Don't be ignorant to the possibilities of custom printed stationery. Knowing how to design and print the highest-quality stationery will help you put your best foot forward when engaging with new customers, clients, and fans.
clashgraphics.com gathered the following information about custom stationery printing, what items you can have customized, and how to get it professionally printed.
Custom Stationery
Personalized or custom stationery includes any type of paper or writing utensil that is customized to a specific user or business needs. For centuries, people have used custom stationery to make unique invitations, calling cards, letterhead, and other business-related paper goods.
Custom Stationery Design
Custom stationery can include an infinite combination of words, colors, images, and designs. The following steps will help you quickly create your stationery design using Adobe InDesign, Illustrator, Microsoft Word, Publisher, Apple Pages, QuarkXPress, or CorelDraw.
- Start with a design template
- Add your own images and logo
- Add personalized text and select fonts
- Choose color combinations that suit your brand
- Print your design in-house or send it out
Note: Stationery design covers all the writing equipment and office supplies you normally require for day-to-day use, like paper, letterheads, pens, pencils, folders, business cards, post-its, and cases.
Tip: Consult a graphic designer to help you sharpen and de-clutter your work so it can be applied to all of your stationery needs.
What Paper is Best for Stationery?
Traditionally, high-quality stationery is made of heavy cardstock. For more formal occasions, white and ivory are most common, but pale blue or grey are often the colors of choice. Consider the following when selecting paper for business stationery:
- Letterheads are typically printed on bond or text paper. For bonds, the most popular weights are 20Lbs and 24Lbs, while for text paper, the most popular weight is 70Lbs.
- Envelopes are created from the same weight and color paper as the corresponding letterheads in a process called converting. Large sheets or rolls of stationery-grade paper are loaded into a machine that cuts a pattern from the sheet, then folds and glues the pattern creating an envelope.
- Business cards are typically printed on cover stock with a weight of 65Lbs or 80Lbs. The thickness of the stock is determined by the finish, not its weight.
Tip: Your paper selection will significantly influence the finish and presentation of your stationery, before approving large runs, request samples on multiple parer weights and colors.
What Finishes Can be Applied to Paper Stationery?
Finishes can visually and texturally transform your paper selection. Finishes can be applied to paper inline (during the manufacturing process) or offline (after manufacturing).
Inline finishes are made with rollers that form a pattern in the paper while it is still wet. Offline finishes are created with steel rollers that press a pattern into the paper and are commonly known as embossed finishes.
Popular finishes for stationery paper include:
- Cockle, which simulates handmade paper
- Laid which appears to have translucent lines horizontally and vertically in the paper
- Linen which resembles linen cloth
- Smooth, which has a smooth, polished appearance
- Vellum which has an eggshell appearance (consistent and even)
- Wove, which has a slight texture with an even finish
Note: A watermark is an embossed design made during its manufacturing. The design typically identifies the paper and its manufacturer. Watermarks are visible when the sheet is held to light and is considered a hallmark of a superior paper grade.
Custom Writing Utensils
Custom writing utensils are an integral part of your professional stationery collection. They provide a sense of preparedness and style. Doctors, lawyers, elected officials, and public figures often need to sign important documents, and the right customized pen can leave a lasting impression.
When you give away customized pens as promotional material or “swag” (pens, pencils, post-it pads, mouse pads, t-shirts, bags, etc.), there are three principal benefits you get in return. These benefits include:
Exceptional ROI - A great advantage of promotional pens is that they are incredibly budget-friendly. Everyone uses pens, making them a great return on investment. This allows you excellent exposure as pens are used repeatedly.
Building Brand Awareness - Brand awareness is key to capturing and retaining customers. Functional promotional items like pens have a wide reach. Not only are they given to your current clients, but they are seen and received by others.
Note: This printed stationery allows your brand to be on someone's mind when they are looking for a solution that you offer. With this awareness, they are more likely to reach out to you than search for one of your competitors.
Keep Your Customers Happy - Offering free promotional swag - useful to your customers - allows you to create lasting impressions on them. Small gifts make big impressions and can significantly improve your customer's experience with your brand.
Tip: This type of interaction can be more memorable than distributing business cards, which often get filed or thrown away.
Stationery Design
In this article, you discovered essential information and tips on custom stationery printing, what you can customize, and how to get it professionally printed.
By custom designing your business stationery, you can create a powerful image and representation of your product and business ethics.
Ignoring the possibilities of custom printed stationery will leave your projects dull and not as visually appealing.
Sources:
graphicdesign.sfcc.spokane.edu/dZine/mujica/printproduction/2019/lecture/l13_Choosing%20Paper.pdf
online.ndm.edu/news/business/small-business-branding/
scu.edu/mobi/resources--tools/blog-posts/how-to-brand-your-business-and-your-products/
merriam-webster.com/dictionary/stationery
Clash Graphics Print Shop Atlanta Flyer Printing
2233 Peachtree Rd NE Ste 202 Atlanta, GA 30309
(678) 235-3464
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