Very few schools have a standardized email signature—even within departments—and yet this is a basic for branding that is both simple (cut and paste) and inexpensive (free!).

And, as an added bonus, it can drive recipients to your web and/or social media sites, attracting viewers through channels you might never have reached any other way. It makes your school look professional and sophisticated in one step. Email sigs can be an effective marketing tool if done right.

Sig Must Haves

• Name
• Title
• School
• Phone (plus extension or direct line)
• Web (link)
• Social Media Links: Unfortunately, many email programs, browsers and filters strip out graphics, making a linked social media icon unusable in an email sig. The workaround is to write out something like: “Follow us on Twitter at: www.twitter.com/XXXX” that will link recipients to your account.

Sig Options

You know best how often your recipients need your address. Can they easily find it by clicking your web site instead? How often do you receive faxes nowadays?

• Address
• Fax
• Approved school tagline
• Upcoming events, etc. (keep it short)

Sig “Say No” Tos

• Quotes of the day
• Emoticons
• Your favorite animated gif
• Sig longer than a normal email for you

Other ideas

• A thin rule above your sig to separate it from the email itself
• Colored type (approved brand colors, that is)
• School logo (Beware of strip-out possibilities as mentioned above. Write out school name as well as a failsafe against this.)

Copy and paste your new and improved signature and send it to your colleagues. Tell them to customize it and then add it to their email preferences so that it comes up automatically. Voila! Impressive, consistent branding in a snap!