Email signatures are free marketing for small businesses

In the ongoing battle to cut costs and save money, small and home business owners can look to the dozens of emails they send each day for a free marketing tool.

A recently published Suite 101 report states effective email signatures can be just as good as a business card. Well-executed mail signatures are one-stop shopping for all the vital information a customer needs to know about a company.

Suite 101 suggests including the business name, the owner's name, important contact information (phone, fax, website and email) and a logo.

"The few lines added at the bottom of every email that includes the business name and contact can be the least expensive publicity campaign as there are no costs involved at all," the report says.

Still, mistakes must be avoided. Small fonts, colorful fonts and long sentences should all be left out. And a signature should never go more than seven or eight lines, according to Suite 101. Keeping the signature simple will prevent it from detracting from the message.

Businesses of all sizes are turning to email in an effort to ramp up marketing campaigns with the December holiday season just months away. A recent report released by Responsys revealed 83 percent of major online retailers increased their email volume during November and December of last year.