Your personal brand is important. From business cards to your LinkedIn summary, personal branding can make a positive impact on how you present yourself to others. Effective personal branding can even help you land your dream job. An often overlooked way to showcase what you bring to the table lies in your email signature. Below are seven quick methods of making your email signature more unique and creative.
Add a photo. Leave the boring text behind and add a visual element to your signature. You can easily insert a professional headshot or logo from your current school, internship, or job. Choosing a creatively targeted visual that best depicts your personal brand can add value to the overall message of your email.
Create a direct call-to-action. If you're a professional, target your audience skillfully by building buzz about an upcoming event or new job opening. If you're a college student, try a personalized networking hook: "Want to get coffee? Email (or call) me at ___."
Link to social media accounts. Depending on your personal brand, you may want to direct people you connect with to your Twitter or Instagram account. If you're actively seeking employment and have a strong LinkedIn profile, add the link to the bottom of your email to help connections learn more about your skills.
Insert your actual signature. Save a photo of your handwritten signature to put at the end of your emails. This will add a personal touch and stand out against the words on the page.
Add a quote. Is there a motivational quote out there that helps you strive to succeed? Put it in your email signature to show what's important to you or a goal you may be trying to reach.
Create a professional headline. Right after your name, come up with 3-5 words that best depict your field, values or profession. Examples could be something like "Branding | Consulting | Design" or "Aspiring PR Professional."
Link to a recent published piece. Pull one blog post from your portfolio to showcase in you email signature (i.e. "Read my latest post on The Huffington Post here.") Make sure to keep it updated with your latest work.