Email marketing has become a staple form of marketing. With an increase in email marketing, there has been an increase in email branding as well. Part of branding is understanding how to present your company and your representatives.
An email signature is a popular and effective way to integrate branding into your marketing efforts. An average person receives over 100 emails a day and it is important for your email to stand out. For example, using an email signature generator can help target your efforts.
But what do email signatures include and how can you make a minimalist email signature? Here is the ultimate guide on how to make minimalist email signatures that will drive conversions.
What is an email signature?
An email signature is an important part of your email marketing efforts. Before delving into whether you need a simple email signature or a complex email signature or exactly what type of email signature you need, you need to understand what an email signature really is.
As a general rule of thumb, think of an email signature as an electronic business card. So, details like your name and contact information should be easily accessible through an email signature. In addition, an email signature is an opportunity to list other important supplementary information like your social media accounts, website etcetera.
Basically, information that builds on your brand without getting in the way of the content in the email. In other words, an email signature is an electronic business card with supplementary online links and credentials that add on to your brand by providing information and establishing credibility.
How to create an email signature?
Consider the purpose of your business and just like all other marketing materials, your email signature needs to represent this purpose.
Professional email signatures add to your brand and your professionalism. There are many email signature creators and it can be a challenging task to identify the one that works best for you. But there are a few great free options like Newoldstamp and MySignature which help.
These platforms have an easy step-by-step guide to ensure all necessary things are covered. But at the same time, the platforms are user-friendly and help ease the process of making an email signature. Using these platforms you can explore the different ways of creating email signatures and pick the one that projects your brand in the best possible manner.
Tips to make email signature minimalist and professional
Now that we have established what an email signature is and how you can create one, the next step is to understand how to make an email signature minimalist and professional. Here is a checklist that will help you ensure you create and use a minimalist and professional email signature for your brand.
#1 Don’t add too much information:
Sharing information is important but sharing too much information is unnecessary. Too much information, makes your signature appear cluttered, distracts your readers from your brand, and fails to achieve what you want from an email signature.
You want to use an email signature as a way to enhance your brand. Adding too much information will overwhelm your readers and detract from your message. So, focus on your core message and use an email signature to enhance this message, not take away from it.
#2 Use 1-2 colors:
An email signature is a way to build on the content shared within your email marketing text. In doing so, if there are too many colors then the design looks jumbled up and confusing.
To enhance the email signature stick to using no more than two colors, that too neutral if possible. The two colors need to be in sync with your branding colors as well. As a result, the purpose of sticking with two colors is to ensure that it strengthens your branding message without taking away the branding value of your email signature.
#3 Use web-safe fonts:
The text or font is a major part of your email marketing design. After investing time and resources in drafting a winning email marketing campaign and email signature, the last thing you want is to jeopardize the content with something as simple as font.
Using web safe fonts for your email text and email signature will ensure your content is supported by universal devices. As a result, regardless of the platform or device your reader uses, your font will be compatible and legible in all devices. Use 1 type of web-safe font for your entire signature to ensure it is aesthetically pleasing and compatible across all devices.
#4 Add professional photo:
An email signature is an opportunity to build on your brand, this includes your brand advocates as well. Personalized email signatures for all members of your team will allow your readers to put a face on the members of your company and allow them to better connect with your brand.
In doing so, adding a professional photo will ensure that your audience views your brand in a professional light. An email marketing campaign is built around a value proposition your brand has and adding an email signature with a photo to this campaign will add to this brand value.
#5 Use social media icons:
Adding social media icons to your email signature will allow your readers to explore your brand further. In the process, if your email and social media content resonates with the readers then your brand will have the opportunity to get new followers as well.
However, too much of a good thing can be a bad thing and this applies to adding social media icons in your email signature as well. Limit use of social media icons to 5 to reap the maximum benefits and avoid information overload.
#6 Make it mobile-friendly:
There are billions of emails sent out every day and more than half of these emails are being accessed on mobile devices. As a result, it is important for your entire email marketing template and email signature to be mobile-friendly.
In other words, you need a responsive design that can be compatible across all platforms. This ensures that people on all devices can access your content. Make sure your text and icons are large enough to appear well on your mobile device and all other devices as well.
#7 Add banner or button with CTA:
A CTA or call to action is an integral part of your email marketing campaign efforts. An email signature is a great place for a banner or CTA. Direct your readers towards something you want them to engage in.
If you have a sales offer or an upcoming event or a testimonial or anything else you would like to share a banner is a great way to divulge this information. This will increase the value of your email signature and encourage your readers to engage with your efforts.
An email signature is an opportunity for you to seal the efforts of your email marketing campaign. Make a design that is simple, succinct and crisp in terms of the content and design. Use this as an opportunity to promote your efforts and add value to your readers. All of this will ensure you have a minimalist email signature that will result in higher conversions.