Marketers Tools

Another Back To Basics post for new inductees into the world of internet marketing

A much often overlooked means of free promotion for your Web site, service, or product is your e-mail signature file.

Every time you send an e-mail message to a friend, colleague, newsgroup, mailing list, etc. you have the opportunity to convey a marketing message and attract a new visitor to your Web site.

Sig File Contents

Many of the e-mail programs provide “hot links” to email addresses and URL’s. To take advantage of these features simply enclose them between lesser than and greater than signs. For example, type your e-mail address as <mailto:someone@somewhere.com> and your entire URL as <http://www.yourdomain.com>.

There are many approaches to Sig files. One way is to categorize them according to purpose:

E-Mail User:

An e-mail user is usually concerned with providing a return e-mail address. It is very common to see the use of a favorite quote incorporated into their signature file. An example may be:

Jane Doe <mailto:jane@provider.com>
“You cannot teach a man anything, you can only help him to
find it for himself.” — Galileo Galilei

Business User — Non Promotional

A typical business user may take a “business card” approach.

John Doe, B.S., M.S.
Director of Sales, Websites Be Me
<mailto:john@websitesbeme.com>
Tel: 888-123-4567 — Fax: 222-987-6543

Business User with a Web site:

Don’t miss the opportunity to give the URL for your Web site.

Jane Doe, CEO <mailto:jane@softwareisus.com>
Software Is Us Website: <http://www.softwareisus.com>
Tel: 888-123-4567 — Fax: 222-987-6543

Business User – Promotional:

-To make a signature file even more effective, include the use of a marketing message and a call to action.

John Doe, Director of Sales <mailto:john@websitesbeme.com>
Tel: 888-123-4567 — Fax: 222-987-6543
*** Websites designed to your specs! Personal, group or biz***
***<http://www.websitesbeme.com/samplesites.html>***

Signature File Formatting

Netiquette dictates that a signature file should be between 4-6 lines. Due to the differences in e-mail programs, design your signature file to be 60-65 characters wide and touch Enter at the end of each line. Use a non-proportional font such as courier 9 point. It is OK to use spaces but not tabs.

After you create your e-mail signature, send yourself an e-mail message to check that the lines do not wrap before the end of each line and the overall appearance.

Happy Marketing,
The Toolman