The Role of Your Email Footer in Business Success

In the world of highly competitive small businesses and solopreneurs, every little piece of real estate is critical. Sneaky space(s) to promote you and your skills, your business, every little thing and detail counts.

When I coach colleagues, there’s some easy-reaching, low-hanging fruit that you can instantly pick to achieve positive promotion results — and this includes the often-overlooked real estate of your email footer!

Your email footer, especially one that includes your photo, can make a bold first impression. Additionally, it’s an easy graphic that can be translated to social media platforms like Facebook and LinkedIn. It’s like posting a free billboard!

I get it, your email footer may seem trivial, but I can honestly say that first impressions count. The real estate of your business email footer can be used as a powerful tool.

It’s completely free.

When you’re starting out, it’s the freebies that are what practitioners instantly seek. The added bonus is that your email footer is something easy that you can do without a lot of tech skills, especially if you’re using ‘templates’ within Canva (yep, even the free version).

The real estate of your email footer, otherwise called a ‘signature’, can enhance your professional image, promote your brand, and streamline the communication of your basic information with clients and colleagues. Information regarding your location, office hours, and even qualifications can up-level you in the eyes of your audience -especially if your competition’s correspondence is glaring white void of blank real estate.

If you’re starting up your business, you may simply be using mail. That’s a great start, but not so friendly when building newsletter lists. Yet, you can still jump into the ‘settings’ section and type the bare minimum information listed below.

If you’re established, with upcoming changes to social media (SM) due to Digital ID legislation in Australia, then you may realise that the age of SM is potentially about to crash. You don’t own that real estate, never have.

But you do own your mailing list. And you own how often you land in the newsfeed of your audience. Therefore, the real estate of your mailing list is prime estate to continue showing your face.

Not sure about email platforms, I recommend you try exploring the free options like Mailerlite (my new best friend, which is tech-friendly for the novice). Once you become a little more established, and the clients start to flow, a newsletter may be warranted to promote freebies, bonus downloads, exclusive follower treats, and VIP special deals.

The best bit about Mailerlite is that they actively promote guides and recommended content to promote your business. It’s in their best interest, really, so that you use their product!

If you’re uncertain about whether you’re not utilizing your free real estate within your email footer, then check out the list below. I’ve collated the top five items to include immediately.

Top 5 Items to Include Within Your Business Email Footer

1. Contact Information: It sounds ridiculous, but where you can introduce yourself for free, grab it. Include a portrait picture of yourself; it doesn’t have to be glamorous.

Why? Because first impressions count. People will look at you and instantly decide “I want/don’t want to work with this person”.

Not convinced? Imagine the last time you wandered in the shopping centre and made an impulse purchase based on something that grabbed your attention through the window.

Also include your name, position, company name, phone number, and a professional email address. This ensures that recipients know exactly who you are and how to reach you.

I recommend, where possible, and if space permits, include a website or booking / purchase link — remember the window shopping experience.

2. Company Logo and Branding: A small, high-quality version of your company logo reinforces brand recognition. Consistent use of your brand colors and fonts will also enhance the visual identity of your emails.

People are subconscious creatures with visual processing systems driving our memory processes. When they see your local on email, social media, and your website, there’s a comfort in consistency. You’ve invested the effort to drive clients and customers down a purchase pathway.

3. Social Media Links: Hyperlink your vital social media icons for platforms like LinkedIn, Instagram, YouTube, and Facebook. This encourages recipients to connect with your business across different social channels. This is especially the case if you’re sending emails to confirm booking appointments or making purchases.

You want your clients to find you easily within the sea of everyone else. You want your clients to find you everywhere in their feeds.

If you’re really clever, create your email ‘signature’ within Canva. Then resize into your Facebook and Instagram header templates and upload those onto the platforms — consistent message with your face. It’s the best billboard in town, and it’s free.

4. Legal Information and Disclaimers: With privacy legislation being updated within Australia, and the impending Digital ID, legislative compliance will need to be demonstrated.

Your industry and location may require you to include disclaimers or legal notices, such as confidentiality statements or company registration numbers. Your industry association may also require you to demonstrate your accreditation status in order to comply with the Code of Conduct.

5. Call to Action (CTA): A simple CTA, such as a link to your latest blog post, a newsletter signup, or an upcoming webinar, can drive traffic to your website and engage recipients with your content. This golden link is fabulous when sending followup emails to clients, and be sure to include a link to your ‘Google My Business’ with the CTA “leave me a 5-star review”!

First published with at Medium. Click here this piece.