Letterhead - think about: Trading address; contact details and using 'Our ref.' etc; sales or other messages
Why?
Letterheads come in high numbers from the printer and most businesses will struggle to use a box full in six months (unless you are using a
mail-shot). With the inevitable change of detail in your business the letterheads will be scrap paper. It is better to use the print shop to print your business name and logo on quality paper and use a laser printer (under £200 now) to print your current address and contact details. Things like 'Our Ref.' are almost impossible to line up on the printer for us mere mortals, and are simple to add when typing. You may decide to become VAT registered, for another example, and this is easily done if you use a laser printer for quality. As to printing messages on your letterhead, if you also use your letterhead for invoicing and chasing late payment, such messages will deplete the effect of these letters.
Brochures and Leaflets - think about: Having your trading address; listing a 'complete' table of all of your services
Why?
You should not limit your earning potential or ability to utilize an opportunity in a business area that is not at the centre of your business. Brochures last forever and it would be highly unlikely that the contact details would remain the same - get a rubber stamp made up professionally (cost is about £10) and stamp brochures when they are used - so that you change the stamp and not the brochure.
Business Cards - think about: Having your name and your position in the company printed on the card
Why?
If there is not a name on the card you can be anyone you want to be; with any position in the company; and - if you leave off the type of business you are - you can be any type of business within your industry area. Writing, or stamping, your personal details on the back of a card is acceptable in the majority of industries: but not if you are, say, a printer (a well made point, I think!).
Compliment Slip - think about: When will you really need one; do you want the standard 'With Compliments' in big letters
Why?
A compliment slip is very rarely used for it's perceived role. More often it is a label when attached to another piece of paper that does not have your business name on it, or as we do often, as a brief hand written note to give or post to someone. A compromise could be to have a smaller 'With Compliments' in one of the corners and leave the bulk of the space for information that you add as and when.
Ordering Issues
Obviously, buying two for the price of three is a real benefit (and the printers push this fact constantly) in not only cost but in time and resources. However, if you never use two of the three you have simply and foolishly paid double the price! I cannot see the benefit in this type of deal unless you are convinced that you will use more than one order within your first six-months of trading, AND that you have taken account of the above scenarios. There are a number of whole packages available that will give you letterheads, business cards, brochures and compliment slips for a low cost: bear in mind that if you do not use, say, the business cards and compliment slips you have over paid for what you do use.
There are no absolute 'do's or don'ts' with printing as we all use stationery in different ways, but your stationery must (if cost and flexibility are important to you) seamlessly work with you to help promote growth when and where you need it: without creating box after box of scrap paper for the kids!
Tips and Advice on Stationery Printing
The cheapest price is not always the best
Printers that have been long-established and independent are often the best option
Use tints instead of different colours where possible: using more colours will build the expense
If you want top quality, be prepared to pay for it
Order different business card styles at the same time as it is usually cheaper
If you order printing on-line, including preparing your art-work, make sure you add notes as to the font type i.e. 'arial' or 'impact', as the printers PC may not have the font type you want
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