Gmail Launch - Everything You Need to Know

Updated 4 months ago by Brian

Summary

Here's everything you need to know about launching with the deployment method known as Push to Gmail, which pushes signatures into Gmail Web browser for a touchless experience for the user and minimal effort for your signature admin.

In this article we will cover the following for your launch:

- Best Practice and End User Experience

- Email Launch Templates

- How to Use the Pusher Tool

- Sample Instruction PDF Guide for End Users

We are happy to review comms your team creates and ensure alignment with the launch strategy. Additionally, if you have a launch communication email that you are proud of we would love to add it to our knowledge base to help others!

Best Practices and End User Experience

Best Practices and End User Experience

Push to Gmail

Best day to deploy: Any (Usually used at the same time as the email reminder)

User Experience:

  • When you push to Google, we will write to "My Signature" in Gmail signature settings as shown in your branded Opensense Signature Instructions document. If "My Signature" is already in use, what is currently there will be overwritten.
  • Employees may need to do a browser page refresh for their new signature to show in their account
  • As an extra check, Employees can ensure "My Signature" is set as default for new messages and replies simply by following the instructions in the linked document.
  • In the The Opensense Signature Guide, we share how to prevent Google from moving the signature to the bottom of the email thread. This is not an Opensense setting but employees/admins have found our instruction on fixing this useful!
  • The default signature will appear as plain text, and the recipient will always receive a beautiful email signature design that is centrally managed by Marketing. Your branded Opensense Signature Instructions document explains this transformation.

Push to Email

Deployment Tips and Best Practices:

  • Best day to deploy: early in the week to spur adoption through-out the rest of the week.

End User Experience:

  • Employees will receive their customized Opensense signature in their inbox on every device. They will need to complete a simple one time copy and paste of their Opensense signature into any devices they are sending emails from. Your branded Opensense Signature Instructions document contains set up instructions for Major desktop and mobile devices
  • The default signature will appear as plain text, and the recipient will always receive the robust, beautiful, highly engaging email signature design that is centrally managed by Marketing. Your branded Opensense Signature Instructions document showcases this transformation.

Communications Strategy Overview

Change for employees is always best paired with effective internal communications, and that's why we're going to help you inform employees that their Opensense signatures are on the way with a tried and true strategy and resources. Tried and True Strategy:

  • Pre-Launch Announcement: At least 1 week before the launch
    • Answers the Why? question and includes a screenshot of the design to get everyone excited
  • Launch Announcement: On the day of launch
    • Tactical instructions for how to get the signature set up. Point of contact for internal support for those who may have additional questions or require more assistance.

Pre-Launch Announcement (1-3 days ahead of launch)

Dear Employees,

In an effort to present a stronger unified brand presence for CompanyName, we will be implementing a standardized email signature for all employees. The Marketing Team will now centrally manage the style and format of email signatures with employee contact information synced from our company directory through a service called Opensense. This ensures corporate email communications have a consistent appearance going forward.

This will also allow marketing an opportunity to routinely update email signatures with relevant banners such as a banner for upcoming webinars, live demos, tradeshow events, etc.

Additionally, this makes your life easier as you will never have to worry about editing or adding anything to your CompanyName email signature again!

Here is a preview of what our signature is going to look like:

You will receive an email from our team on Monday, May 18th with additional instructions on how to get this set up for you emails going forward.

If your signature contains incorrect contact information or you require any other assistance setting up your email signature, please contact Jane Doe for support: Jane.Doe@abc.com

Please do not add quotations, tag lines, memes, videos, alternative legal disclaimers, font changes, color changes, logo’s, etc. If you believe that you have a legitimate case for adding or changing something on your signature block please reach out to Jane Doe: Jane.Doe@ABC.com and your request will be reviewed and considered by Marketing.

We greatly appreciate your help in setting up your signatures.

Thank you!

Launch Announcement (Day of Launch)

Hey Team!

We have activated your new signatures in partnership with Opensense who is helping us present a more unified brand. There are only a few simple steps that should take less than 5 minutes to get this set up on all your emails going forward.

Gmail on Web Browser

  • Refresh your web page. When you click Compose, your new email signature should now populate!

  • Go to Settings -> General -> Scroll Down to Signature Settings

  • Ensure the “My Signature” is selected as default “for new emails use” and “on reply/forward use” for all corporate email addresses (including alias accounts).

  • Directly below your signature settings, activate the checkbox that says “insert signature before quoted text”

Mobile Devices (phones, tablets, etc.)

  • On Monday afternoon, you will receive an email from Opensense (notifications@sendergen.com) directing you to copy your new signature.

  • You will need to copy this signature “block” one time into each mobile device that you send emails from.

  • Different devices have different settings - If you need guidance on how to set this up feel free to reference the attached document with step by step instructions.

You can send yourself a test email to your personal email or a colleague to check it out before sending an external email (as it will not show up formatted when composing an email or in your sent emails).

Feel free to skim the instructions document that has additional info and if you have any further questions you can reach out to Jane Doe (jane.doe@abc.com).

*Please note: The signature will appear as plain text when sending an email, and the recipient will always receive the branded email signature design that is centrally managed by Marketing.

The provided templates cover what is generally required for communication, but make sure you also add in which fields can be updated by employees, and which require contacting internal support to update.

How to Use the Pusher Tool

This article will explain how to use the pusher tool to launch to users.

Guide to Using the Pusher Tool

Signature Instructions PDF for End Users

Included in your onboarding are branded signature instructions for your company to assist current and new employees with adding their new email signature. A generic copy can be viewed here. If you have not received a branded copy of yours feel free to reach out to your customer success manager so they can provide it to you.

Creating a Department and Adding Users

Assigning a Signature Template to a Department

Signature Appears Distorted in a Reply Thread


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