If you use Gmail for business, try adding a signature that actually looks like a real business card. The process takes just a few minutes using the tools available in Google Drive -- which you already have access to with your Gmail account. The procedure involves creating a two-cell table in Google Sheets, adding a photo of yourself or a company logo in one cell, then inserting and formatting your contact information in the other cell. When you're done, you will have a realistic virtual business card that keeps its formatting with the image in line with your contact information.
Step 1
Log in to Gmail using your Web browser. Click the "Gear" icon and select "Settings" from the drop-down menu. Scroll down to the Signature section. If the No Signature radio button is selected, click the "Signature" radio button below it to enable this feature.
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Step 2
Open a new tab in your Web browser and go to Google Drive at drive.google.com. If you haven't used Google Drive before, you can sign in with your Gmail account. Click the red "New" button and select "Google Sheets." A spreadsheet opens in a new tab.
Step 3
Drag the cursor across two cells in the same row to highlight them. Click the "Borders" icon above the spreadsheet and select "Outer Borders." This puts a border around the two cells, but not the line between them. Your logo or photo will go in the left cell and the text will go into the right cell.
Step 4
Make the boxed cells larger by placing the cursor between the letters above the cells and the numbers to the left of the cells. This is just so you can see the image when you insert it into the left cell.
Step 5
Select the left cell and click the "Insert" menu. Select "Image" and then drag a photo of yourself or your company logo into the "Drag an Image Here" field.
Step 6
Press "Ctrl-A," then "Ctrl-C" copy the bordered cells to your computer's clipboard.
Step 7
Click the "Google Drive" tab, then click the "New" button again. Select "Google Docs." A new tab opens with a blank Google Docs word processing document. Press "Ctrl-V" to paste the copied spreadsheet cells into the document.
Step 8
Hover the cursor over the rectangle's right and left borders to resize it to the shape of a business card. Most images are too large at this point, so adjust the size of the image by clicking it and then dragging one of the corners while you hold down the "Shift" key.
Step 9
Click the left cell and type your name, title, company, phone number and email address. Add any other details you want to appear in your business card, like your cell phone number or physical address. Note that when you press "Enter" after entering your email address, Google Docs makes it a clickable link. If you want to remove this link, click the email address and select "Remove."
Step 10
Highlight each line to apply formatting styles. For example, to make your name stand out, highlight it, click the "Bold" icon and increase the default font size from "10" to "12." To change the font or font color for all the text, press "Ctrl-A" to select it all and then make the appropriate changes. You can also change one or more lines to center or left alignment using the formatting icons above the document.
Step 11
Drag the faint middle line between the image and your card details as needed so the text is adjacent to the image.
Step 12
Hold down the "Shift" key and click each cell to select them. Right-click the card and select "Table Properties" from the drop-down menu. By default, the cell padding is 0.069 inches. Change this to "0.1" to increase the padding. This ensures that the photo and text are neither too close to each other or to the edges. Click "OK."
Step 13
Drag the borders of the cells as needed until you have a presentable business card. When you're satisfied with its appearance, press "Ctrl-A" on the keyboard, then "Ctrl-C" to copy it.
Step 14
Click the "Gmail" tab on your Web browser. Click anywhere inside the "Signature" text field. Press "Ctrl-V" to paste your electronic business card into the text field. Scroll down to the bottom of the page and click "Save Changes." Your signature will appear the next time you compose a new email.
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