Who Are You?

Set Up an E-mail Signature
By Sherry G. Kerr
Outdoor Media Resources
 

Hardly a day goes by when I don’t get an e-mail from an address likefamousoutdoorwriter@bigisp.net or live4huntin@mynetwork.com.  The e-mail usually says something like, “Hey, Sherry, I need a 3-9x scope ASAP for an article. Can you get one right out?”

I could probably help this writer if I knew who he or she was!  Aside from the lack of information on the intended project, I don’t know to whom or where to ship the item.  Obviously, this means follow-up time will be needed for two time-challenged people: the writer and me.

This problem can be avoided with an automatic e-mail signature posted on all outgoing messages.  Most, if not all, e-mail programs offer the option of signatures, those lines that appear at the end of your message and include everything the recipient needs to know about who you are and how to contact you.  Signatures can be set to appear automatically on every e-mail, so you don’t have to type the information each time.

When you set up your signature, think in terms of a letterhead and include the same data: your name, address (mailing and shipping if they’re different), phone number (including cell if you want to be contacted that way), and any other means of contacting you.  It could also include your website URL, your byline if you use a different name in print, your title, company or publication for which you work, and anything else manufacturers and editors might want to consider in responding to you.

Even if your e-mail address includes your name, you should add an e-mail signature with all the pertinent information.  You may be famous, but chances are, the recipient won’t recall your address with enough confidence not to have to look it up.

Add an informative signature to your e-mail before you send out even one more message.  You will improve your professional image, get faster results, and save time for you and your recipients.