Signature Line: An Overlooked, Virtually Free Marketing Tool

Author: Veronika Noize, The Marketing Coach

Once my clients truly understand that marketing is about relationships, we start talking about how those relationships are created and maintained to determine appropriate marketing tactics for their businesses and personal styles. But no matter what kind of business my clients are in, they all have the same excellent relationship marketing tool at their fingertips: Their e-mail messages.

E-mail messages are the most frequently overlooked (and virtually free) marketing tools available to entrepreneurs. No, I'm not talking about electronic mail campaigns, or spamming, but using the messages you send out every day to your clients and colleagues as a subtle marketing tool. You can do this by adding more information to your signature line in all your e-mail.

How many times have you received a message from people who aren't using a company domain name in their e-mail address, so you're not sure who Bill or Sally @Hotmail.com is? Or what if you're in that position yourself? Many low cost Web hosts will forward e-mail received to This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it , but don't provide an e-mail address from your domain name. So how do you look professional when you're dealing with a $35 a month Web site and free Internet e-mail? You use an annotated signature line.

Most e-mail programs allow users to create an individual signature line that is appended to all outgoing messages. If you're not using one, you are missing an effective and virtually free way to market your business. And as an added bonus, your marketing message can be seen where paid advertising is forbidden such as on electronic bulletin boards, giving you a competitive edge is such circumstances.

So why bother to annotate your signature line? Here are some good reasons: