One of the most underrated communication tools in today’s business world is probably the humble email signature – that block of text and imagery which accompanies each and every email sent out from your workplace to a range of diverse stakeholders.

While it may be overlooked by some, the savviest marketing managers know that an email signature is actually a critical part of your corporate identity – it literally sends a message about who your brand is, who your team members are, and where they work.

Given how many countless emails are fired off each day by your team, their capacity for spreading information about your brand to your stakeholders is boundless – which is why the most innovative companies will create signatures which display their current marketing campaigns, advertise new services or products, or flag a rebrand. What’s more, email signatures can be relied on to share critical information such as confidentiality disclaimers, without using up valuable employee time to routinely insert the information into the body of the email.

Read more about Templafy Email signature management software

Yet despite this, email signatures are often perceived as a low-value tool. Compared to analogue communication methods which rely on formalized letterheads and stationery, the simplicity and ubiquitousness of email means it is often mistaken for a more informal medium, even in a business context. It’s certainly not uncommon to see companies take a lax approach to implementing consistent email signatures across their workplace. For one, employees are often left to draw up their own signature or at best, offered a basic template to build upon, consisting of a few rudimentary details such as a job description and phone number.

Read more: Nightmare sign-off scenarios: why you need to start using email signature software

Meanwhile, large organizations particularly struggle to monitor each and every individual email signature for brand compliance, meaning those companies miss out on the instant brand recognition that comes from a clean, professional and on-brand email signature.

But there’s a reason “email signature management” is suddenly cropping up in the business lexicon: the more effort you put into your company’s email signatures, the more value will be added to your brand. This growing awareness is being complemented by emerging tools to help companies digitalize the signature management process.

But what does practicing consistent email signature management actually mean for your company in concrete terms? We’ve outlined four key benefits.

1. Accurate information

Think about how many thousands of emails are sent out by your team to clients on a routine basis. You’d want to ensure that the basic contact details are in place, right? And yet so often, email signatures contain outdated information – perhaps even copy-pasted from another team member’s contact info, or boasting an old address or telephone number. The result? A confused client will end up dialing the wrong team member or not reaching you at all – costing your company credibility and customers.

Practicing consistent email management means avoiding these mix-ups by ensuring that all contact information embedded in an email signature is accurate and up-to-date, even in a fast-paced business environment where office spaces get relocated or new employees enter the fold.

2. Branding consistency

As any marketer can tell you: embedding your company logo and visual identity in as many places as possible is a key way to ensure instant brand recognition. Incorporating these visuals into your email signature means that your staff can help with this process, effectively acting as brand ambassadors and pushing your brand every single time they fire off an email, no matter their role.

In contrast, an out-of-date email signature with an old logo is going to look pretty sloppy, especially if it clashes with an updated logo on your new website. Ensuring that your signatures are stylish and on-brand also communicates a sense of legitimacy and professionalism to everyone in contact with your organization.

3. Legal Compliance

If your staff send emails concerning confidential information or offers advice which falls under certain certification standards or legislation, it may be necessary for you to attach a legal disclaimer to your email signatures. However they will change from time to time. Practicing sound email signature management means monitoring that these disclaimers are up-to-date in accordance with the legal guidance received by your company and with current procedures.

4. Sales opportunities

Email signatures are also an opportunity to boost your marketing capabilities and even generate sales. Marketing teams can create footers with banners advertising special offers such as “Christmas Special” or “Easter Offer”, or advertise new products, services or events. By regularly updating your team’s email signatures according to whatever you want to promote, your organization has a low-cost way to get the message out in high volumes.

Sound like too much work? Get a tool to do it for you!

While striving to incorporate your email signatures into marketing and branding efforts promises high value, many team leaders are put off because of the high resource-cost: in large organizations, how can you possibly monitor and routinely update hundreds, if not thousands, of staff signatures?

Fortunately, software can automate the process of email signature management for you, securing all the benefits without straining manpower at your company. Templafy Email Signature Manager helps users control their company email signatures across the entirety of a business and across different email platforms, ensuring that signatures are up-to-date, brand compliant and incorporate the latest email signature marketing.

Watch this short video of Templafy co-founder introducing Templafy Email Signature Manager:

The best part is that it’s simple to use, and lets you preview how a new signature will look before any email is sent – meaning there’s no risk of errors or mix-ups. Rather than just pulling information from an employee directory, Templafy Email Signature Manager also allows users to input their contact details directly, ensuring everything is as current as possible.

By investing in your email signatures and the technology to manage them, your organization can boost its marketing and brand outreach potential with surprisingly little stress and hassle.