How to Improve Your Social Media Efforts With Your Email Signature – a Microsoft Outlook tutorial.

They say that the next generation of communicators don’t even use email anymore.  It’s either SMS or BBM they say.  For me, I find that I still use email quite a bit.  But I also understand that Social Media is playing an increasing role of corporate and personal branding.

So how do you brand yourself a little better?  By creating links to yourself in your Outlook Email Signature.  How?  Follow the simple steps below.

1. Grab the social media icons you wish to use and save them to your desktop.

You can “right click” on the icons I use below and save them as a PNG Image to your desktop.

2. Start Microsoft Outlook.

Once open, go to Tools drop down menu and select Options

Click on the Mail Format tab then Signatures

Click on New, and then Create a Name for Your New Signature, Click OK

Fill in the contact details, add your previously saved icons by clicking the add picture button (see red arrow)…select files accordingly….click OK

To Add Links to your Icons:

1. click on the icon you wish to add link,
2. click on the add hyperlink button,
3. insert hyperlink address,
4. click ok
5. repeat steps 1-4 for each icon

3. There you have it…be sure to test it all out by sending an email to yourself.

We are enjoying an uncharacteristically warm November in Winnipeg.  But with the thought of plummeting temperatures and drifts of snow the idea of a warm vacation always comes to mind.

Over the past few years the travel game has changed a lot.  Discount websites like iTravel2000, SellOffVacations, Priceline and Hotwire have challenged the revenue streams of many local travel agencies.  Do your typical store front travel agents have a place in the business world?  For the time being, I think the answer is yes but not sure how long.  My interaction with this travel company was the inspiration to this post.

I called this travel company because my wife had booked with them last year.  Our primary reason? They double our points on our Visa card.  Since the agent we used last year provided some good information we call back again this year…warm lead initiated.

The call started ok but nosedived shortly thereafter.  Below is a post-mortem and hopefully you’ll increase your sales by plugging up your lead leaks.  I see the following 8 things occur on a regular basis all of which can vaporize your leads:

1. No Email Signature – especially a phone number.  The latest and greatest smartphones like Blackberry, Apple have the ability to dial the phone number in the email signature
2. How about giving multiple numbers like your office and cell number? I can’t buy from you if I can’t contact you
3. Lack of a personal sales page (Website, Blog, LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter etc.) – keep me abreast of what’s good and not so good in the world you live and breath – that’s how you develop relationships.  And if I like ya – I’ll point more people in your direction. MORE WARM LEADS – wouldn’t that be great!
4. No contact info on personal sales page….see #2 above
5. Old or incorrect contact info on personal sales page
6. “Contact Us” link only on one page

If you are in the game of sales make it easy for me to buy from you. As I am ready to BUY but still have yet to book a vacation.

Need more help with Marketing Strategy that can lead to more sales? Email me at ron[at]naidacom.com.