work at home
The Lost Art of Sig Files...
By Jim Daniels -
Work at home
site.com
Signature files were a hot topic back in '96 and '97. There
weren't as many web promotion strategies available back then
and more marketers replied on their sig files.
Today, many marketers don't even use them at all. And of the
few that do, a large percentage of them are doing it all
wrong. Today I'll share with you why you SHOULD be using
sig files and exactly how they work best.
What is a signature file?
To put it in simple terms, it is a small text blurb-- a
short, three to five line "footer" that describes something
about you or your business.
There are all sorts of places you can use sig files...
- at the end of an article you write
- after a post on a web message board
- with a post to an email discussion list
- even at strategic places on your website
And most people DO use sig files in all THOSE places to
their benefit.
But there is one place, the most important place, where many
marketers are NOT using sig files properly... in all of
their outgoing emails. And of the marketers who ARE utilizing
email "sigs", most are limiting themselves severely.
Here's what the average marketer uses for a signature in
their email messages...
Company Name - URL
That's too short!
And at the other end of the spectrum are the "scrolling
sigs" as I like to call them. They go on and on about one
opportunity after another. No one reads them.
So what sort of sig file strategy works best with email?
I've tested and tested over the past year and have found
it...
The Customized Sig:
Rather than use the same sig with every email, you should be
customizing your signatures for each person you email. While
that may sound time-consuming it isn't. It takes all of five
minutes to set up ONCE, and then figure on 3 SECONDS extra
on each message you send.
This strategy works wonders, especially for marketers who
field a large amount of email.
Simply create a handful of different signatures that offer
your very best products and or services. Be sure that each
sig is written in a manner that will interest different
people.
What you will be doing is selecting a different sig each
time you reply to an email message. And believe it or not,
it is almost ALWAYS simple to tell from an email message
what type of product or service each recipient may be most
interested in.
OK, time to Set it Up:
Thanks to advanced email programs like the one I use, Eudora
Pro <www.eudora.com> you can simply select from a drop-down
menu of multiple signatures any time you send a message. If
you are a Eudora user, entering in new sigs is as simple as
clicking "Tools" then "Signatures". Other popular email
programs allow this feature as well.
Once you have your sigs entered into Eudora, they will be
available via a drop down menu at the top of your outgoing
message. That's it!
Let'm Fly...
Start using your sigs faithfully the very next time you
field email. When replying to a message, you'll usually
know which sig will interest the reader. If you are not
sure, a quick evaluation of your reply will tell you.
Then, before you click "send", simply select one of your
pre-written signature files and your message will be tagged
with it when the recipient receives the email.
What works...
I personally select from as many as 8 different sigs now!
And I add a new one every time I come across a message that
needs something different.
Here are some of the sigs that I use, so that you can get an
idea of what really works...
- Sig 1
- For newer contacts who may not have made a purchase
yet. This introduces them to my online catalog.
P.S. Be sure to drop by my online catalog. I just updated it
to include new products and services guaranteed to help grow
your biz online... www.bizweb2000.com/products.htm
- Sig 2
- For people who have expressed an interest in doing
business online but have no idea what to market.
P.S. I just released a new recommendation a few weeks ago to
my BizWeb eGazette readers. It may be right up your alley.
It is ideal for new online businesses who want to both learn
the ropes AND have something to market right away. See http://www.bizweb2000.com/go.htm for details and let me know
what you think.
- Sig 3
- For folks just getting started who may be in need of
a web host.
Do you need your own website? You can save lots of time and
money at: http://www.bizweb2000.com/v ; come test drive
"HiRize", where you can create, maintain and manage your
website, all through one simple interface! Now offering
$15 domain names ;-)
- Sig 4
- For people who have asked me questions more than once
and seem willing to spend a little money for faster results
online.
P.S. Could you use a year of unlimited consulting? Our panel
of hand-picked experts can show you how to use all our
proven techniques for high traffic and sales on the web.
Come to: http://www.bizweb2000.com/imc/
These sigs work wonders for me. As you can see, they are all
"mini-ads" targeted to specific customers and prospects. You
already have their attention so why not offer your best
solutions!
I recommend YOU take a few minutes and set up a few sigs
that promote each of your top products and services. You'll
quickly find that each client you deal with really does fit
in well with one particular recommendation. This simple
strategy can increase your online income more than you can
imagine -- if you use it!
* This work at home tip by
Jim Daniels, JDD Publishing Co. - Helping online businesses since 1996. Whether
you own a medium sized company or you work from home, Jim can help you. Visit
http://www.work-at-home-site.com
for more expert advice.
Yes, I want
to work from home. Tell me more...
Internet Marketing info
from bizweb2000.com
(Webmasters may reprint this article by including one of those live links to our site.)
