Top Tips for Designing a Letterhead

Communication

Using a creative layout can really say a lot about your business - a quirky design can show that you're not afraid to try different things to get your company noticed.

Letterheads can not only be used for communication, but also to attract attention from prospective clients, customers and partners. Emails and instant messaging are great, but they lack the personal touch of sending a letterhead in the post, so try to make your design as eye-catching and memorable as possible to make it even more effective.

Use the right programs

It is possible to create a letterhead in Photoshop, Fireworks or Publisher, but ideally you should design your letterhead in Illustrator or InDesign. These programs use vector shapes that are expandable, and give a much clearer finished print as they don't use pixels. Be sure to include bleed on your artwork and design in CMYK so the colours don't drop out, which can happen if they're converted from RGB artwork.

Keep it simple

Try not to cram in too many lines of content and remember to leave lots of blank room for the text that will be printed on to the letterhead by the user. Only show necessary information (e.g. company name, telephone numbers, address) and possibly a strapline.

You can really add to the quality of your letterhead and stand out from the crowd by using embossing, hot stamping or die cuts. Bespoke print gives your letterheads a distinguished quality and uniqueness that will create a great impression and help sell you as a company.

Typography and Colours

The colours and fonts used throughout your letterheads should be consistent with your company branding. Try to use the same style throughout all your stationery, so that business cards, compliment slips and envelopes all look the same and are instantly recognisable.