The world of work runs on communication. Without a clear stream of communication between employees, across teams, and between companies and clients, it would be impossible to get anything done. Especially over the past few years, with new logistical problems rising to the surface during and after COVID regulations and restrictions, clear communication is now more important than ever before.
However, we now rely on email and instant message communication to such a huge extent that the vast majority of employees have to designate large portions of their time to responding and staying in the loop. On average, an employee will spend around 28% of their 40 hours reading and responding to each email that lands in their inbox. That’s not to mention C-level employees, who notoriously spend even longer on emails.
In order to streamline email communication both internally and externally, more and more businesses are turning to unique strategies to save them time. One of the leading strategies that helps to empower businesses to save more time when sending and receiving emails is by using email signatures.
While sometimes overlooked as just a space to share personal titles and information, businesses can actually put these to work to achieve great results. In this article, we’ll demonstrate how your organization can use email signatures both internally and externally to streamline communication and get more from every single email you send.
Let’s dive right in.
How To Use Email Signatures Internally
Internal communication over email should be short, to the point, and packed with information. Especially considering that there are already alternative communication tools like Microsoft Teams and Slack, your employees shouldn’t waste time with email unless it is really important. That said, when you do use email, embedding email signatures can have a number of benefits.
When you use email signatures internally, you can:
- Dispel Confusion – Titles and job department information can dispel confusion when messaging someone or receiving an email from someone inside your company for the first time.
- Empower HR – HR can use their email signatures to include surveys and polls. These provide an accessible space where users can rapidly access information and make their voices heard in your business.
- Share News – C-suite executives and other team leaders can use their email signature as a small bulletin board, putting a few core pieces of information that the team should know that week. Whenever they contact their departments at the start of the week, all team members will be clued in on everything they need to know.
Internal communication doesn’t need to be nearly as polished or refined as external emailing. By using your email signatures as a way of breaking down barriers between employees and streamlining conversation, you’ll be able to improve the quality of internal communication in no time.
How To Use Email Signatures Externally
While organizations can use email signatures to streamline internal communication, it is within external messaging that this function really starts to shine. Businesses have to contact people outside their organization all the time. Whether it’s requesting details from someone or simply reaching out to share information, emails are constantly leaving a business and arriving in inboxes around the world.
Email signatures are extremely useful externally, as you can use them in a number of alternative ways:
Marketing Materials
One of the most effective ways of using an email signature is as space to include further marketing materials for your business. Considering the sheer number of outbound emails that will regularly leave your business, you can convert each of these into a potential marketing contact point.
Marketing emails are already highly effective when it comes to the relative ROI of this stream. Beyond just engaging further in marketing emails, you can include subtle marketing information in each of your employee’s email signatures. For example, including discount information, small images of newly released products, or a seasonal offer will help to grab people’s attention.
As you’re not directly placing this information in the body of your email, it won’t distract from whatever the actual purpose of your email is. But, it will create a new opportunity for customers and clients to engage with your emails in a new way. Even if this only results in a few clicks out of 100 emails, this strategy can pay off over time.
Links and CTAs
Email signatures are a wonderful way of including links to your website and subtle CTAs that clients and customers can follow. To the side of all your main contact and personal information, you can include a small section that lets people know they can find more information on your website.
For example, if your business has just produced an eBook or a digital guide that you’re hosting on your website, then you can use this space to present a small CTA and link to that page. A little snippet of the report will catch people’s attention, with the available links then driving them to your website.
Building Credibility
Another useful benefit of including an email signature in your external communications is that it can help to build up a level of professionalism and credibility in your company. Email signatures, especially those that you have designed with care, can look striking while also delivering important information.
When all of your employees follow the same email signature structure, you’ll ensure that all external clients see a homogeneous style of email. Not only does this help to build brand visibility, but it boosts cohesion and will make your company seem much more credible to an outside audience.
If you’re wondering Exchange email signature manager, then be sure to follow the linked tutorial. Depending on the email service that your business uses, there will be a slightly different method of including email signatures on your provider.
Final Thoughts
Email signatures are far more than a small space to list your title and your name. While initially created as a way of saving a few seconds and not having to type your name, email signatures have evolved to something irreplaceable in email communication.
Both internally and externally, organizations can customize their email signatures to include additional information. Internally, signatures can become a noticeboard of information, useful comments, or simply a place to help streamline 1-1 conversations. External communication is where signatures really shine, allowing people to share marketing materials, boost awareness, and build an element of professionalism.
Making use of email signatures will radically empower your business and unlock the full potential of email communication.
