These things are part of every company's print stationery
Britta Zurborn, Marketing Manager at Cewe-Print*, explains what’s involved and how business stationery should be designed. Corporate Identity as the Foundation of All Business MaterialsBefore a company can address the design of its letterhead or business cards, it first needs an idea of how to incorporate the company’s personality into the design. This unique corporate identity is reflected in the corporate design, which should ideally be consistent across all business stationery items, thereby creating a recognizable brand value for the company. A consistent corporate design establishes specific shapes, fonts, and elements that are incorporated into all advertising materials. Corporate design goes beyond mere logo design and specifies specific color schemes, fonts, and shapes that can be used in business stationery. Only once the corporate design has been established can companies begin to consider the rest of their business stationery. A recognizable logo attracts the necessary attentionA logo encapsulates what a company stands for and also serves as a visual reminder for the viewer. That’s why a well-designed logo is an essential part of every company’s brand identity. The logo should not be overly elaborate, but rather represent the company in a simple, understandable, and memorable way. It’s also important to test the logo in advance to ensure it looks equally good on all promotional materials and that it doesn’t appear different when scaled to various sizes or resolutions. In addition, companies should ensure that their logo looks good in both color and black-and-white, as there may be instances where a logo needs to be printed in black-and-white—for example, on a fax or a monochrome copy. Business Cards as a Reflection of the CompanyBusiness cards are a portable representation of a company’s identity. They are meant to make a good first impression on potential customers and partners and demonstrate that a company exudes professionalism and reliability. To that end, business cards should contain the necessary information (name, title, email, phone number, company name, address, logo, and possibly the company’s slogan) and always be up to date. Information added by hand to business cards looks unprofessional. It may be worth investing a little more money in business cards—for example, by using thick paper or adding a special finish—to stand out and leave a positive impression. Stationery – Corporate Identity You Can Send Out Letterhead and envelopes should have a consistent design and not appear too flashy or cluttered. The rule here is: less is more. Since letterhead can be seen as an extension of a business card, the two should match in color scheme and font. It is important that the logo is clearly visible and that contact information is recognizable at a glance. When designing letterhead, the intended use must also be considered; that is, the logo and slogan should be placed so that they do not interfere with a potential address field or the body text later on. Furthermore, they should not be placed too close to the edge, since letterhead is often punched and filed away in folders, which can obscure logos located near the edge. Promotional Materials – Focusing on Customers and Businesses Promotional materials are also part of every company’s basic toolkit. Flyers, brochures, and the like are tangible, everyday tools—especially at trade shows. They help raise awareness of the company, clarify information about the product portfolio, and ensure the company remains in the minds of potential customers over the long term.
To this end, they should be designed in accordance with the company’s corporate identity, be clearly and logically structured, and contain the most important information—both for the customer (what benefits the product or service offers) and about the company (a brief, precise description of the company and its product portfolio). Even small customer gifts such as sticky notes, pens, or calendars printed with the corporate design are part of the business stationery. They help keep the company in customers’ minds year-round and on a regular basis—namely, whenever they use the product.*CEWE-PRINT.de is CEWE's online printing service, which provides a one-stop shop for communication materials—from flyers to promotional products—via a TÜV-certified platform.
To this end, they should be designed in accordance with the company’s corporate identity, be clearly and logically structured, and contain the most important information—both for the customer (what benefits the product or service offers) and about the company (a brief, precise description of the company and its product portfolio). Even small customer gifts such as sticky notes, pens, or calendars printed with the corporate design are part of the business stationery. They help keep the company in customers’ minds year-round and on a regular basis—namely, whenever they use the product.*CEWE-PRINT.de is CEWE's online printing service, which provides a one-stop shop for communication materials—from flyers to promotional products—via a TÜV-certified platform.
