Signature Text Files

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Do you have a signature text file (also known as email signature) set up in your email software so that your name, company and website address automatically appear at the bottom of every outgoing e-mail you send? If you don't have one already, setting up a signature text file is an easy (and totally free) way to help correspondents be in touch, identify your company and most importantly … promote your website.

When you send out letters, those receiving your correspondence can see the complete contact information for your company, as well as the logo and corporate colors. E-mails, however, are devoid of any identifying features, unless you have built them into your email preferences. In your message settings you can define name, organization and the email address you want to have people reply to, but not much else. The signature text file gives you the opportunity to do much more than that!

Your signature file could contain the following information: name, title, company, complete contact information (phone, fax, email, or preferred means of contacting you), marketing slogan, teasers about product or service specials or other information and, most importantly, the URL for your website.

A signature text file is FREE promotion for your website, building traffic to the site without any charge. So, don't forget to include your website address! Don't just put www.mycompany.com, include the http:// … to make your link "click-able". Some email software have limitations which necessitate copying the URL and pasting it into a web browser if the http:// is missing. If you include the full web address ,then all they have to do is click on the link and it opens up a new browser window and goes direct to your website.

The basic email signature should be standard throughout your company, and be on all outgoing company emails. Think of it as your "email letterhead". The way your employees sign their emails reflects on your company image. Ensure that email correspondence is "signed and branded" in a manner which reflects how you want to portray your company to those who receive email correspondence from your staff.

The steps for setting up the file differ, depending on which email software you use:

1. In Word Pad or your word processing software, create a file with the information you want to appear at the bottom of each email you send. Be sure to save the file in a text format (.txt) … you could name it signature.txt. Remember where you saved the file on your hard drive.
2. Open your email software and locate your email preferences:

• In Thunderbird - in the Tools menu, click on Account Settings. Be sure the "Attach this signature" box is checked. click on the "Choose" button to locate your signature text file. Click OK.
• In Microsoft Outlook Express 6 – in the Tools Menu, Select Options, Select Signature tab. Click the New button next to the Signatures box. Type the signature as you want it to appear in the Edit Signature box. Click OK.

Steps may vary slightly depending on the version of the email software you are using.

3. Test the signature by sending an e-mail to yourself. Make changes in it until you are happy with how it looks.

   If you want to make your signature file stand out, you could use a limited number of special symbols. Use lines breaks and white space to make the signature text easy to read. Stay fresh by changing your email signature now and then. You can include special season's greetings, promotions, company news or contest information. You can even include graphics, but remember the email will then take longer to download.

Remember, the point of using a signature file is: 1) to identify the sender, 2) provide contact information, and 3) to build traffic to your web site!

…. two of my signature text files follow:

I have a different signature text file for organizations I volunteer for, so that I can promote their websites !