How Do You Make Personalized Email Signatures?

An example of an email menu.

A signature in a personal or work email allows a user to personalize an outgoing message. Adding colors and fonts are options for sprucing up your email signature. Email signatures with links added help promote a business or product by providing a one-click option that leads to the company's website. A custom signature also saves email users time because they will no longer have to type their name or contact information in every single message they send out.

Things You'll Need

• Email account

Instructions

MSN Hotmail

1. Log in to your Hotmail email account. Click on the "Options" drop-down menu in the top right-hand corner of your screen. Click "More Options" and choose the personal email signature option.

2. Type your signature and information in the text box that opens. Personalize your signature by using the bold, italic and color buttons. Change the font or font size. Add a link by clicking the icon that looks like the earth and type in your full website address, including the http://.

3. Click the "Save" button when finished to complete your signature.

Gmail

1. Log in to your Gmail account with your personal user ID and password. Move your arrow to the right-hand corner and click "Settings." Scroll down to the Signature section and select the empty white box.

2. Type in your personalized information for the signature. To add a link to the signature, type the full address in the text box. For example, type in http://mywebsite.com.

3. Click the "Save Changes" button at the bottom of the screen to save the new signature.

Yahoo!

1. Log in to your Yahoo! email account. Choose "Options" in the upper right-hand corner of the page. Click "Mail Options."

2. Select "Compose" from the menu list on the left-hand side of the screen. Select the option to show a signature in outgoing messages.

3. Choose Plain Text or Rich Text for the signature. Rich Text allows for choices in fonts, colors and sizes. Type the signature in the area for text.

4. Click "Save Changes" at the top of the page to save your signature.

Tips & Warnings

• Send an email to yourself to check the new signature.

• Use the same process to alter or add to your current signature.

• Ask permission from a supervisor before adding a signature with personal information to a work-related email address.

References

• Free Email Tutorials: Create and Automatically Add an Email Signature in Hotmail
• Gmail Users: How to Add a Gmail Signature
• Yahoo Help: How Do I Add or Change a Signature?

Resources

• Nancy Schwartz: Nonprofits' Most Missed Marketing Tool--Email Signatures
• Scott Hanselman: Email Signature Etiquette--Too Much Flair?
• Site Point: 20 Tips for Creating An Effective Email Signature