If the idea of a full-on marketing program is too scary, start small. A great launch pad is your email signature, the tag line you set up in your email software to add to the bottom of outgoing messages. It still surprises me that more writers – and lots of other people, really – don’t take advantage of this simple tool, which is built into Microsoft Outlook and most other email programs.

An email signature can include anything you want it to: your name, contact information, credentials, book you’re promoting, affiliations with writers’ groups, and on and on.

My default email signature includes my contact information and links to my blog and LinkedIn profile:

MICHELLE V. RAFTER | Contributing Writer
Office (503) 452-XXXX |Cell (503) 318-XXXX
Email: michellerafter@XXXXXX.XXX
LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/michellerafter
Website & Blog: WordCount, http://michellerafter.wordpress.com

I’ve customized my basic email sig for some of the magazines I write for on a regular basis. For example, I’m a contributing editor at an HR industry magazine, so when I’m contacting sources or editors for stories for that magazine, I promote my special standing at the publication by using this signature:

MICHELLE V. RAFTER | Contributing Editor
Workforce Management | www.workforce.com
Office (503) 452-XXXX | Cell (503) 318-XXXX
Email: michellerafter@XXXXXXX.net
LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/michellerafter
Website & Blog: WordCount, http://michellerafter.wordpress.com

For non-work email, I use a plain Jane signature with my name and contact information. I have a separate signature for a volunteer organization I belong to, and another for my duties as a 1st grade room parent. When I send an email, I right click on the default signature and it brings up the whole signature list so I can choose the one that’s appropriate for that message.

Some freelancers are masters of the email signature. Rachel Weingarten is one. Weingarten a writer and public relations specialist and it shows. She definitely knows how to work an email sig:

Rachel Weingarten, Style is my business
*****
Shiny New Launch:
Shout Out PR – www.shoutoutpr.com
******
Creative Brand Consultant & Strategist – www.gtkgroup.com & www.gtkontap.com
Noted & Quoted Style & Marketing Maven/ Dynamic Public Speaker/Entertaining Author (I know. I’m exhausted!)
[e] rachel@XXXXXXXX.com [p] 718.787.XXXX [c] 917.287.XXXX
[B.logs] www.rachel-w.com/blogs.html
*****[BOOKS]******
CAREER AND CORPORATE COOL™ – One of Entrepreneur magazine’s five “page turners” for women entrepreneurs and a CareerBuilder pick for most interesting career book of ’07 www.careerandcorporatecool.com
Hello Gorgeous! – A NY Public Library pick for ’07 www.hellogorgeousguide.com
********************
Faux legal notice: If this email wasn’t addressed to you-
you really shouldn’t read it or forward it to a friend
or evil colleague- it’s bad business and worse karma…
In fact, you should immediately delete it and we’ll call it a day.

Even if you haven’t ever met her, you know a lot about Rachel Weingarten – and her sparkling personality and wit – just from reading her email sig. More importantly, you know a lot about her business.

That’s the beauty of an email signature. It promotes you and your business – and all you have to do is hit the “Send” button.