Keep your e-mail signature udpated

One little, tiny thing that is an often overlooked marketing tool is the e-mail signature. This is something that hundreds (or maybe even more) business people see each day. Make that an opportunity that works for your business. Here are some ideas to consider:

1. Link to LinkedIn.If you’re keeping your LinkedIn profile udpated (which you should be) chances are you have a recommendation or two in your profile. If you don’t have any recommendations, read my advice on building that portion of your profile. This allows indivdiuals to view your recommendations, see your credentials and learn more about you.
2. Invite people to follow you on Twitter. Depending on how you use Twitter, it may make sense to invite people to follow you and keep updated on what you’re doing. Growing an audience that wants to know more about you is never a bad thing.
3. Help push traffic to a website or cause. Use a link to your website to help push traffic there. Enhance the potential of someone using this link by using a catchy phrase or adding a visual image that may add to curiosity.
4. Be professional. Make sure your business signature propels the look, feel, tone and mission of your business. It wouldn’t make sense to build your brand in all other areas only to have a horrible signature line that devalued the rest of your efforts.
5. Share your location. I still go to the e-mail to find location and phone information for those I’m trying to reach. This is a common practice that you may want to consider making a communications standard in your company.

The example below hits on these topics and a couple others. If you want to have everyone follow you on each of the social media outlets you’re frequenting, use smaller icons or visuals that still mesh with your business brand and serve your connection needs. Don’t go too overboard and add lots of info, but do rotate or update your signature from time to time to keep it fresh and keep it working as a marketing tool.

Clay's e-mail signature.