No matter what industry or role you work in, you will be using email to communicate with clients, colleagues or bosses at some point. Creating an email signature is crucial to professionally identifying yourself, your role and your company to others.
Covid-19 left a lasting impression on our work environments. In 2022 Canadians working from home was at 22%—a significant increase from the slight 4% working in 2016. With fewer face-to-face interactions, the computer screen has become a stand-in for our colleagues and clients.
This article will explain what an email signature is and what to include.
What is an email signature?
A professional email signature is a block of text at the bottom of your email. This text block indicates the sender’s contact info and job information to colleagues and clients.
You can think of it as a digital business card.
As simple as they are, email signatures come with many benefits. Email signatures are a way to promote the business and provide consistent branding for the sender. The email signature is a quick and easy way for recipients to access multiple contact channels and provides them with a congruous communication experience.
What to include in an email signature
Contact information
Your signature is a concise way to communicate who you are, so contact info is a must-have.
A basic but effective email signature can follow this format:
- First and last name
- Company name
- Job title
- Company phone number (cell & landline), fax #, email
- Website
- Address
When including contact information, keep it as simple as possible. You’re not writing the phone book, so you don’t need to have every possible way to contact you. Instead, focus on what is the best way to contact you. The less clutter, the better.
Social media or online portfolio links
Including links to your social media or online portfolio is not necessary but can be a great add-on to your email signature. Sharing those social channels is crucial if you’re working on building or promoting your personal brand. If you’re a freelancer, this is a great way to give clients access to your other work, which they can forward to others.
Privacy information
Depending on your role and the content of your email, you should include a disclaimer. This disclaimer will typically mention that the email is only intended for a specific recipient of highly personal or confidential information. If you’re unsure whether a disclaimer is needed, refer to your manager or a legal professional.
Personal photo or company logo
Your email signature is most likely the last thing your recipient will see in your correspondence, so make a lasting impression. While contact information like phone numbers and emails are important, a company logo or headshot will be memorable.
When incorporating a personal photo, be sure to use only high-quality images. A low-quality photo can appear spammy and make you appear distrustful, which is the opposite effect you want. Carefully consider what impression someone might get from your headshot. When posing, be sure to smile. A smile can indicate that you’re friendly and trustworthy, making others feel more inclined to work with you.
Like a professional headshot, choose a high-quality file when including a logo.
IT Recruitment Agency in Toronto | About Live Assets | IT Staffing Solutions
Live Assets is a boutique IT Staffing/Recruiting firm specializing exclusively in building IT teams of excellence for the Information Technology sector.
We are a small, but productive team that works closely together and has had a 96% success rate for the past number of years!
We have a diverse number of clients and industries and focus on both full-time and contract I.T. opportunities.
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