What Makes A Good Letterhead
The letterhead is an important part of a business’ overall packaging. Like print advertisements, posters and product packaging, the letterhead is a constant representative of the business. It is a business card that is handed out daily and repeatedly. It helps build brand recall and reinforces brand identity.
Designing one should not be done hastily and without thought. While many may be tempted to just stick with one that carries the logo and the usual contact information, a letterhead’s design should have more than that. A good letterhead should be able to get your message across effectively.
Here are some factors to watch out for in creating an effective letterhead:
1. Color: Not considering cost, black and white letterheads can be as effective as the colored ones. However, color can sometimes make you and your brand stand out more. It all depends on how effectively your chosen color blends into your logo’s design and product packaging. Hence, you might want to consider having your letterhead professionally designed. It cannot just be haphazardly put together.
In terms of cost, there is negligible difference between colored printing and black and white printing costs. The ultimate decider will really have to be the letterhead design. For some logos and brands, black and white printing may work better; while other can benefit from colored prints.
2. Paper: For a printed letterhead, its effectiveness not only lies in the color and design. Paper texture and weight also matter. Selecting the right paper may be the difference between coming off as “unprofessional and cheap,” and “masterful and classy.”
A paper’s texture has to be smooth. Business literatures are not scrapbook entries that need the texturized feel. Business letters come off better if they are printed out on smooth paper.
Likewise, paper weight determines the thinness of paper. It would not look good to have a well-designed letterhead printed out on onionskin paper. Thickness has to be just right. Besides, since a lot of correspondences are laid out as computer documents and printed using a laser or dot matrix printer, printer ink might bleed if the paper is too thin.
3. Business Identity: Always have your logo in your letterhead. This builds brand recall and helps you increase your business’s popularity. You may argue that a letterhead is just a letterhead and not a print ad or a corner poster – yet this piece of paper is your everyday business card. It is given out to hundreds of people daily and you should not take its marketing power for granted. Hence, do not forget to put your all important logo in its design.
4. Envelopes: When you have got a nice looking letterhead, do not forget to have matching envelopes designed and printed. This way, you get to reinforce your business identity inside and outside your print correspondences.
5. Web Version: Since email is the fastest and most convenient way of corresponding these days, do not forget to have a web version of your letterhead designed. Having an email letterhead is as important as having the printed ones out. Emails are exchanged more commonly than actual letters so you should maximize this medium, as well.