How to Make a Proper Email Signature Line

Something I never gave much thought to until I realized I didn't like my own email signature (contact info at the bottom of emails) was the etiquette of what to include and exclude. So, I did some research and found some great tips on how to make a good signature. I never realized there was a whole etiquette around it.

I don't do all these things but I did find it made a big improvement in my own sig:


1. Use the standard delimiter, which is two dashes -- and a blank line in between that and the beginning of the text (see sample). Don't add a row of dashes or other distractions.

--

Kate Harper Art Licensing | Gift Design with a Sense of Humor
www.kateharperdesigns.com | kateharp@aol.com

2. Avoid using bullets. I've noticed they get translated into the apple symbol upon return emails, and it looks like an ad for Apple Computer.

3. Don't use images. This can cause your email to be blocked by spam filters, and it can be confusing to people receiving it when they think you are sending an attached image file.

4. Keep it simple: Only use 4 lines. Don't add insightful quotations, a long list of social media addresses, too many phone numbers. Stick to the basic contact information. If someone really needs to know all your social media addresses, they'll find it. Also, quotations can be misinterpreted or can give the wrong impression.

5. Use Simple formatting. Avoid fancy fonts since you don't know how they will get transformed on the other end after you send it.
- Use Arial Bold 10-point, for the first line and
- Use regular Arial 9-point for all the other lines.
- Use Black and avoid colors

6. Include your email address. I've seen different opinions on this, but the one that made the most sense to me as an artist whose art may get printed out from an email, is that sometimes your sig will be printed out also, or it may be cut or pasted to identify the card. The email is critical, so it should be there.

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