1. Double check contact details --
If there is a typing error anywhere on your stationery design, you really don't want it in your phone number or address. Triple check the contact details and then triple check them again.
2. Print business card names in one colour --
Names and individual contact information on business cards should be in one spot colour (or black of using full colour printing). This makes it much cheaper to change when the company changes staff and need new business cards.
3. Avoid unusual stylish dimensions and shapes --
Printers are designed for standard sizes of paper. Envelopes are designed for standard sizes of paper. Wallets are designed for standard sizes of business card. Filing cabinets are designed for standard sizes of paper. Need we go on?
4. Print it all together in one go --
Arrange for all of your stationery to be printed at the same time. Use the same colours throughout and spend much less than if you produce it piecemeal. Also, your colours will match from one piece of stationery to another.
5. Invest in good quality paper / card --
For a comparatively small increase in cost, corporate stationery can really stand out if it is produced on good quality paper which will look and feel superior to the standard photocopier paper.
6. Specify laser-safe stock --
If corporate stationery is going to be used in a laser copier then make sure that the paper used is suitable for this purpose. Not all of the high quality papers are suitable for laser printing.
7. More is less --
If unsure of how much stationery is needed, make estimates higher rather than lower. Once a print job is set up the unit cost is relatively cheap. It can be expensive to rerun a print job at a later date because you run out of stationery.
8. Cater to faxing --
If you are planning to use letterheads for fax purposes then reserve a space to print 'Fax Transmission' and other fax details near the top.
9. Leave plenty of room for references --
If letterheads include space for recipients' references, plenty of room should be made available for the purpose. Some company references can be fairly lengthy.
10. Design to Template --
If the stationery is going to used with letter or fax templates included in a Wordprocessor (such as those included with Microsoft Word) then the design should fit the templates. Research this first since it could save you time and money in the future. |
