Sending email messages is the most popular use for the Internet (79.9 percent of Internet users use e-mail) according to a report last month from the U.S. Dept. of Commerce.

So it makes sense that e-signature advertising should be included as part of your web marketing. To make things easy, setting up an e-signature takes only a few minutes, and once properly set-up in your email software, it will be automatically tacked onto the end of all your outgoing messages.

It is important to use an effective "e-signature" at the bottom of all email messages you send. Additionally your "e-sig" should be used for newsgroup postings and other types of postings (we'll list these below).

The majority of email messages sent do not include an e-signature. And most of messages that do include one, can definitely use a rework of their e-sig. Are you using an e-sig right now? And if so, is it effective?

First, determine your objective. If you're an AE (account executive) for a large company, the objective of your e-sig might be to keep your phone number and extension in front of your current customers, and provide hotlinks for products and support (so your customers don't bug you for things that are already on your company's site). Here's an example:

Steve, We received your fax, and I'll give you a call on Friday. Regards, Bill Bill Myers Account Executive IBM Corporation P: 555-555-2000 Ext. 222 F: 555-555-2000 http://ehits.com/AskVicki/111200/bill.myers@ibm.com IBM Support http://www-1.ibm.com/support IBM Products http://commerce.www.ibm.com/ IBM Main Site http://www.ibm.com/

Everything from "Bill Myers" on down is part of the e-signature.

Most email software can be set to automatically add your e-signature to the bottom of every message you send. Most browser-based email systems, such as Yahoo mail and Hotmail.com, can also be setup with an e-sig.

If your objective is for your e-sig to get people to your website (if for example you are selling something), then your e-sig should act as an "ad" and entice prospects to click on your website hotlink. For example:

When creating an e-sig designed to get people to your site, follow standard "headline" concepts. Also, like ezine ads, your e-sig should simply entice people to your website (you do not need to include all of your product's features, price, etc. in your e-sig). Once they reach your website, your sales message will take over and do it's job.

When creating your e-sig, follow standard email formatting rules, and keep the width of your e-sig to 65 characters or less. Don't make your e-sign too long.

If you're posting to newsgroups, moderated lists, or discussion boards, using an e-sig which is more than 4 or 5 lines long will annoy readers. And including very long e-sigs in newsgroup postings may cause flamers and others to give you a hard time.

Always include "http://" as part of your website address, so your URL will appear as a "hotlink" to your recipients. (this works in most email readers) Also, add "mailto:" to the beginning of your email address so it appears as a hotlink.

To help inspire you to create an effective e-sig, and to jogg your creativity, here's a sampling of actual e-sigs...
 

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IFPA911 - Int'l Firefighters & Police Officers Assoc.
Membership has it's Benefits!!! http://www.ifpa911.org

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Maui Oceanfront Condos
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Rent OWNER DIRECT and save!
http://www.lovemaui.com
mailto:info@lovemaui.com
1-800-447-MAUI
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TradeMark Express - HDQR Office
4546 El Camino Real, Suite 250
Los Altos, CA. 94022

Voice...: (650) 948-0530     (800) 776-0530
Fax.....: (650) 948-0527
Web Site: http://www.tmexpress.com
E-Mail..: info@tmexpress.com
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NAME-IT - HDQR Office
4546 El Camino Real, Suite 238
Los Altos, CA. 94022

Voice...: (650) 948-2990     (800) 511-1520
Fax.....: (650) 948-0527
Web Site: http://www.nameit.com
E-Mail..: info@nameit.com
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Branding is not about getting your prospects to
choose you over your competition; it's about getting
your prospects to see you as the only solution to
their problem." (sm)  -- Rob Frankel, consultant and 
author of  "The Revenge of Brand X: How to build a
Big Time Brand on the web or anywhere else."  on sale at 
http://www.therevengeofbrandx.com
Big Time Branding (SM)  http://www.robfrankel.com
AIM: ROBFRANKEL  * 818-990-8623  or 1-888-ROBFRANKEL
Subscribe to FrankelBiz for FREE at: http://www.frankelbiz.com

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Get Yahoo! Mail - Free email you can access from anywhere!
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Sincerely, 
Network Solutions, Inc.
the dot com people(TM)
Copyright 2000 Network Solutions, Inc. All rights reserved.

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