Why can’t I clink on the links in your email signature?
Are you making it easy for your customers to contact you, or are you adding unnecessary friction to the process? Have you ever tried to click a phone number or a website in someone’s email signature and found it doesn’t work? In this episode I talk about real-world frustrations caused by image-based email signatures and why reducing these small points of friction can make a big difference in how potential clients interact with your business.
Listen to this new 5-minute episode for practical tips to ensure your email signature is helping your business, not hurting it.
If you have any questions about anything in this, or any of my podcasts, or have a suggestion for a topic or guest, please reach out directly to me at [email protected] or visit my website Podcast.AlanBerg.com
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View the full transcript on Alan’s site: https://alanberg.com/blog/
Summary
In this episode, I dive into a recurring frustration that’s been catching my attention: why is it so hard to click links in some people’s email signatures? The conversation focused on the problems created when contact details like phone numbers, web addresses, or even physical addresses are embedded in signature images instead of being real, clickable text. One concept discussed was the idea of walking in your customer’s shoes, or at the very least taking a few steps in their experience, to understand if you’re making it easy or hard for someone to reach you.
A key theme that emerged was friction—the obstacles we unknowingly create when clients need to reach out. I shared my own recent struggles, like being unable to tap a phone number to call a client while using my mobile. Instead, I found myself forced to manually memorize or copy the number, which introduced unnecessary steps and frustration. The discussion explored how email programs are designed to recognize phone numbers, email addresses, and web links if they are entered as text—making them instantly actionable with just a tap or click. When those details are locked inside a graphic, though, all that valuable functionality disappears.
Several points were raised, including the technical glitches that can ruin even a well-intentioned signature—like a software update that changed all my formatting and wiped out my clickable links. I emphasized how easy it is to overlook this problem, because when things work smoothly users never notice the absence of friction, but when something doesn’t work, the irritation is palpable.
In the end, I encouraged listeners to check their own signatures, and help friends do the same, urging everyone to eliminate unnecessary friction and make it as easy as possible for customers to contact them. The takeaway is simple: let’s create email signatures that help people take action, not drive them away.
Why can’t we click it? Listen to this episode, see what I’m talking about. Hey, it’s Alan Berg. Welcome back to another episode of the Wedding Business Solutions podcast. Uh, I just did an episode, probably the one right before this, talking about your email address. Well, here’s something similar—your email signature, right? Let’s talk about your email signature. This has been happening a lot lately. I’m pretty sure I’ve spoken about this on the podcast already, but it’s happening again. I went to an email that someone sent me, and their email signature had their logo in it and had their phone number in it, and it had their web address in it and their physical address in there.
And I wanted to call them. I was on my phone and I clicked the phone number and nothing happened because it wasn’t text. It was a picture, a graphic of their email signature. Now I understand why it looks better than the text signature that I use and a lot of other people use. But this has been happening a lot, and it’s happened to me quite a few times where I wanted to go to someone’s website, or I wanted to dial to call them, or I wanted to get their address so I could map it out so I could get there. And I couldn’t do it because that information was embedded in a picture. It was not actual text. So this is one of these, uh, I, what do I call it? I’ve, I’ve had, if you can’t walk a mile in their shoes, at least take a few steps.
You need to take a few steps and look at the information that you’re giving out, right? Outlook made some change and all of a sudden my email signature, the formatting just disappeared. It just became really cramped and tight. The spacing was really tight. The font sizes weren’t right and it had been right, but it was some software update. Well, I’m looking at that going, okay, how do I fix it? So I go in and I check the where the signature is and it looked fine. It looked fine, but it didn’t show up fine. So I did an AI search and I found out what it was and I had to actually delete it all. And then make it into plain text, put that in, and then change the formatting.
A pain in the neck because I have multiple email signatures, but I want to project the right image and I can’t do that if this email signature is hard because, you know, it’s so tightly grouped you really can’t even read it, right? The line spacing was just so tight. But then I noticed when I put it in, all of the links that I had were gone. So now the link to call me wasn’t the link anymore, and the link to go to my website wasn’t the link anymore, and the link to my books wasn’t a link anymore. So I went and I fixed it. And that’s what I’m asking you to do, is to make it so that the user can get the information they want and be easier to contact you.
So this person that I was trying to call, I then had to—because I was on my phone, I then had to be like, okay, what’s the phone number? Now I have to go to my phone app and dial it. And then you know how that is, you’re like, he remembers, did I get that right? And then you go back and forth, back and forth, when I could have just clicked it and dialed. Because most email programs will recognize the format of the phone number, even if you didn’t make it a link, and make it so you can click on it.
And the same with a web address, and the same with an email. They’ll, they’ll recognize that. But I’ve seen this more and more, that people are using these, these graphics, these JPEGs, these PNGs, or GIFs, or whatever, for their email signature, and it’s not actual text, so you can’t access the information.
So if you have ever clicked on a phone number and email signature to call someone or clicked on a web address to go to their website or copied their address or maybe even linked, click link, you know, click it and it opened up in a mapping program, then you know how convenient that is and how easy that is. And then what I’m asking you is, are you making it that easy for your customers? Are you making it that convenient for your customers or are you adding friction to the process and frustrating people? And that’s the last thing you want is someone frustrated when they’re trying to reach out to you.
And this again, you—it’s walking a few steps in their shoes to see what is it like to do business with you. Right? So on the previous episode, what I talked about, your email address should be your name at your website. So they know 3 things: your name, your email, and your website.
Your email signature should give them the information that they might need to have. Now, your email address doesn’t have to be clickable in your email if you emailed them, because they can just hit reply. So. That, that one I’m okay with. But your phone number should be click to dial. If it’s text, the same thing, click to text. If it’s your website, click to go to your website. Because now we’ve reduced the friction.
We’ve made it easy for that person that’s trying to take action, and you’ve made it easier for them to take that action. And people don’t notice the lack of friction. They notice the friction. Like if I had gone to this signature, clicked and called that person, I never would’ve noticed. I never would’ve thought about it. But the fact that I couldn’t, and then I’m like, oh wait a minute, does the website click? No. Does the address click? No. Can I highlight the text and copy it? No.
That’s frustration. Frustration from friction. Friction makes people do business with other people. So go check your email signature, or one better, start checking your friends’ email signatures and start letting them know, hey, you know what, I just heard this on a podcast and this would make it easier for people to do business with you between your email address and your signature.
Let’s not have that friction. Let’s make it WD-40 all over the place and reduce that friction. Hope we gave you something to think about. And if yours has that now, sorry, not sorry.
Thanks.
I’m Alan Berg. Thanks for listening. If you have any questions about this or if you’d like to suggest other topics for “The Wedding Business Solutions Podcast” please let me know. My email is [email protected] or you can text, use the short form on this page, or call +1.732.422.6362, international 001 732 422 6362. I look forward to seeing you on the next episode. Thanks.
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Question
Why shouldn’t I use images for my email signature?
Tags:
#email #usability #friction
Answer
If you use an image for your email signature, none of the info is clickable. I can’t call your number, visit your website, or copy your address with a tap. You’re making things harder for people who want to reach you. Plain text looks less fancy, but it’s a lot more useful.
Takeaway: An email signature people can use beats one that just looks good.
Question
How does friction in my email signature hurt my business?
Tags:
#customerexperience #sales #usability
Answer
Every bit of friction—like making people copy-paste your phone number—adds frustration. When it’s not easy to reach you, people may give up or go elsewhere. Make everything click-to-call, click-to-email, or click-to-map. The less effort, the happier the client.
Takeaway: Remove every obstacle between your client and taking action.
Question
What’s the best way to format my email signature?
Tags:
#productivity #email #communication
Answer
Stick with text for your contact details. Email programs can detect phone numbers, emails, and website links if they’re in text, making it easy for anyone to click and go. Fancy graphics can look nice, but convenience is better for business.
Takeaway: Make your contact info clickable and easy.
Question
Why does my signature sometimes lose its formatting?
Tags:
#technology #email #productivity
Answer
Email tools update all the time, and updates can mess up your formatting. Suddenly your signature looks cramped or the links disappear. If you spot this, don’t ignore it. Rebuild your signature and check everything works—especially your links.
Takeaway: Test your signature after updates so you don’t miss broken links.
Question
What happens if my email signature info isn’t clickable?
Tags:
#customerexperience #sales #ux
Answer
If your number or website isn’t clickable, you’re forcing people to switch apps, memorize numbers, or copy text by hand. That’s annoying. The harder you make it, the less likely they are to follow through.
Takeaway: Convenience wins business—make it easy to contact you.
Question
Is it okay if my email address isn’t clickable in my signature?
Tags:
#email #productivity #practicaladvice
Answer
If someone’s reading your email, replying is easy—they don’t need to click your address in the signature. But your phone number and website should always be clickable so people can take action fast.
Takeaway: Prioritize making phone and website links usable.
Question
How can I spot problems with my email signature?
Tags:
#selfaudit #customerexperience #email
Answer
Try viewing your signature on different devices, just like your clients would. Click every link, try tapping your phone number, and see if it actually works. If you’re getting frustrated, your clients are too.
Takeaway: Test your own signature so you feel what your clients feel.
Question
Can graphics-only signatures damage my brand?
Tags:
#branding #customerexperience #firstimpressions
Answer
A good-looking logo means nothing if people can’t reach you fast. If your signature image stops them from getting in touch, you’re coming off as careless or old-fashioned—not professional.
Takeaway: Professional means accessible, not just pretty.
Question
What’s the risk of ignoring little email signature problems?
Tags:
#sales #lostbusiness #details
Answer
Small problems—like a crunched signature or dead links—annoy your leads. Frustration in small moments can actually drive clients to someone else. You may never even know you lost them.
Takeaway: Tiny details can make or break the client experience.
Question
How can I help others improve their email signatures?
Tags:
#networking #helpingothers #professionalism
Answer
Next time you get a friend’s email and can’t click their links, let them know. Sometimes people don’t notice these details until someone points it out. Help each other get more business by making things easier.
Takeaway: Point out friction—help your peers become more user-friendly.
Question
Does a pretty email signature matter if it’s not practical?
Tags:
#design #practicality #customerexperience
Answer
Looks are overrated if they cost you functionality. Your polished signature means nothing if it gets in the way. Always choose easy-to-use over flashy, especially in business.
Takeaway: Simple and useful always beats good-looking but clunky.
Question
What should every email signature include?
Tags:
#email #basics #communication
Answer
I make sure my signature has my name, phone number, and website—each as clickable text. That way, people have all the key info and can call or visit my site instantly.
Takeaway: Give people every way to reach you—without any hassle.
Question
How can I reduce friction in my client communication?
Tags:
#customerexperience #sales #frictionless
Answer
Every time you force a client to take an extra step, you’re increasing the chance they’ll bail. Always look for ways to make it as easy as possible for them to contact or book you.
Takeaway: Less friction means more booked business.
Question
Why do people not notice when things work perfectly?
Tags:
#usability #customerexperience #psychology
Answer
Nobody ever thanks you for how easy your email was to use—they just act on it. It’s only the speedbumps that make them notice. Invisible convenience keeps people moving forward.
Takeaway: People remember hassle, not seamless experiences.
Question
How often should I check or update my email signature?
Tags:
#email #maintenance #technology
Answer
Any time your email software updates, check your signature. Formatting and links can break without warning. Stay ahead by verifying everything yourself regularly.
Takeaway: Check your signature often—avoid surprises.
Question
What’s a quick fix for messed-up signature formatting?
Tags:
#email #productivity #practicaladvice
Answer
If your signature looks weird after an update, rebuild it in plain text, then add back links and spacing. It’s a pain, but it’s better than sending people broken info.
Takeaway: A quick update prevents a lot of lost connections.
Question
How does removing friction increase my bookings?
Tags:
#sales #conversion #customerexperience
Answer
When contacting you is effortless, more people follow through. Every time you save them a step or a second, you make it more likely they’ll book or refer you.
Takeaway: Make taking action so easy, clients can’t say no.
Question
Can my signature affect how people find my business location?
Tags:
#localbusiness #usability #clientexperience
Answer
If your address is in a clickable format, it pops right into their mapping app. Make it an image, and people are left copying, pasting, and getting annoyed. That’s an easy fix that means a lot.
Takeaway: One click to your location beats five—they’ll notice.
Question
What’s a memorable way to think about client convenience?
Tags:
#customerexperience #sales #mindset
Answer
Imagine your email and your website slathered in WD-40—zero friction, everything working smoothly. That’s how I want your client experience to feel.
Takeaway: Reduce friction so clients glide right to you.
Question
What’s one simple thing I can do today to improve client experience?
Tags:
#quicktip #customerexperience #email
Answer
Open your email on your phone, tap your number and website in your signature. If they aren’t instantly clickable, fix them right now.
Takeaway: If you can’t click, your clients can’t either—fix it today.
