Signing Your Email
Email signatures have become the absolute norm and provide an opportunity to craft your digital presence. When you receive an email from someone, how much do you typically know about them? Probably not very much. But with a well-planned email signature, that all changes.
Here's the problem: as emails become more important to both your and the recipient's businesses, crafting a distinctive signature is much more important. And finding creative ways to sign emails becomes infinitely more difficult.
It's one thing to write and send a personal message. A signature isn't personal; it's business. Emails with signatures can result in pain, confusion or even anger among recipients, who may feel confused or annoyed at signing their names over and over again. Many people don't want to waste time with an email signature.
Why Not Use Your Name?
The problem with using your name is that it makes your email impersonal and generic—a big no-no for business emails. You want to be remembered, not thought of as someone else.
You can hardly go wrong with your own email signature. Your name is probably one of the most recognizable pieces of information in the world, which makes it fitting for your signature.
Personalize Your Signature
Use a first and last name, a title and an optional website address (or social media handles). Whatever you use in any other public venue is appropriate here. For example: John Scott, President at JohnScottUSA.com .
If someone wants to contact you, they'll look for the signature from those places; check out your website or Facebook page; or Google you if necessary. A signature is a one-time contact, so you want to make it as memorable and easy to find as possible.
How Should You Sign?
There are numerous options for signing your email, but they all depend on the recipient. For example:
First Letter: A signature that starts with the first letter of your name includes only two words and is much harder to miss than a long signature. The first letter of your name is also perfect for signing an email in a group email, particularly if it's just initials (JSCS) or abbreviations (JSDC). Some people consider this practice tacky or lazy. Either way, most people are comfortable with it. Last Name: If you have a first and last name (like John Scott), use both. It's the most professional option and it's also what business cards, letterhead and social media accounts look like. Use your last name as a signature, not your full name. It looks like you are trying to save space or money by using just your last name, when in fact you have more than enough room in the signature box to give everyone the complete information they need. You want people to get in touch with you, not be confused or deterred because they can't figure out how to contact you.
First and Last Name: If you have a first and a last name (like John Scott), you can use them both. They're easier to read and don't look as silly as a first letter signature. However, people will probably have to copy and paste your full name in order to search for it if they want to find out more about you. First Name Last Name: One option is to use both first and last names. This is easier than using just the first or last name independently because it's less cluttered. It's also more formal than the first letter signature but less formal than the initial with name. This is good for people who want something personal without being overly personal. Full Name: In the past, people have been known to sign their first name and their last name. While this is still an option, it's much less popular now. It may not be as observant as some people want or expect a signature to be—that is, signing your full name rather than just your first or last names.
Full Name with Initials: There are two variations: first letter and last letter. First letter initials (and two-letter combinations) can often lead to confusion in email signatures if you've used them before in business or personal emails.
You can also use area codes or zip codes to include a special area of expertise. For example:
John Scott, CPA
Dave Swanson, PhD
The full name is the easiest way to sign your emails and make them distinctive, but you'll probably have to customize it somehow. Here are some ways to do so:
Include your website address (or social media handles) in your signature. You might want to use the name of your company for this. This is very effective for people who are trying to find a message from you on social media or in email programs like Outlook, Gmail or Yahoo Mail. For example:
John Scott, President at JohnScottUSA.com .
Include a nickname or shortened version of your name. For example:
Mr. Scott
js@jscottusa.com .
Add a middle initial, if necessary, to make your full name more distinct from other names you might use in email signatures. If it's not already included in the middle, you can add "Jr." before your first name if you want it to look extra professional (like Mr. John Scott). This can be difficult for people who use the full name as their signature so it's best used with a middle initial for clarity if you're going this route. Names followed by Jr.: (Mr., Miss, Rev. John Scott, etc.)
If your name is too hard to read with just initials, you can extend the signature by adding a second initial or middle name as in: John Scott Jr.
john scott jr
. For example:
John Scott Jr. (or John Scott, Jr.)
jsjr@jscottusa.com .
You can also take it a step further and include an area of expertise by including a city and state as in: John Scott, CPA – New York .
If your last name starts with a vowel, you can use all of the above suggestions and add a vowel at the end of your name to make it more readable.
If you have a unique first name, you can include more than one line: John Steven Scott
js@jscottusa.com .
Include a nickname or shortened version of your name in the initial letter signature ( JS ) if it's in place of your complete name. This is efficient, but also informal and not recommended for business emails. First letter only: If you want to keep things simple and professional, choose just the first letter of your signature and leave out the rest.
Conclusion
Your signature is an important part of communicating with others, so make sure it's consistent, easy to read and memorable. And remember: everything you write should be direct and clear.
If you have any comments or questions about this blog post or would like to share your thoughts on email signatures, please leave a comment below.
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Signing Your Email