The email signature is located in the footer of emails. This space can be customized with contact information, such as the name of the person who sent the message, their job title, company name and other details.

In addition to basic sender data, an email signature can include links to social networks, a logo and even slogans.

What many people forget is that this area can also be used to include promotional actions, such as the dissemination of specific content and other communication activities that align with the marketing and sales objectives of the professional or company.

In this article, we’ll explain, in 5 steps, why a well-designed signature is so important for maintaining the professionalism of those who use email as a communication channel.

1) What can’t be missing from an email signature

Certain elements are essential in email signatures. The aim is to facilitate communication and also strengthen the sender’s digital presence. The signature also helps in the relationship with the lead, as it promotes brand recognition and acts as a small hub for relevant information and links.

Here are the elements that can be included in a signature.

Basic components

• Name and position: the sender’s identification is the first item to be seen in the email signature. The sender’s name should stand out from the other elements, usually in a slightly larger font or in bold. The job title follows the name and shows the level of responsibility of the person sending the email.
• Contact information: the phone number with WhatsApp and/or Telegram (if possible) is very important, as it allows the recipient to get in touch quickly. Including the physical address of the professional’s office or company headquarters is not mandatory, but it can add even more credibility, especially for companies that operate outside the digital sphere.
• Link to website: including a link to the professional’s or company’s website is essential. This is where the recipient needs to go to access all the information about the sender.

Marketing elements

• Links to social networks: it’s important to include clickable icons that lead directly to the main profiles. This contributes to engagement and encourages recipients to connect with the brand.
• Company logo: this is a very important part of the visual identity. It should be applied in good resolution. Care must be taken with the type of image to be used in the email signature, so that it doesn’t take too long to load. Work with Jpeg or PNG files, remembering that PNG is better suited to signatures because it allows transparency in images and respects curves.

Legal texts

• Disclaimers: many professionals include a confidentiality notice to inform recipients that the content of the email is confidential and intended only for that reader. With regard to data protection, the recipient must be assured that the sender complies with the GDPR, by means of a link to the company’s Data Protection Policy.

2) Best practices for creating an effective signature

Good practices for creating an email signature ensure that your communications are professional, consistent with your brand identity and optimized to engage recipients.

A simple design makes it easier to see the signature as a whole. Pay attention to the amount of visual information, which can distract the recipient. That’s why objectivity is very important.

It is recommended that there is a visual hierarchy, with the aim of highlighting the most important information such as name, position and contacts and so on.

The font size should be consistent with the body of the email, usually between 10 and 12 points. Highlight your name and position in bold for easy identification.

Incorporate your brand colors into the email signature to ensure compatibility with the visual identity used in other marketing materials. However, use colors sparingly to avoid a cluttered look.

In addition to clickable icons for social networks, include CTAs such as “Follow us on LinkedIn” to stimulate engagement.

The email signature should follow a uniform template to maintain consistency with the brand identity. In other words, the colors, fonts, layout and essential information should always be the same.

3) Online tools for creating email signatures

There are many platforms that offer email signature creation, and some of them offer the service free of charge.

When choosing a tool to create your signature, consider the following:

Personalization: assess whether the tool offers all the features you need so that the email signature remains consistent with the brand’s visual identity.

Integration with systems: check that the platform is compatible with your email providers and CRM systems.

Usability: choose a tool with an intuitive interface, especially if you don’t have experience in graphic design.

Cost: paid tools offer more resources, both for the design of the signature and for support and updates, should they be needed. Therefore, consider the cost-benefit of the differentials offered by a paid platform.

Here are some of the tools available:

• WiseStamp: very popular, this tool offers a wide variety of templates and allows you to easily include contact information, logos, social media icons and CTAs.
• HubSpot Email Signature Generator: free platform, ideal for those looking for a simple and effective solution. The signature generator allows you to customize basic and visual information.
• MySignature: an ideal tool for companies that need standard signatures for their entire team. It offers various customization options.
• Designhill Email Signature Tool: this is a good option for those who have not yet defined the visual concept of their email signature, as the platform allows you to customize various information and visual elements.
• Gimmio: ideal for creating team signatures, offering a range of customization options.

4) The influence of email signatures on campaign performance

An email signature used as a strategy represents a gain for marketing and sales campaigns.

This is because you can insert links to sales pages, CTAs, slogans and whatever else you can think of to improve engagement with leads.

Here’s how to find out how much your email signature contributes to achieving your marketing objectives:

• Check whether there has been an increase in the click-through rate and conversions from the links and CTAs.
• Analyze whether the links to the website and blog are generating traffic.
• See if the number of followers on social networks has increased. Tools such as Hootsuite and Sprout Social can help track these metrics.

5) Common mistakes and how to avoid them

Creating an email signature that matches your professional objectives requires attention to detail. Some mistakes can even damage the image of the professional or the company.

Find out what the most common mistakes are and how to avoid them:

Too much information: don’t overdo it with the amount of information. While it’s important to include essential details, adding too many elements can make the signature look cluttered and confusing. To avoid this, use a visual hierarchy highlighting the most important information in order of priority. Watch out for long sentences. Remember that the signature space must be concise.

Compatibility and responsiveness: what may look beautiful and well-formatted in one email recipient may be unreadable or deformed in another. That’s why you should run tests on the main providers, such as Gmail, Yahoo, Apple Mail and Outlook. Pay attention to responsiveness on mobile devices. Make adjustments as necessary.

Avoid compatibility problems by using simple HTML, common fonts that are supported by most email providers (e.g. Arial, Helvetica) and make sure that the text in your signature has sufficient contrast against the background to be legible on all platforms.

Unstable design: constant changes in colors, fonts and layout are an obstacle to brand recognition, which in turn needs to follow a standard identity. Therefore, avoid structural changes to your signature. Only change the CTAs.

Sample email signature

Email signatures should be tailored to the needs of each professional or company. That’s why it’s important to know how to make the most of everything this customizable space can offer.

Here’s a basic signature template, ordered by information hierarchy.

Image: Your photo

Your name | Your job title | Your phone number

Image: Company logo

Organization name

Website (clickable link)

Image: Social media icons (clickable links)

CTA – e.g. “Schedule a meeting” (clickable link)

“Privacy Statement” | “Data Protection Policy” (clickable links)

Well-crafted email signatures are best sent to verified lists

Without the support of an email verification service, email marketing campaigns don’t reach the contacts’ inbox.

This is because unverified mailing lists contain invalid addresses and bounces, which in turn are blocked by the spam filters of the recipients’ providers.

Consequently, there’s no point in having a well-crafted signature if your campaign ends up in the leads’ spam boxes.

Email signatures, as well as list verification, are indispensable components for people who work professionally with email communication.

An optimally signed email not only facilitates the exchange of contact information, but also reinforces the sender’s credibility and brand identity.

Conclusion

More than just a footer, the email signature represents an extension of your professional identity, making the public recognize your brand.

Investing time in creating a signature that is visually pleasing not only enhances communication, but also demonstrates attention to detail. This contributes to the sender’s credibility.

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