Q. How do I create and use a signature in my email messages?

A. The best form of online advertisement is your signature line. A sig line is a few sentences inserted with every email you send out. It is another form of online business card. Most email programs will let you set up a signature of about six lines. Some will allow full messages. Include your URL, a short description, phone number, address, whatever may be relevant. Your signature can be included in every email message you send.

Here is my signature as an example:

--------------------------------------------------------------
Pam Jones
Clearwater Web Solutions
Helping Businesses Establish Their Online Presence
http://www.clearwaterwebsolutions.com 
208-476-4549
--------------------------------------------------------------

By creating several different signature files and storing them as templates you can pick and chose which ones you want to use. If you have a newsletter and you are corresponding with a subscriber you might use a signature file pertaining to one of your products.

I have a different signature file for every product I can sell from my site. If my correspondence doesn't warrant a blatant mention of the product, I can include a subtle nudge by including it in my signature file.

Don't create a signature that is miles long. I have received messages where the signature was longer than the message and included every single affiliate program the sender was involved in. I, personally, consider this a form of spamming. A good rule of thumb is to keep your signature to 4 to 6 lines and no more than 60  characters per line.

Other Examples of Signature Files:

Check out our Holiday Specials at http://www.yourdomain.com/ 

This month’s special: free shipping for all orders over $100.00! http://www.yourdomain.com/

Use Your Signature Files as a Tool

You can set up as many signature files as you want. Here are a few ideas:

• Multiple contact information signatures
  You might want to have a few different signatures for your contact information, some including more information than others, to be used for different purposes.
• Signatures for each one of your products or services
• Frequently Asked Questions
  If you reply with the same information over and over, why not type it once as a signature file and use it for responses. You can always personalize it if necessary prior to sending
• Short Ads
  Are you running a special or promoting an affiliate program? Create a short signature file and use it in your messages with a call to action.
• Individual paragraphs for specific purposes
  Create separate signatures for specific purposes then you can pick and chose which ones you want to use.
• Online Message Boards and Newsgroups
  It is usually acceptable to include your basic signature in message boards and newsgroups. Usually your name and web site address will be allowed. Check with the rules before posting, however.

There is no end to the uses for signature files. Use them as a tool to increase your productivity and your profitability. Rotate your signatures in your messages to people you correspond with frequently offering them a variety of information.

How to Setup a Signature

Outlook Express
Tools / Options / Signature Tab
(Optional) Click “add signature to all outgoing messages”
Click New
Give the signature a name (click rename and type the new name in the blue highlighted area)
Click in the text box and type the information for the signature - or - select file, then click the browse button to select a file on your hard drive for the signature. 

To use a signature in email messages:
If you’ve selected “add signature to all outgoing messages” the signature will automatically be included in all outgoing messages.

To add a signature to messages:
With email message open, click insert / signature and select the signature you want to use.

Eudora
Click Tools / Signature
Right click in white area of signature box – click new
Name the signature – click okay
In the main box type your message
Click File / Save

To use the Signature in an email message click the signature selection box and click on the signature you want to use

To set a Signature as the default (to appear automatically in all messages: 
click Tools / Options. Scroll to Composing mail and select the signature you want to use.

Outlook
Click Tools / Options / Mail Format
(toward the bottom under signature)
Click Signature Picker / New
Give the signature a name
Select whether you want to start with a blank signature, use an existing signature as a template, or use a file as a template.
Create you signature
Click finish.

To Automatically include the signature in outgoing messages select the signature as the default signature.