Important Elements in Letterhead Design
Do not give in to the thinking that letterheads are just letterheads; and that you can just stick your logo and contact information in there, and you’re done. Designing a letterhead requires so much more than that.
Besides, you should not take that lowly piece of corporate paper for granted. Believe it or not, a letterhead can help you in marketing. It consistently reinforces your brand name and identity. It helps you build brand recall; thereby, creating more customers for you. The letterhead is your business card and your marketing flyer that is given out to hundreds of people daily.
The letterhead is an important element in the overall packaging of a business or product. It is an everyday representative of your business and the products you sell. Even when you can argue that the letterhead is only for correspondences that may not even be marketing or sales related, its overall look and design still carry much bearing on how your company will be perceived.
There are important factors that you should always have in a letterhead:
1. Logo: A letterhead helps you build brand recall. This benefit would be wasted if your letterhead did not carry your logo. Logo and brand name may not always be synonymous in the consumer’s mind. Having your logo in the design assures that your business or product name goes with your business/ product insignia.
If you still do not have a logo, make sure to have one designed by a professional. Logos are important to any business entity and some investment should be made in getting one. Your logo should reflect your business’ image. It should also be distinguishable enough to establish your identity, as well as your business’ credibility. Likewise, your logo should have easy recall. Your logo cannot be too complex as it may not stick to your client’s mind.
2. Contact Information: The letterhead, whether print or on email, is your everyday business card. Think of it as an easy access rolodex. It saves your clients the time and hassle of having to go through an entire block of business cards just to get to your information. They can just merely retrieve an earlier email or letter to know which number to call or address to go to.
For contact information, make sure to include your trunk line and fax number. Also, always include your general inquiry email addresses.
3. Call to Action: Since letterheads also function as marketing flyers you give out on a daily basis, you need to have a call to action in your design. This goes beyond the business motto or tag line. A call to action encourages people to act/ buy. While letterheads are solely used for correspondences, there is nothing ethically wrong in optimizing this medium of communication. For a business, every move it makes is a move for or against its marketing – and good marketing is what creates customers. Therefore, everyday emails and letters should work for the business and help it market itself.