you want to too? Click here’.

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