What is a good quote for email signature?

If there's one thing that can make you stand out from the crowd of emails we all receive every day, it's adding a bit of personality via your email signature. A well-written email signature isn't just about showing off your work history or business title -- these days people are using their signatures as opportunities to express themselves more than ever before.

Whether they're expressing gratitude for what you've done, wishing someone happy birthday, sharing some advice or sending along a joke (or meme), many use quotes as part of their email signatures. But how exactly does this process work? And should you be including them at all? Let's take a look.

How do you write a quote in an email?

There are two ways to include a quote in your email signature: You could either copy/paste it directly into the body of the message itself, which will likely result in long blocks of text without any formatting, or you could paste it right onto your signature file, then format it so it looks nice and stands apart from other parts of the email. To get started on the latter approach, open up Google Drive or another cloud storage service where you keep your files, click "New" under Files, then select Docs. Find the HTML code version of your signature by clicking File & Download as.HTML document. The resulting page will contain everything you need to insert a quote into your signature. Once you have downloaded the file, find the section containing the name of your company, such as "John Smith," and delete it, leaving only the contents of the signature box below it. Then go back to your original signature template, highlight the area after your last job description, hit Ctrl+C (to copy) and Ctrl+V (to paste). Right underneath your company name, type out the first line of your quotation, then continue typing until you reach the end of the sentence. Your final step would be to save the new signature somewhere accessible like Dropbox, OneDrive or wherever else works best for you.

How do you put a quote in an email?

Now that we know how to actually create a quote within our email signatures, let's talk about how to do it properly. There are several things to consider when designing your email signature, especially if you want something simple but still eye catching. First, remember that most users don't read past the very top lines of messages anymore, so try not to fill them full of unnecessary information. Don't waste space listing awards or achievements unless those accomplishments have real impact on the person receiving your email. In general, try to limit yourself to three paragraphs of signature. If you really feel compelled to add extra details, split those sections up into multiple smaller sentences instead of trying to cram everything into one big block. Also, be sure to leave enough room between each paragraph to prevent clutter. It might also help to change the font size of your entire signature to bold to further emphasize points or key words.

The next important consideration has to do with whether you'll use a single line or double colon to separate each individual section of your signature. Most professional email clients now allow you to choose between both options, while Gmail users must stick with the double colon method. When deciding which option to use, think about who will be reading your email. For example, if you send a lot of newsletters to subscribers' inboxes, you may wish to opt for a double colon separating each section. However, if you tend to communicate through direct messages or chats with coworkers, you probably won't see much benefit from having a lengthy signature separated by colons, since most people aren't going to scroll down. Instead, you'd probably be better suited with choosing a single line to break up your signature.

Should you add a quote to your email signature?

Finally, once you've designed your perfect signature, ask yourself why you even bothered putting it together in the first place. Is it simply because everyone expects it of you, or did you genuinely enjoy writing it? Either way, here are a few guidelines to follow when considering whether or not to include quotations in your own email signature:

Keep it short. While longer quotes certainly sound impressive, too often we fall prey to thinking that lengthier statements equal deeper meaning. This couldn't be farther from the truth — sometimes brevity is the soul of wit and nothing says it quite like a short phrase. Take Barack Obama's famous campaign slogan during his run for president in 2008, "Yes, We Can." While he intended it to inspire hope among young voters, it turns out it was pretty catchy and memorable regardless. So whenever possible, avoid being overly wordy in your email sig. Similarly, avoid anything that feels cliche or trite. After all, if the statement sounds silly coming straight from your mouth, chances are no one else will believe it came from yours either.

Stay away from clichés. As previously mentioned, it doesn't matter how deep your knowledge happens to be, readers typically skim over email signatures nowadays. That means you shouldn't just throw whatever comes to mind into your signature. Keep the same rule in mind when crafting quotes as well. Avoid saying anything clichéd, corny or otherwise predictable. Nothing makes us roll our eyes faster than hearing the same old platitudes over and over again. Sure, maybe that particular time you saved a drowning child's life warrants repeating, but generally speaking, you'll come across as far less interesting with the exact same phrases appearing multiple times throughout your email.

Don't insult anyone's intelligence. Just because you happen to possess extensive education or training doesn't mean everyone shares your level of comprehension. Sometimes, even the smartest people in the world struggle to understand certain concepts, so respect other peoples' ability to learn. Unless you truly believe your audience needs additional insight, refrain from dumbing down complex ideas into easily digestible catchphrases.

Be careful of spoilers! Depending upon how graphic your content tends to be, you may decide to forego quoting altogether, especially if you're dealing with sensitive topics. Some viewers prefer not knowing the ending of shows, movies and books ahead of time, so tread carefully if you plan to share any risqué material. Otherwise, you might want to reconsider taking risks with potentially controversial subjects.

How do I add alt text to Gmail signature?

While many people don't realize it, you can customize your default Gmail signature settings to display alternate text. Under Settings & General tab, head to Show my picture in notification window and check the box beside Enable Signature Box. Now, whenever you compose an email, you'll see a small preview image inside the signature field alongside your name. Clicking on it takes you to your profile photo album. From there, you can drag and drop photos to rearrange them however you please, and you can edit the alt text associated with each image if you want to provide additional context. Simply hover over the image thumbnail and click Edit Alt Text to begin editing. By doing this, you can set different descriptions for images depending upon the recipient's browser. Here's how it breaks down:

Internet Explorer 11 - Normal Image

Firefox 15 - Default Image

Google Chrome 22 - Hover Over Thumbnail

Opera 12 - Hover Over Icon

Safari 6.1.7 - No Preview Available

Chrome Canary 42 - No Preview Available

Unfortunately, Internet Explorer 10 and earlier versions cannot handle alt tags. So if you notice that the above steps fail to show previews in IE10, don't worry — you can always manually upload all relevant photos to your account and replace your existing ones.

And finally, if you're feeling particularly crafty, you could always design your own custom email signature. Of course, that requires learning CSS and HTML, but hey, it's worth looking into if you're determined to spice up your correspondence.

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When you're writing emails or texts that are meant to be sent via the mail, there's no need to worry about whether they sound like something you'd actually say out loud.

If you want people reading what you send them to think of you as being friendly, approachable, down-to-earth -- whatever kind of personality type best suits their needs -- then it might not hurt to include a little bit of pithy wisdom in your email signatures.

But if you've never added a quote to your email before, don't fret! It can seem intimidating at first, but adding one to your email will make it stand apart from all of the other messages flying back and forth between coworkers every day. And who knows how many times someone has read through your email without taking the time to scan over your entire digital correspondence. That's where your chosen quote comes into play.

It'll help give readers some insight into who you really are, plus, it provides a nice way to end each message so they know exactly when to stop skimming and start taking action on what they just read.

So let's take a look at why you may want to consider including a quote in your email signature, along with some guidelines for choosing which ones work best.

Should you put a quote in your email signature?

You may already have a favorite saying or two that you use often in everyday speech. But if you've never used any sort of epigraph (or short quotation) in your personal communications before, it could feel a little strange to suddenly start incorporating such things into your e-mails. So we'll address this concern right off the bat.

While putting together your own email signature isn't technically considered "writing," it's still very much part of content creation. As such, you shouldn't hesitate to try quoting yourself whenever possible. Some examples of appropriate phrases would be anything related to experience ("I'm old enough to remember when..."), expertise ("As an expert in my field..."), or knowledge ("My goal is to become knowledgeable in everything.").

And while most people aren't going to ask you directly what you believe, chances are they have opinions of their own regarding certain topics. If you've ever been asked by a friend or family member to share what you think about a particular subject matter, you probably have plenty of ideas worth sharing in response. The same applies to colleagues who request that you offer feedback on projects -- even simple responses or observations can go a long way toward humanizing you among those whom you serve.

In fact, the more specific you can get with your choice of quote, the better. For example, if you run a small business, you could choose a humorous statement like "The customer is always right" -- but it wouldn't necessarily be effective if you were running a larger organization or working as a consultant. Instead, opt for something a little more generalized like "Always deliver quality." This works well because everyone understands what "quality" means.

Another advantage to using self-written quotations instead of simply pulling random lines from books and websites is that you'll have complete control over the wording. You can tweak it until it feels natural. There also won't be any confusion around what the actual words mean since you wrote them yourself. Finally, the phrase itself can lend credibility to your position within the company hierarchy. After all, you must have thought carefully about these sentiments prior to sending them across the network of computers known as the internet.

Is it professional to add a quote to your email signature?

Although you likely won't encounter too many conflicts, there are definitely some situations where having a written quote in your email signature could cause problems. One situation that might come to mind is if you work in sales and you typically respond to emails from customers. In general, clients expect professionalism from both sides, and although giving unsolicited praise in an email isn't inherently bad, it doesn't fit nicely into the overall tone of your job description.

On top of that, it's important to note that the majority of office environments today generally frown upon blatant self promotion. Even though the intent behind complimenting a client with a witty line might be sincere, doing so in the corporate world can sometimes lead to trouble.

This goes double if you happen to work for a smaller firm or nonprofit organization. While it might be fine to include a few lines here and there, it could potentially set you up for conflict later on if your boss finds out.

However, if you work in academia, a similar scenario might arise. A professor, advisor or department chair may find themselves uncomfortable receiving a promotional email from a student.

Also keep in mind that if you're responding to questions posed by another person, it makes sense to stick with generic statements rather than personalized compliments or accolades. Otherwise, you risk coming off as inappropriate or insincere.

Finally, remember that quotes can easily veer towards clichéd territory. They tend to follow predictable patterns that can quickly lose their appeal. To avoid falling victim to this trap, pay attention to the context surrounding the quotation. Are the words original or stolen? Is it relevant to the conversation? Does it convey information that hasn't previously been discussed?

These factors are especially important if you're trying to create buzz online. Before posting it anywhere, check to see that the text fits comfortably into the flow of the rest of the article. Also, you may want to verify that it conveys what you intended to say, or else remove it altogether.

Where do you put quotes in an email signature?

Now that you understand the potential pitfalls involved with adding quotes to your email signature, it's time to figure out where to place your chosen phrases. Most experts agree that you should limit yourself to only three maxed-out sentences, so unless you plan to fill several pages with text, sticking to that number should be safe.

One suggestion is to save longer quotes for special occasions, such as thank-you cards or greetings card messages. Of course, you can certainly break the mold and select a sentence or two to carry throughout the entirety of your email communication. Just bear in mind that the lengthier the quote, the less room you'll have left for additional details.

Keep in mind that it's perfectly acceptable to leave out certain parts of lengthy speeches or quotes if necessary. Since you're crafting a cohesive image anyway, removing certain bits from the copy allows you to focus entirely on the main points. However, if you decide to cut portions of a quote, always make sure that the edited version accurately represents its source material. And again, you should endeavor to tailor the final draft to reflect the character traits that match your personal brand.

For instance, if you're looking to craft a persona that exudes dependability, simplicity and efficiency, you might want to pick something like "Never underestimate the power of compound interest," attributed to Warren Buffet. On the flip side, maybe you want to project energy or enthusiasm. Something like "Nothing worthwhile in life comes easy," coined by Mark Twain, might suit your style better.

Of course, it's also smart to incorporate multiple types of quotes, depending on what you hope to achieve. Mix up different styles and lengths, and you'll end up creating a customized recipe for success.

What should I write in email signature?

Once you've decided on your desired quote(s), it's time to flesh out the exact phrasing. Keep in mind that it's OK to edit the words as needed so they don't sound awkward or stilted. Your goal is to communicate effectively, after all.

Here are some tips for drafting a memorable email signature:

Be careful when paraphrasing a famous person's quote. Not only does it show lack of effort, but it's also disrespectful. Famous figures deserve much respect, and impersonating them is tantamount to stealing intellectual property rights.

Consider using shorter quips instead of full-blown paragraphs. People usually skim through their inboxes, and if you can condense a thought into fewer words, it'll grab their attention faster. Plus, you'll free up space for additional details.

Try to refrain from using cliches. Sure, clichés are catchy, but they're rarely true reflections of ourselves and our intentions. Don't fall for the temptation to spice up your signature by resorting to tired catchphrases.

Avoid profanity or offensive language. You don't want to offend anyone, nor should you purposely attempt to shock them. Although controversial subjects occasionally warrant strong language, keep it clean otherwise.

Stay away from vague terms like "always" or "never". These words are extremely broad and open to interpretation, so they're difficult to prove either way. Be specific with your assertions, and provide supporting evidence if you can.

Add punctuation marks judiciously. Always separate key thoughts with commas, semicolons or colons. Avoid heavy formatting techniques like bold or italics, except perhaps for emphasis.

Lastly, resist the urge to overly embellish your prose with fancy fonts or graphics. Unless you have a reason to pull out all the stops, it's best to stay away from flashy effects. Stick with plain sans serif fonts for now.

Your email signature is arguably the last thing that people notice about your profile before deciding whether or not to contact you. With these guidelines in mind, you should be able to transform your bland signature into something engaging, informative and memorable.

If you're like me, then you may have an endless stream of emails flowing through your inbox each day. You know what's even worse than opening dozens of unread messages every morning? Opening them all at once! That's why it can be helpful to use an effective subject line so that your recipients will open your message on time.

An effective way to spice up this process is by adding some motivational quotes or inspirational phrases into your signature. With a little creativity, using a few choice quotes from famous figures can create quite an impact when included as part of your regular email signatures.

Here are two ways you can incorporate these snippets into your everyday communication without being too obnoxious about it. The first option allows you to customize any quote according to its length while the second method works great if you prefer not to change anything manually.

How do I add alt text to my email signature?

You probably already know how important it is to include useful keywords (like "email" and "signature") whenever sending out an email via Gmail. But did you also know that Google automatically adds alternative words or sentences under those same tags? It happens after you enter your name, location, phone number, website link, etc., but sometimes you might want to take advantage of this feature before doing so.

1. Open up one of your existing emails. If you don't see the tag highlighted below, click on More actions " Settings & Privacy " Default privacy policy URL. Then, scroll down until you find Email Signature field.

2. Click anywhere on the blank space next to This box displays your default signature. Below the box, there should be a dropdown menu where you'll see several options including HTML, Text Only, Rich Text and more. Choose whichever suits best depending on whether people who receive your emails regularly would rather view rich formatting such as images or just plain text. As long as they read everything within the body of the email, no matter which version they choose, their reading experience shouldn't suffer.

3. Once selected, type in whatever you'd like to appear in the bottom portion of the email header. For most people, it should contain something along the lines of "Best Regards." Don't worry, if you feel uncomfortable typing lengthy statements yourself, you can always copy-paste the content directly from other websites. We recommend signing off your greetings with a simple phrase instead of a full sentence. Afterward, we suggest putting spaces between individual clauses to make sure nothing gets lost in translation. Finally, keep in mind that inserting links here could result in your recipient clicking on said links. In order to avoid this problem, you may want to consider removing hyperlinks altogether from your signature.

4. When done, hit Save Changes at the top right corner of your screen. Now, anyone receiving your mail should notice changes immediately. However, since emails aren't updated instantly, new signatures won't show up unless someone opens the email themselves. To ensure this doesn't happen, go over to Settings > Forwarding and POP/IMAP settings and check both Enable IMAP and Send Mail From My Account boxes. Your changes should now reflect everywhere else you send emails from.

How do I insert alt text?

Sometimes, it isn't possible to edit a particular phrase because it contains special characters that need to stay exactly as they are. In these cases, another solution is needed. Luckily, Google Docs has a built-in tool designed specifically for this purpose. Here's how to use it.

1. Go to Insert - Block Quote. A pop-up window containing several templates will appear. At the center of these templates is one called Simple blockquote. Select it.

2. Next, head over to Edit Template. Under Plaintext section, select the font size and style of your choosing. Lastly, adjust the color scheme to fit your brand image.

3. When finished, press OK. Feel free to tweak the template however you wish. Just remember that certain elements must remain intact otherwise your work will get rejected. So try to maintain consistency throughout the document.

Once complete, save your file and upload it onto Google Drive. Remember to replace the original quotation mark with Alt Text, found above the keyboard icon, located towards the left side of the editor. Also, note that this step only applies to documents saved locally. If you've uploaded it online, you still need to add the proper alt text.

After you finish editing your document, the final product should look similar to this example. Keep in mind that different fonts can affect how well the text looks, so stick to sans serif ones. And yes, if you plan on sharing a link inside your signature, be sure to delete the extraneous parts.

One last thing worth mentioning: Whenever copying text from somewhere else, be mindful of copyright laws. While many sites allow users to freely use their content, others require specific permissions beforehand. Before uploading your own creation to Google drive, be sure to double check for any necessary licenses.

How do I put the imbed logo in my Gmail signature?

In the end, your email signature is meant to serve as a personal touchstone between you and whoever receives your correspondence. Therefore, it makes sense to embed logos into yours to help establish credibility and authority. Of course, this approach comes with risks — namely, the possibility of impersonating someone else.

It goes without saying that you should never place the trademarked names of companies into your own public signatures. Even though trademarks cannot be copyrighted, placing them next to your contact information could lead to legal trouble later on. Additionally, you should refrain from using company logos that belong to competitors. Doing so could potentially tarnish relationships and cause further problems for future business dealings.

With all this in mind, here's how to easily and securely integrate your favorite company logo into your Gmail account. First, log into your Gmail account and visit your profile page. On the main panel, hover over Signatures and beneath Customize sign-off fields, click + Add Field.

Next, input your preferred title, description, instructions and click Create Field. Repeat the process for as many organizations as you'd like to display. You can either paste in the code snippet provided by Google itself or download HTML files straight from the web. Both methods are equally secure and easy to implement.

Now that you understand how to properly format an email signature, it’s time to start creating some. Why stop there? There are plenty of fun things you can do to spruce up your digital identity. Check out our list of creative ideas to liven up your social media accounts.