Whether you're trying to win over a client or score a new job, it's vital to stand out. But standing out doesn't always require big thinking. Sometimes the smallest details can be enough to impress someone, like jazzing up your e-mail signature.
You can spice up your sign-off with different colors and fonts, but it's also important to show off the many facets of your personality and skill set. Don't make e-mail recipients search for your Web presence—provide links. Your e-mail signature can give people a taste of your personality and the culture of your business.
That being said, you ought to keep the signature short and concise rather than including every form of contact. Stick with three—if anyone wants to know more ways to get in touch with you, they'll likely be able to figure it out.
Here are six services that will help enhance your e-mail signature.
1. SigBuzz. If you're looking for real-time updates in your e-mail, SigBuzz offers live social integration. The service not only tracks the click-through rate of your signature, but also keeps track of all the clicks that your employees' signatures are generating.
2. WiseStamp. You can include a range of apps in your signature, such as your latest tweets, a QR code or your Pinterest page with WiseStamp.
3. Antvibes. Tired of people messing up your name? Antvibes is a service that incorporates an audible signature—a sound clip of your name.
4. Hancock.it. Although it's still in beta, Hancock.it is a good option for a company looking to streamline all signatures for a uniform brand message. The service puts one admin in charge of all signatures.
5. Blank Canvas. For the code-savvy, this extension for Firefox and Chrome allows you to automatically insert HTML on up to four signatures per Gmail account. The live preview pane shows what your signature will look like as you edit the HTML.
6. Email Stationary. If you're willing to pay, Email Stationary offers more than just signatures. You can select from a number of e-mail templates that will give your entire e-mail a branded look.
Have you gotten creative with your digital John Hancock? Let us know in the comments.
