Your email signature is likely a sleeping giant of email productivity. It’s an often overlooked email feature that can give you the time you need pursue your big picture goals. These are the things you always mean to get around to accomplishing. Does this sound familiar?
Your key principle is that repetition is the enemy of productivity. Think about what you’re doing often. My guess is that you’re writing the same responses to frequently asked questions.
Why not find a way to answer these questions quickly and accurately?
It can be done through your email signature. Nowadays in email programs, you can have more than one of them.
You have the one that gives your contact information and for many this is the only signature they use. Keep using it, although I suggest updating it every once in a while because over time people become dulled to the content and don’t even read it anymore (This is probably a future article).
In the meantime, create other signatures for things like the directions to your office, answers and questions for potential sales prospects, and internal staff questions regarding your position.
Now, when one of these questions arrive, you select the corresponding email signature response. No more having to recompose a previous message or search for it in your Sent folder.
Some emails will require a higher level of personalization. In these cases, keep in mind that it’s easier to personalize an existing message, than it is to start a new one from scratch. Build upon your foundation of knowledge.
Studies have found that most people spend more than a quarter of their day responding to emails. Maybe you can find a better way to invest that time.
Maybe it’s time to bring Ken Okel to your next meeting…
Read any good books lately?
