Making the most of your emails.
“In the world of digital communication tools, email has become the king.”
According to Statistica, there were about 293 billion emails sent daily in 2019 – and the number is expected to hit about 347 billion by 2023. (Statisica.com)
Electronic mails referred to as emails, one of the earliest digital marketing tools, have become so powerful over the years. Emails have become a primary communication tool on the Internet. One cannot afford not to have an email address.
Importance of Having an Email Address
Emails have become part of one’s daily virtual life. It’s therefore imperative to make the most of them. Here are a couple of reasons why you need to have an email address.
- Your email serves as a form of digital identification tool. It is one of the primary ways to register for almost any digital service. Social media sites require an email address for registration.
- It’s your address to receive Digital goods. For eCommerce purposes, emails are required for translations. Even if you’re purchasing products that will be delivered physically, the address is used to receive product details, receipts, and tracking information in some instances.
- In purchasing digital goods, most often the products are delivered via emails. Without an email address you virtually become handicapped. You can do very little online without an address.
- Emails addresses reveal your identity to an extent, and also speak volumes about the personality behind it.
- Email addresses are used to confirm your virtual identity. Most often activating subscription services are sent via emails.
- Businesses are transacted via emails; they ease transactions, and it makes tracking easier with emails.
- Families, friends, and loved ones keep in touch via email communications – one of the most used means of sending and receiving information among friends
The Role of a Branded Email address
The majority of Internet users create email addresses using mail services by yahoo or Gmail – the latter being more popular and widely-used. These providers help with free email address creation, a good way to begin.
However, stepping up the game for your brand requires that you get an email in your personal or company’s domain name; an example would be [email protected], [email protected]
The branded Email address has numerous benefits, including:
- Trust-building: Brand emails will be more trusted than those from a generic email service provider
- Establishes authenticity: Many digital service providers prefer emails activated from branded domains than those of the generic provider.
- Brand promotion: Since emails are used more often, the more people see the address the more brand visibility is gained; and chances for them visiting your website will be very high.
- Mark of professionalism: Not only is it nice to have a branded email address, but it also speaks to your profession. Your firm will be seen as more professional by having its domain email address.
- Privacy control: Having a self-hosted email addresses limits the fear of compromised emails, as it offers you full control over the privacy of your mails
Using Email Signature for Branding & Marketing
One of the underutilised features of emails has been the footer section.
The footer is the bottom part of an email that allows you to input content that will automatically accompany every mail sent.
You may enter details such as: company brief, contact numbers, social media handles, official website, etc.
The goal is to enter relevant information that stands a chance of promoting your brand.
Don’t ever leave your email footer blank, especially for your brand/company.
You can use it to advertise an upcoming product, service; a newly-released product, events, etc.
Quick tips:
- Stick to a particular font style
- Font and style should be legible
- Use company brand colours
- Don’t make it clumsy by overloading it with content
- If you need to use HTML codes, get it done professionally
- Have a standard one for all your company emails for every staff
- Showcase your expertise
- Be brief, the fewer lines the better
- Have a Call-to-action message/button
How to create your email signature/footer
Mostly, the button can be found in the ‘settings’ menu in the mail; using self-hosted, webmail, or a third-party mail provider.
For example, if you use Gmail or Yahoo mail:
- Log in to your mail.
- Locate the settings icon at the top right of your mail.
- Click the settings, scroll down to the Signature Section – a text box displayed below it.
- Type your signature message or copy and paste your content.
- Click Save. You are done!
- Go back to Compose mail then look at the bottom of your mail to see your signature.
You can save yourself some stress by using a third-party app to have the footer created for you with ease.
The following are good ones to try:
- Wisestamp Free signature generator https://wisestamp.com
- Free basic HTML signature https://htmlsig.com
- Hubspot email signatures https://www.hubspot.com/email-signature-generator
- io
- Design Hall signatures https://www.designhill.com/email-signature-generator
- Free HTML Signatures https://si.gnatu.re/
Now, it’s your turn; let your emails do the speaking for you!
Bernard Kelvin Clive is an Author, Speaker and Corporate Trainer. Ghana’s foremost authority on Personal Branding and Digital Book Publishing, and Amazon bestselling author of over 40 published books. As a speaker & trainer he has been known to simplify complex ideas about branding and life, and present them to audiences in clear, actionable steps. He has over a decade of experience in digital publishing and has globally consulted for entrepreneurs, pastors and people like you to write books and build brands. He hosts the number-one ranked Career & Business Podcast in Ghana. Bernard is a brand strategist at BKC Consulting and runs the monthly Branding & Publishing Masterclass.
Visit www.BKC.name
