Sign, seal and deliver an effective email signature photo
When it comes to an image for your email signature…
keep it simple and clear.
Over the past few years, I’ve noticed a growing trend involving more elaborate email signatures, especially amongst the speaker, author, consultant, and trainer communities.
Many of my clients use them.
And I have to say, it does add a delicious mixture of information and visual pop to the bottom of the page, no doubt about it.
For many of the services who offer email signature design templates, they offer space for a photo.
And this is where I see a lot of Experts drop the ball on a wonderful opportunity.
How so?
They don’t maximize the value of that photo placeholder.
For many experts, they’ll simply fill that space with a wider framed shot, check it off the to-do list, and move on with their day.
In this case, they are better off not using a photo at all.
Why?
There is one goal that needs to be achieved with an email signature photo:
Facial recognition
It’s the last thing a viewer sees before responding and/or closing the email, so it’s a great way to allow them a chance to get a feel for your personality beyond the words they just read.
But, if you opt for a wide shot in this tiny lil’ placeholder space, they can’t even SEE your face, let alone get a feel for your personality.
When thinking about selecting a photo for your email signature, use the same process you use for selecting your professional headshots:
A tightly-cropped image that fills the pixel constraints for the image with your face while your personality is written all over your face and you’re wearing a client-facing outfit.
You could also put in a short, video clip of you smiling and waving to the camera, that’s cool, too…
…provided your face and expression is clearly visible to those who see it.
It doesn’t need to be any more or less complicated than that, folks. There’s no need to get cute and get exotic with the process. You have PLENTY of other areas across your online presence where you can get really fancy with your image choices…
…but let’s stick to the basics with this one, shall we?
Keep this in mind if you’re looking to create or revamp your email signature. While a simple piece, it, nonetheless, adds a personal touch to every email correspondence you have with those who need your help most.
To learn more insights related to maximizing the value of your photos, I’ve created a Guide that lays it all out for you - Visual Storytelling Guide For Experts.