This article will be discussing the email signature on a personal account – not a corporate email signature. The reason is, for an entrepreneur, as previously discussed, needs to maintain their own separate brand.
Communicating your brand
Here is how I view each item from a personal branding standpoint when I see them in the email signature of an entrepreneur:
Social media links:
To me, this shows the entrepreneur is proud of their social media presence and take an active effort to update/maintain them. Shows they are further in tune in their industry.
Link to a blog:
Same with the social media links. Shows the entrepreneur is engaged with their industry and regularly updates their blog – wants someone who was impressed by an email from them to further see their knowledge/expertise.
A quote from someone famous:
I may be unpopular with this viewpoint, but for me, that shows the entrepreneur is unable to have an original thought that they are willing to show off. Instead of links to a blog / social media presence that shows the entrepreneur’s thought process, they are choosing to display a quote from someone else – entrepreneurs are known for creating something new, including original thoughts!
Direct line/preferred method of contact:
Shows they are engaged – they know people use email signatures to contact them, and that the entrepreneur also knows they want to be contacted a certain way – this shows that the entrepreneur is “putting 2+2 together” and using the email signature as a way to encourage communication via their preferred method – rather than making the recipient guess!
Awards/press:
Shows the entrepreneur is still engaged and shows off credentials. Displaying an award or a recent press quote shows that you are proud of your accomplishments/thoughts and that they dare someone else to further learn about them and their accomplishments.
Happy Emailing!
