Using Outlook email signature templates: A guide to success

If your company uses Office 365, Outlook is your email client, and this guide is for you. We’ll guide you step-by-step on how to turn your email signature into a low-cost, high-return marketing channel with the best Outlook signature templates.

What is an email signature template?

An email signature template is a pre-written block of text that’s automatically added to the end of your emails. At its most basic, it includes key contact information.

Email signature templates are an efficient way of presenting these details every time someone sends an email. For email recipients, it means they have the details they need to get in touch with the sender or find out more about your organization.

But there’s more to email signatures than just delivering contact information. Heat map studies show that a well-designed email signature immediately draws the eye. So, it makes sense to use this space to build your brand and drive home marketing messages.

How do you create Outlook signature templates in Office 365?

Office 365 provides a basic Outlook signature templates gallery that opens as a Word document. Choose the Outlook email signature template you like, select all, and copy. Then paste the Outlook email signature template into a new email.

Once you’ve done this, you can click on each element in turn to edit it with your own details and links, and then save it as your default signature.

What should signature templates for Outlook include?

Make sure you pick one of the email signature templates for Outlook that includes:

• Full name

• Job title

• Company name

• Email address

• Mobile number

• Website URL

• Social media links, ideally no more than four

If you want to get a bit more creative with your DIY Outlook email signature template, you could also include some of the elements listed below.

Include an image in your Outlook email signature template

Using a photo adds personality to emails and helps build trust but you want consistent quality across your organization. So, invest in professional headshots rather than relying on employees to provide their own photos.

Insert an animated GIF

It’s simple to replace the image in your Outlook email signature template with an animated GIF. When set-up properly, animated GIFs can bring an email signature to life but keep them short, relevant, and on-brand. Subtle animation adds vibrancy but anything too chaotic could distract and irritate your audience.

Call to action

A study by Return Path found that 68% of people click on links in email signatures. So, make sure you include your most important call to action below the contact information.

This might be a reminder to book event tickets, join a mailing list, or a link to the latest promotions. Update your CTA regularly and track click-throughs so you know which content your customers are interested in.

The best Outlook email signature templates

There are twenty designs in the Outlook email signature templates gallery to choose from in Office 365 but they’re basic at best. If you want to improve these off-the-shelf Outlook email signature templates, and add more graphical elements, you’ll need to mess with the HTML or get a graphic designer to create something bespoke for you.

If you’re hoping to centrally manage email signatures in Office 365 across your organization, you’ll find the task complex and prone to error. Accurate details can’t be guaranteed, it’s time-consuming to deploy and manage updates, and it offers limited engagement potential.

Using email signature software massively reduces the time and effort needed. It’s more reliable and opens up new opportunities to engage your audiences.

Exclaimer effortlessly integrates with Office 365, giving you access to a suite of ready-made, best-in-class email signature templates. You can create as many templates as you need for individuals, departments, or your entire organization. You can then power up your templates with social media icons, promotional banners, and legal disclaimers. And all without any specialist IT or graphics skills needed.

Exclaimer’s drag and drop signature designer also means you can create new Outlook email signature templates in minutes. No messing with HTML code or having to use a professional designer.

Here are some examples of the best Outlook email signature templates you can create when using Exclaimer’s platform.

Minimalist email signature template

Keep your email signature clean and uncluttered by creating a minimalist template. This doesn’t mean sticking to text-based signatures. Carefully considered graphical elements are actually easier on the eye than a solid block of text, if they’re laid out in a pleasing design.

Stick to:

• Full name

• Job title

• Company name

• Phone number

• Email address

• Up to four social media icons, ideally all in the same style and color

You could also add:

• A quote or brand value statement

• A simple call to action in a handwritten font to catch the eye

Outlook email signature template for marketing

Your email signature is the perfect place to use promotional banners for boosting marketing campaigns. These can be rotated regularly and personalized for specific recipients.

Use quality photography and graphics paired with messaging that resonates with your target audience. You can A/B test your templates by creating variations for each campaign and then tracking the click-throughs.

Real estate email signature template

If you work in real estate, your email signature template is a powerful way to drive traffic to your latest listings or to highlight sales figures and successes.

With email signature management software, you can adapt your promotions to suit the recipient. So, if you’re emailing a seller, include statistics on how fast you close sales or the percentage of sales you close at or above asking price. If you’re emailing a buyer, include attractive images of current listings with links to download sales brochures.

Doctor email signature template

If you’re managing email signature templates within a medical practice or a hospital setting, create an email signature template that builds trust. Include a professional headshot of the sender and list their qualifications and specialisms.

You can also highlight any health programs you’re currently promoting, such as routine check-ups or vaccination schemes, and include links to download leaflets and advice. You could even include meeting scheduling links within the template, making it easier for patients to book an appointment.

Mobile email signature templates for Outlook

Finally, did you know that 51% of all emails are opened on a mobile device?

Exclaimer’s email signature software automatically makes every email signature template look great and renders correctly on all mobile devices.

Summary

It’s a simple copy-and-paste job to create Outlook email signature templates within Office 365. But managing email signatures in Office 365 and turning every email into an engagement opportunity is complex, time-consuming, and prone to error.

Read how Exclaimer worked with The International AIDS Society, GAC Business Solutions, and Everton Football Club so they could take control of their Office 365 email signatures.

If you’re still deciding between using Outlook’s in-built system or opting for a third-party solution like Exclaimer, read our guide to Conversational Microsoft 365 Email Signatures, written by J. Peter Bruzzese, renowned Microsoft MVP.

Ready to superpower your email signature management? Find out why over 50,000 companies worldwide trust Exclaimer email signature software and book a demo today.