Your email signature is your sales pitch, your opportunity to entice editors and readers to visit your Web site and view your clips. It’s also an opportunity to establish yourself as the “go-to” person in your area of expertise. So, make the most of it.
When it comes to email signature lines, Linda Formichelli, co-author of The Renegade Writer and Query Letters that Rock, opts for the light-hearted approach. She shares her story on her popular blog, The Renegade Writer. Tired of the signature line she had been using for months, “Hire me to write your stuff! I’m swell,” she sat down with her husband, Eric, and started playing around with different ideas:
- Writing since 1997. Walking upright since 1970.
- I write. You buy.
- Good writing; est. 1997.
- I write words and paragraphs.
Ultimately, she decided on “Making editors smile since 1997.”
Linda’s nontraditional approach, helps her to establish her brand. And as you can probably tell, Linda is quirky, unconventional, and loves breaking the rules, which is part of her appeal. She engages her readers using a playful, light-hearted approach that is hard to resist. It’s her brand, what others think of when they hear her name.
Establish Your Brand
For writers, branding creates the perception that you’re the best person for the job. When you think of UPS, what comes to mind? Did you picture a brown truck or an individual holding a package and wearing a brown uniform knocking on your front door. Same is the case with travel marketing services.
You always think of agency specialised in travel services. What about Geico? Does a green gecko come to mind? How about a cave man? Both have been used successfully in their ad campaigns and commercials. That’s branding, and that’s what you want to do with your writing.
Cover the Basics
But before you get creative with your email signature line, let’s cover the basics. According to the McQuary limit, signature lines should be no more than four lines and contain fewer than 80 characters per line. Before the 1990’s bandwidth explosion, long signature lines ended up costing people a lot of money.
Although times have changed, don’t waste people’s time with email signature lines that are too long to read or contain multiple links. A well-craft message that is short and simple has staying power.
So, what kind of information should you include in your signature block?
Certainly, include your name, a link to your writer’s Web site, and your contact information. Some like listing sites or magazines they write for regularly. For example, “A regular contributor to website.” Others promote their books and events through their signature line.
Once you’ve covered the basics, include a tagline that differentiates you from other writers and captures your unique contribution to the marketplace.
Consider Multiple Signature Lines
Some writers use different email signature lines for different correspondence. Linda’s co-author, Diana Burrell, uses multiple signatures. She uses Eudora, which allows her to use different signatures for different roles she undertakes. For example, Diana uses different signature lines for personal, client, press, and interview emails.
Email signatures offer a low-cost opportunity to build your brand and generate new work. Consider it your virtual business card; use it to your advantage.
You just might be surprised at the comments–and work–it generates.
