“Please consider the environment before printing this email” & Other Excessively Lengthy Email Signatures

Work in an office? Then you’ve no doubt seen this old chestnut, or something like it.

Does this really persuade anyone?

Have you ever felt the need to print an email, seen this line and thought, “Oh damn… I was going to print, but I’m not going to now because of a green Webding,” then opened your office window and shouted, “YOU’RE WELCOME SPOTTED OWL, I DIDN’T PRINT FOR YOU!”

What a waste of screen space, bits & pixels.

Email Signature Legal Disclaimers

Speaking of corporate wastes of screen space, bits & pixels, the lengthy mouse-print legal disclaimer in your email signature isn’t just obnoxious, it’s legally unviable and completely useless.

Yes, your corporate attorney is dead-wrong, but don’t take my word for it, the Economist backs me up.

What Should Go in Your Signature

Make your signature useful for your audience (people you’re communicating with).

Try limiting yourself to:

  • Name
  • Company
  • Title
  • Phone number & extension

Keep it simple, concise, and useful.

Oh, and don’t put a quote in the footer. It might be interesting once, but it will grow old pretty much immediately after that.

If you must include a quote, try this one.

“Footer quotes waste screen space, bits & pixels.”

~The Geek Whisperer