I can haz response?

Email signatures. Without one you run the risk of coming off too casual or unofficial, but too long or flashy and your emails may end up in the spam folder. The objective of an email signature is not only to remind the recipient of who you are and what your position is, but also it should also provide additional contact details, should they want to reach out in another way. It’s important to have the right information in your signature so you can effectively convey a message without bombarding the reader with information.

Here are a few key components to an effective email signature.

The basics

1. Your Name. Ok, this is an obvious one, but you want to make sure you include your name as others know you. If you go by your middle name but have your legal first name in your email signature that may confuse your contacts. This is also the opportunity include any letters after your name that may be pertinent to your audience. If you have a slew of certifications you may not want to list them all, but MSW or PhD could be important additions after your name and positively impact your business relationships.

2. Job Title/Position. You want to be sure you communicate who you are and for whom you work, as this is your credibility. This is not a resume, so there’s no need to list all of your skills, but instead be clear about your current position and role.

3. Contact Information. Look at your email signature as a digital business card. How do you want others to contact you? List your office number, and if you’re comfortable, a cell number, as well. Particularly if you’re in the business of sales the more opportunities a client or prospective client has to contact you the more opportunities for sales.

4. Website and/or Social Media Handles. Think about what information could be the most useful to a contact. If you’re Twitter feed is full of family pictures or political rants, maybe it’s not best to include it in your signature. But if you’re in the photography business and sharing tips and tricks of the trade this could be a good reference to share. Business websites or Facebook pages are important to convey more about your product or service, as well.

The extras

5. Adapt it for your audience. Your email may need to change depending on the intended audience. Having a variety of email signatures available for differing audiences may be appropriate for freelancers and consultants, in which case utilizing Gmail’s canned responses option allows for multiple email signatures, or none at all.

Common mistakes to avoid

6. Avoid common email signature mistakes.
a. Too much information. Important information gets lost in a sea of text. Convey key information, but keep it concise and neat.
b. Too many font types or colors. A pop of color to highlight a website or a text feature like bolding or italics can help highlight an aspect of your signature but too many elements are distracting.
c. Numerous links and/or graphics. Excess graphics and links can cause your email to end up the your recipient’s spam folder.

Be a winner

Crafting a good email signature doesn’t require a lot of effort, but it does require some thought. Above all, keep it concise yet provide enough information to make it useful. Peruse your inbox and check the signatures of some of your contacts for ideas or utilize email signature templates from Frittt or WiseStamp for free.

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