5 Unique Ideas to Make Your Branded Stationery Stand Out

Going paperless may be great for the environment, but it isn’t always good for branding. Think of your own reaction if your credit card company suddenly began sending out letters on plain sheets of notebook paper.

Good quality stationery makes your brand look more credible to potential customers. Here are five unique ways to make your branded stationery stand out from competitors.

How to Choose Branded Stationery

In order for branded stationery to work well for your business, it needs to be noticeable right away to your customers.  Small businesses are at a disadvantage because they can’t always afford the top design stationery trends like die-cutting or custom folds.

Personal stationery is much easier to purchase because it’s not needed in large quantities. Besides you get the best customized notepads that are good choice for gifting. You can splurge on a small number of laser-cut envelopes to invite guests to a wedding or send a thank you for a baby shower fit.

There are more affordable ways to make your branded stationery look professional and creative. Take a look at these easy stationery ideas for both business and personal use.

1. Go Dark

Consider dark-colored envelopes when choosing your stationery package. Black or navy envelopes are a sophisticated option that’s sure to upgrade any direct mail campaign.

Black is elegant and communicates an air of exclusivity for luxury brands like hotels and car dealerships. Choose a color that makes sense for your company’s products and services to make the best impression.

For example, a bakery wouldn’t typically benefit from black stationery but that doesn’t mean dark grey with pink lettering couldn’t work for your brand. Ask your graphic designer for visual samples of how your current branding translates onto dark-colored paper.

Design templates might also be available as long as you have the right editing software to customize the style and layout to fit your branding needs.

You won’t be able to write on a dark-colored envelope but address labels come in a variety of colors to match your design. A metallic return address or logo is a great finishing touch for any design on dark paper.

2. Calendars

One way to stay relevant to your customers is to offer branded desktop calendars. These calendars can be standalone to save surface space, but make sure there is space for notes on each day.

The biggest benefit paper calendars have over digital calendars is that they allow you to freestyle notes as needed. Each calendar square should be large enough to hold appointment information or reminders for the week.

Add in your own product tips or hacks on each week or month to promote your brand. Be sure your company logo and contact details are easy to find on each page in case customers want to reach out to you.

3. Branded Thank You

Handwritten stationery stands out from the mountains of direct mail people receive every day. Branded thank you cards are a must for business and personal use because they connect you with a positive message.

Customers interact with ads asking them to make purchases constantly throughout the day. Showing gratitude gives you a meaningful reason to reach out to your customers that isn’t self-serving.

Take the time to let your customers know you appreciate their business when they visit you for the first time or places a large order with your business. Thank you cards are also a great way to follow up with promotional partners after a campaign.

Choose from single postcards or half-fold thank you note styles. Half-fold cards are more formal and should be used when you’re looking to convey a business professional look rather than have a casual conversation.

4. Sticky Notes

Like calendars, sticky notes are a great option for stationery because they offer practical use for your customers. Custom post it notes can include your company logo and contact details while leaving space for everyday notes.

Think beyond the traditional yellow post-it note pad. Custom printers allow you to choose from a wide range of paper and ink colors to make your post-it notes unique.

The more customers use these post-it notes in their business and personal lives, the more they’ll be reminded of your company logo. For taller post-it notepads, you aren’t limited to just added your logo to the corner of the page.

The side of the post-it note stack is also available for logos and company slogans.

5. Add Texture

Textured stationery is a premium option that can upgrade existing designs to elevate your brand credibility. Embossed logos and foil stamping both communicate prestige.

Think White House correspondence or an invitation to join a prestigious club. These materials would like to come with a combination of textured logos and paper.

One of the most common types of textured paper is linen. Parchment and low gloss paper stocks are also unusual options that will capture the attention of potential customers.

Request paper samples from your printer to explore the full range of possibilities. Keep in mind that premium paper can be two or three times the cost of traditional 20-pound paper.

Specialty processes like foil stamping also come with added set up fees on the first run. If your goal is to make your organization look like a million-dollar brand, then using texture in your design is a must.

Upgrade Your Branded Stationery

Branded stationery is an easy way to build on a digital marketing campaign. No matter how much time people spend online, they still need offline tools like calendars and post-it notes to help them do business.

Placing your company logo on items that are meaningful to your customers helps increase the number of impressions your brand receives each day. Few other forms of advertising provide this level of brand exposure.

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