Whether we’re answering phones or writing messages, our virtual receptionist crew is all about adding a friendly, professional touch to every interaction. Email auto-signatures are a simple way to add that professional touch — they’re a super-easy way to include your contact information and other helpful info. But an automatic signature can seem a bit impersonal at times, especially when writing to someone you correspond with frequently. If you use an auto-signature, try these tips when you want to make your sign-off feel friendlier:
1. Add a custom closing. Closings are important, but don’t make a boilerplate closing part of your auto-signature. Instead, personalize a closing with each message, or at least switch it up — Sincerely doesn’t seem as sincere when you add it to every email.
2. Make social media part of your auto-signature. Does your company use Facebook or Twitter, or have a blog? Linking to one or two of your social media outlets is a great way to Create Community! Why not use your auto-signature to invite associates to get to know more about you and your organization? However, be careful not to bog down your signature with social media links — try keeping it to three or fewer. Here’s how we use social media in our auto-signatures:
3. Skip the auto-signature after the second go-round. If you’re writing back and forth on the same thread, try skipping the auto-signature after your second or third reply. Keep a friendly closing and your name (first only is fine), but skip the bulky auto-signature. Your correspondent knows who you are by now!
Now that you’re up to speed on how our virtual receptionists and support staffers do it, we’d love to know how you keep your email signatures upbeat. Please share your best practices in a comment below!
