You’ve probably seen a letterhead on a letter even if you didn’t know the formal term for it. Letterhead refers to the business name and contact information at the “head” of the letter. This letterhead may include their logo and brand name, though that isn’t always present.
What are the benefits of having professional business letterhead?
Gravitas.
The letterhead is a mark of professionalism. It is seen as a mark of quality and service, especially if you have an embossed logo or water mark on the page. It helps prove that your business actually sent the letter instead of someone printing it up and mailing it off. This is why a small business wants to have professional letterhead. It gives your invoices and bills more weight, emotionally speaking.
Note that you should design your letter head to the tastes of your customers, not your own personal preferences. Present your brand in a way that benefits your business. However, you can’t be too creative with the color of the paper. After all, readability takes precedence over color coordination. And this is truer for business letters than business cards.
The Labor Savings.
One of the biggest reasons businesses had business letterhead pre-printed on blank sheets of paper was to save time and money. The secretary could simply grab a pre-made sheet, type up a letter, and send it off to the recipient. The collection notice or legal warning simply needed to be made, reviewed, approved and mailed off. There was no need to type the business’s name, address and contact information on the page. A later innovation was putting the business’ name and address on the back of the letter, as well. Then it could be folded up and stuffed in a clear envelope. It is already ready to be mailed off. There is also a lower risk of mistakes because someone didn’t type it in the wrong location or had a typographical error at the very start of the letter.
What if the letter isn’t mailed that way? The business name and address on the back of the page can still help people identify the letter when it is in a stack of papers and determine where to send their response. If you aren’t sure what to do with the letterhead, imagine how your clients would see it and handle it to determine what features might be worth printing on the form letters.
Branding.
This is a subtle reason to use letterhead, but don’t underestimate its power. Using the same branding and contact information on your letterhead as you have on your business card creates a consistent, identifiable brand. Those who may not remember your name or business name may recognize the logo and color scheme in the letter head.
The letterhead also gives your business an aura of financial stability. If you can afford to invest in decent letter head, they don’t have to worry about you being unable to pay for their services. You can save money on letterhead by having a basic logo and contact information printed on the page instead of multiple decorative elements. However, it won’t hurt to have your address at both the top and bottom of the page.
