Signing Off - Ditch Your Email Signature for Cleaner Email Experience

Email signatures have been around forever. Or at least as long as email itself. They can contain huge amounts of information or they can simply add a unique flourish to the end of your message. They’re seen as a calling card of the most professional, but they can also be annoying and even offensive. Either way, it’s something that you should definitely have…right?

There’s a veritable galaxy of information out there on why you SHOULD spend time crafting a professional email signature, however, we’re here to make the case that you SHOULDN’T waste the effort. The email signature is old hat, it’s pointless and unnecessary. It’s just another thing to worry about in a world where there’s too many things to worry about already.

So, to make your life simpler, and save yourself a whole bunch of time, we think you should ditch your email signature entirely to enjoy an altogether cleaner email experience. Here’s why.

Nobody Reads Them

When was the last time you scrolled to the bottom of an email to check out an email signature? In truth, most people barely scan the first few lines of any message, and there’s simply no time to admire the professionalism of your company logo. So, all that effort you put into creating a practical and visually attractive email signature was essentially for nothing, since even the very best email signatures are basically just…well…spam.  

You Already Have My Contact Information

Here’s the thing. You already have my email address for sure (you just sent me an email), and you probably have all the other contact information you need depending on our existing relationship. Any websites are most likely to be contained within the email address itself, and does anyone really use a fax machine anymore?

The thing is, in professional contexts, nobody calls those phone numbers without first arranging a time and date to speak. If you do call out of the blue, then you probably already know that person well enough to do so, meaning you have their number stored in your contacts. Any other contact information is essentially unnecessary, and business email signatures are simply overkill. 

Legal Disclaimers Are Very Often Useless

Some companies and individuals add legal email disclaimers to signatures in order to cover their backs. However, while this may seem like a logical and sensible addition to your message, very often these pieces of legalese are completely useless and carry no weight in a court of law.

Most lawyers will tell you that no US court has ever relied on the “presence or absence of such an automatic e-mail footer” to make a case. And if the compensation culture of America can’t find any use for them, then it’s almost certain that no one else will.

Images and Logos Can Look Unprofessional

Of course, getting your company logo and visual branding designed by a professional is a bit of a no brainer. Long gone are the days when you’d be forgiven for a pixelated website or basic logo design in today’s globally connected world. At this point, anything less than perfection will instantly make your company look unprofessional, and quite possibly make your messages look a little spammy. Custom email signatures for individuals can be even worse, particularly if they’ve been home made without professional guidance. 

They Can Be Impersonal

If you’re signing off every message with a generic email signature, it can make your emails look a little impersonal. Everyone wants to be treated like a human being, and whether you are emailing team members or personal contacts, the key to effective communication lies in clarity, honesty, and respect. Nothing says this more than an email that is tailored to the specific individual and signed off with a personalized closing.

They’re Distracting, and Clutter Up Your Inbox

When it comes to getting your best work done, you want to find your flow. Dealing with the mountains of email you receive every day is enough of a distraction in itself, and cluttering up your inbox with more information than you need is a surefire way to slow you down. Simply put, email signatures are distracting and confusing, mixing up the important information contained in email threads with a bunch of stuff you’ll never need.

Here at Spike, we’re all about flow, and that’s why we’ve ditched email signatures entirely. Our 21st century approach to email is decluttering inboxes the world over, allowing you to enjoy more streamlined communications that gives you the information you need, right where you need it. No more endless email threads. No more pointless headers and footers. And definitely no more email signatures. Download the app today and try out Conversational Email for yourself.