The stationery that your business uses says a great deal to your customers and potential clients. A marketing letter or a mailshot may be a potential customer’s first ever contact with your organisation and it is important that you given them the right impression. Letters that are printed on poor quality or anonymous looking paper are not going to say to them that you’re a business that cares about its image and if they get the impression that you don’t care about your image they may conclude that you don’t’ care about your customers.
The use of a reputable and experienced printing service to design and produce high quality, thoughtfully designed business stationery for you will ensure that your company makes a favourable impression right from the get go. A full colour printed letterhead using good quality paper will create the best possible impression as soon as your customer opens the envelope. You can choose from plain, watermarked, textured or even environmentally friendly recycled paper. A printing service will be able to show you paper samples to help you make the right choice. Your letterhead should include your company logo and all relevant contact information. A good layout, design, choice of colours and font type is important and again, a printing service will be able to assist in your letterhead design. If your business often has to produce long letters or reports, consider the used of printed continuation sheets. These need to be of the same paper type as the letterheads to ensure that your communications appear seamless and professional.
Printed compliment slips are an essential element of your business stationery. A compliment slip can be affixed to the front of a report or to your company’s brochure and is an ideal way of presenting a professional image when a letter is not necessary. The compliment slip produced by your printing service should match your letterheads and be printed with your logo and contact details.
Printed envelopes will also make a positive impact. Not only that, but envelopes can be used as marketing tools in their own right. An envelope presents a large surface area that is often overlooked but which could easily be printed with colourful marketing and advertising information. Using a printing service to produce your business envelopes will ensure that you have yet another important marketing string to your bow.
Finally, don’t overlook those favourite items of business stationery – your business cards. When you or your salespeople are out and about meeting potential customers, it is considered good business etiquette to give your client a business card. This should be printed on heavy weight card and can be glossy or laminated for a superior appearance. Your business cards should carry your logo, your name and your contact information. Don’t forget that a business card has two sides! You could ask your printing service to print your business cards double-sided for extra marketing potential.