Designing Quality Letterheads

It is never a bad time to take a look at your branding and marketing materials. Often we come to the conclusion that the amazing marketing ideas we once loved need some tweaking or a complete revamp. Contracts, internal memos, invoices, status reports, product summaries, and other professional documents make a lasting impression when on commercially-printed letterhead. However, making a top-notch letterhead can be a challenge. Here are some tips to help you impress with your letterheads.

Represent Your Brand

Letterheads are a great opportunity to represent your brand. That being said, they are not supposed to sell the recipient your goods and services. Everything from the color scheme to the fonts to the imagery that you use will reflect how your brand comes across. If you are designing a letterhead that is unnecessarily busy, simplify it down. Use color wisely to highlight specific areas that you want to draw attention to and do not use too much color. Black, blue or dark gray are standard for font colors. Highlight the company name by making it a different color that coordinates with the logo or another font. The font size should be at least 10 points, but no more than 12 points. Use an easily legible font, such as Times New Roman, Ariel or Cambria to ensure readability.

Format

Information on letterheads is stacked on separate lines. Additionally, it is also acceptable to keep information on the same line separated by bullets or vertical lines. Bold letters and italics are great for information that you want to stand out, but should not be used everywhere. Start with the company’s name, including any designations such as “Inc.” or “Ltd.” Then add the address. You can use an abbreviation for the state, but spell out things like “Road,” “Avenue” and “Suite.” Contact information is last. Put the company’s phone and fax numbers first, followed by the main email address for correspondence.


At New York Marketing we offer quality printed materials for any business, big and small, to deliver great quality and fast service at a fair price. Contracts, invoices, and other professional documents make a lasting impression when on commercially-printed letterhead. Adding your company name, address, and logo provides a subtle, professional touch to kick your stationary up a notch. Reinforce your company’s image and use different design elements to reflect your company’s personality and quality.