 Introduction
Giving out a professional vibe about your business is something we all aim to do. However, most of us overlook a key opportunity to do this - when printing and sending out letters (to customers, suppliers, etc).
This article is a guide on how to choose and use paper and envelopes effectively to give your business a more professional image.
In addition, the article will highlight where many of us can save money on such consumables - buying paper frequently for the wrong purpose is an extra cost that none of us really think about - until now - read on...
Paper For most businesses, paper is one of the biggest consumable costs. Lots of it is used everyday for a huge variety of different business purposes. There are a number of different paper types, and knowing which to buy can be very difficult, especially as each paper produces different quality results on different printing equipment.
The most common types of paper for businesses are the following:
(i) Economy Paper
This provides reasonable printing quality with all types of printers and copiers at a very low cost. This is a good choice for general office printing and memos, although you may wish for a better quality paper for your important documents and images. Economy paper normally gives fairly poor results with inkjet printing, particularly colour, and is not suitable for colour laser printing: but is more than acceptable for the kids and home.
(ii) Copy Paper
This is designed to give good results in photocopiers. It provides better results at a slightly higher cost than economy paper. Copy paper is good for general office copying and printing, but still gives fairly poor results with colour inkjet printers. It is not suitable for colour laser printing.
(iii) Inkjet Paper
This is designed to give good quality results in all inkjet printers. It costs more than copy paper but less than all-purpose paper. Inkjet paper is good for general office printing, especially if you need to print in inkjet colour. Results with most other printing types are good, but it is not suitable for colour laser printing.
(iv) Laser Paper
This is designed to give good quality results from all laser printers, but is more expensive than most other paper. Laser paper is a good choice for office or formal letter printing with a laser printer, and is the only real choice if you wish to get good results with a colour laser printer. Results with other forms of printing are good, although inkjet printing will be better on inkjet or all-purpose paper.
(v) All-Purpose Paper
This is designed to give good results for all general printing. It is more expensive than other standard office paper, but provides the best results with all forms of printing, apart from colour laser (which it is not suitable for). All-purpose paper will help give you professional results for your important documents and images. It is suitable for general office printing needs, although the cost is higher than other paper which is adequate for less important documents.
(vi) Laid / Wove / Paper
Laid or Wove paper (sometimes known as bond paper) has a faint pattern running through it, and sometimes also a watermark. It is designed for important correspondence, looks highly professional, and adds an element of importance to your printing. It is normally available in a number of ‘business’ colours, such as cream or grey, as well as white.
Printing quality is usually very good on laid and wove paper, although every brand of paper is different. If you print your letterheads straight from your PC, this type of paper works better than most. The cost however, means that it is only really a viable alternative for letterheads, important letters and correspondence, using it for general office printing would be a considerable waste of money.
(vii) Weight
When you buy paper, it has a weight value, measured in ‘gsm’ (Grams per square metre). A higher gsm value will mean the paper is stronger, and generally allows printing on both sides without affecting the quality on either side.
The standard weight for most paper is 80gsm. 90gsm and 100gsm are also common weights for quality paper; laser and graphic/photo paper can go up to as much as 160 or 190gsm.
The cost of buying heavier weight paper is fairly high. For example: Going from 80gsm to 100gsm normally adds about 20% to the cost of the paper. For the vast majority of business uses, 80/90gsm paper will be suitable (we use 90gsm), although you may wish to consider using 100-130gsm paper for important documents as the person receiving the letter WILL feel the difference.
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