Email Etiquette: Handling of Signature

This is something that bugs me a lot.

A lot of email senders are inserting their email signature by default at each email. I try to get this changed. This is indeed pretty easy to handle in Outlook and revert to (what should be) the default: no email signature - except it makes sense. 

Etiquette: Use your Email Signature wisely 

Do not add a signature if it doesn't add value

Because it clutters the content of the email and overloads the email message with noise.

The worst case is in email chains where the signature of one same person might appear multiple times.

(This one is a real nightmare to me.)

Do not use your signature for internal Emails

(This is a corollary of the previous rule.)

Why? 

Because it is useless!

If I want to see your email, I will just reply to yours.

If want to see your contact data, I can look-up for you in the address book or in your profile details/ business card (in Office 365) by mouse-hovering on your name.

How to handle your Signature in Outlook

In Outlook, Open a new Email, in the Ribbon go to Signature->Signatures

Create a new signature

Mind the settings, under 'Choose default signature' to set to (none) for Replies (a MUST) AND New messages:

When you write an internal email, do not use any signatures.

I use some Text Expander (based on AutoHotkey) to quickly sign my emails.

When you write an external email, use a signature on purpose, that means insert you signature manually if you think it adds some value for the reader (e.g. you want him to call you)

In Outlook, to insert a signature as for creating one in a new email, go to Signature and select the one you want to insert in the drop-down. 

In my case in the screenshot above I only have defined one signature named 'External'.