You can learn a lot about a person from their emails. How they write them, how they sign them, and the kind of font they use can be little insights into who they are. For example, Comic Sans or a signature that's more prominent than the email itself are the reddest of flags.
I don't say that lightly. Setting up your email situation should be one of the first things you do, both professionally and personally. It has a bigger effect on recipients than you might realize. These days, email signatures range from simple and brief to GIF-fueled overkill. But more doesn't necessarily mean better.
Email signatures are a way to project your company's brand and improve the user experience. To help you accomplish both, my design team and I have put together a few Outlook signature templates and instructions on how to implement them.
Table of contents:
What email signatures can do for businesses
In my personal experience, email correspondence with other professionals who lacked a well-made signature never inspired much confidence in me. If the signature is a lonely name with no attached company information or helpful links, it's not doing its job. In the same vein, a signature that's simply a profile image is a swing and a miss on so many opportunities to guide readers to your business.
Let's say you're running an email marketing campaign. Your outreach message may have a purpose of its own, but since you want to incentivize curiosity and discovery around your business, your contact information and relevant links need to be available so that the recipient can proceed to the next step—whether that be calling for a consultation or navigating to your website to learn more.
An email signature is also an excellent way to showcase your brand, hooking readers and establishing credibility. Many successful companies lean heavily on fancy designs and GIF assets, but a signature can be simple so long as it contains the following elements:
Full name: Use your full name consistently across communications, including professional profiles on other platforms, to reinforce recognition and credibility.
Job title: Clearly state your current position. Communicating your role helps recipients understand your position and expertise.
Company name and logo: Include your company's official and current name. Use the company's logo and standardized font to reinforce brand alignment.
Email address: Use a professional and easily recognizable email address associated with your company's domain.
name@company.comis the most efficient format. Having eight numbers and 15 characters in your email can be jarring and inconvenient and test your readers' patience. Make it simple, memorable, and to the point.Mobile number: Provide a reliable contact number for accessibility in case of urgent or important messages. Format the number consistently (include area codes, extensions, etc.) to make it easily readable.
Website URL: Include a link to your company's official website or personal portfolio to direct recipients toward helpful resources.
Social media links: Prioritize the most relevant social media platforms your company uses, ideally adding no more than four. Make sure your links are up to date, and use social media icons for aesthetics and quick recognition.
Simple Outlook signature templates
I like to stick to the "keep it simple" principle when it comes to email signatures. These simple Outlook signature templates are useful for professionals looking to bridge a communication gap between them and their readers without other goals like event promotion or sales development. They're meant to provide context and help recipients navigate your business.
Basic text signature template
This basic text signature template outlines strictly core information. It's generally a good signature choice for those who prefer simplicity and easily scannable information. Incorporating the company's colors in the text can give it a personalized touch.
Personal signature template
This signature template is designed for personal use. A professional might incorporate this signature into their job application correspondences or pitches for a personal project.
Multilingual signature template
This signature template gives you the opportunity to incorporate two languages at the same time, with the left side written in one language and the right in a different one. Even if your recipients would understand the English just fine, the translation shows that your business is bilingual and can help it feel more inclusive. It's best for professionals with a multilingual client base or markets overseas.
Social media-centric signature template
This signature template outlines core information and has space to accommodate four social media profiles. It's best for professionals who leverage social platforms to promote and sell their services.
Professional Outlook signature templates
Businesses that fully appreciate the impact of a well-written, well-presented email almost always have a branded and standardized format for their Outlook signatures. Some are designed to simply convey basic information, while others are used to promote services, showcase legal compliance, and advertise events.
Standard corporate signature template
Professionals can use the standard corporate signature on their own or as part of their company, especially for those who frequently communicate with clients via email. For the sake of consistency, it's best if the signature remains the same across the entire organization. Some even incorporate profile pictures for a dash of personalization.
Promotional signature template
As the name suggests, a promotional signature template gives you the opportunity to call attention to your special promotional offers. This can range from banners and cool graphics to links leading to the promotion's webpage.
Legal disclaimers and compliance signature template
This signature is best for sectors requiring compliance with certain regulations or legal disclaimers to do business. Recruitment agencies, for example, need to abide by data protection regulations and laws depending on the region they operate in. You should update the disclaimer based on your requirements.
Event-specific signature template
It takes a lot to promote an event. If you're in constant email communication with clients and professionals in your field, your signature provides a unique opportunity to further market your event.
Testimonial signature template
A testimonial can go a long way in establishing credibility and proving your expertise to a new lead. If you're in the landscaping business, for example, a brief testimonial from one of your past clients can establish a measure of trust between your company and potential clients.
Sales-oriented signature template
A good call to action fits anywhere—unless it's written in Comic Sans. This signature helps guide your recipient toward sales-oriented material through a unique call to action that begs to be clicked.
How to create an email signature in Outlook
I know Outlook can be intimidating with its Microsoft logo and ancient reputation. But the platform has come a long way since 1997, and it's much easier to navigate these days. Once you've got your signature template, it's time to plug it in.
At the top right of the inbox page, click Settings. Select Email (Web) or Mail (Outlook.com).
Under Compose and reply, navigate to Email Signature, and paste your signature template. You can use the available formatting options to manipulate its appearance if you don't like how something looks.
Take some time to edit the signature's information. Make sure all text, contact information, and links are accurate.
Consider editing images (profile images, promotional banners, etc.) and a company logo for extra branding flair.
Set your signature as your default signature for new messages and replies, then click Save. This will automatically attach your signature to all future emails you send.
Make Outlook a part of the bigger picture
In a world where competition pays close attention to branding opportunities, it's important to utilize email signatures to showcase your brand identity and elevate your users' experience with all the information and resources they could need.
You can get even more out of your inbox by automating it. Connect Outlook with Zapier to automate mundane tasks and get back to the messages that matter. Learn more about how to automate Microsoft Outlook, or get started with one of these pre-made workflows.
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