In the days of email, text, and instant messaging, some businesses may forget the importance of the humble letter. But the fact is direct mail correspondence is hugely important for businesses. It showcases your professionalism, is a form of personal communication, and won’t get lost in cyberspace.

But in our hurry to turn to email, we may have neglected to take note of certain legal requirements when it comes to our corporate letterheads. If you want to stay ahead of the game, these are rules you definitely have to play by.

What Should be Printed?

Whether you’re sending an invoice, enquiry, or marketing literature, it’s important your letterheads do a number of things. Firstly, they should adhere to certain legal requirements. Secondly, they need to make it easy for recipients to respond. And finally, they should be consistent with your corporate branding. Here, are five things you should remember to include:

1. Registered Company Name

While this may seem obvious, it is perhaps the most important thing. Your recipients need to know who they’re receiving mail from. In a time when spam letters are more frequent that actual mail, it’s important to make sure your mail shots stand out as genuine.

If you are a limited company or a charity, it is a legal requirement that you say so on your letterheads. The same goes for companies that are known by a shortened version of their name. Your letter heads must include the full and registered name of your business.

2. Registered Address and Place of Business

Again, an obvious but legal requirement for your letterheads. If the registered address and trading address differ, you must mention both. This is particularly relevant for franchises and similar companies.

Customers and clients need to be able to reply to your letters, especially if you’re sending an invoice. This is why it’s so important to include both addresses – clearly stated which is which – to make sure you don’t miss any vital correspondence.

3. Names of Partners or Directors

Depending on the nature of your business, the regulations differ when it comes to including the names of partners and directors. If you’re a sole trader, you need to include your name and the name your business trades as. Partnerships need to include the names of all partners, or an alternative location where a full list can be viewed. Limited companies don’t have to name directors, but if they do all must be named.

This makes your company more human and identifiable. Customers will know who they can contact with queries and issues. It helps your company look more professional if customers have a real person to speak to rather than an email address.

4. Points of Contact

Once your customers know who you are, they need to know how to get in touch with you. Your company address will be on the letterhead, but you should also consider including other means of communication. Depending on the reason for contacting you, a letter may not warrant a quick enough response.

For this reason include a direct telephone number, email address, and your company website. If you’re a sole trader, you may wish to include a mobile number as well. These are not required by law, but it will make it easier for everyone to get in touch with you efficiently.

5. Your Logo

Finally, it is always a good idea to include your company logo on your letterheads. This helps reinforce your professionalism, and enables customers to recognise you instantly. Keeping your printed business literature in keeping with your company branding is vital for marketing and consistency.

Some companies choose to incorporate their company colours and typography into their letterheads. Depending on the colours and font you use, this may not transcend well in print. Ask your designer and printer to run you off some dummy copies in a number of designs to see what works best for you.

Printed business literature still has a huge place in 21st century business. Companies of all sizes shouldn’t neglect this method of targeting and contacting their customers. We just need to remember to approach out printed correspondence in a different way to our online ways of communicating.

Looking for a quality print management company to handle your letterhead printing? Contact Bromsgrove based Charterprint today.