You want a great looking signature -- that's no question. But there are some best practices to follow when putting yours together. Here are a few:
Do: include the basics: Name, Title, Company, Phone Number, Email Address, Website.
Don't: include every possible way to contact you. Too many choices means your recipient is less likely to choose any of them. There is also no need to add a physical address, as Hatchbuck will populate that information in the footer.
Do: Make sure links to your website and social networks have been hyperlinked and are current.
Don't: make your entire signature an image. Some email clients block images by default, and some experts say to avoid images altogether. If you use an image, don't scale it. Use a small image at 100%, not a 500px image at 4%. It's best not to copy/paste an image from your website.
Do: Make sure your company has consistent standards and that your font matches your brand standards. Use at most 2 colors and 1 font in 2 sizes.
Don't: copy/paste from Microsoft Word. Doing so will retain formatting that will affect your signature appearance. Create your signature within Hatchbuck, or, use the special paste from Word option.
Ideas to add some flare:
- Pick a snazzy sign-off instead of the old stale ones like "Best" or "Sincerely."
- Personal brand expert Melissa Cassera uses "To your sizzle, spark, and stardom" – that may be a bit much for you, but you get the idea.
- Use the opportunity to highlight an award your company has received.
Here are three resources that we referenced and think you should check out: Fast Company, Frederic Gonzalo, Xink