Branded business stationery is an underrated tool for marketing, but can be one of the most powerful. It helps reinforce your business’s message and build a stronger relationship with your customers, vendors, colleagues and employees. When people think of stationery, they typically think of a letterhead, but it goes beyond that. Check out these five ways to beef up your branded stationery game.
1. Invoices
One of the most important things your business needs to succeed is revenue. The best way to generate revenue is to make sure your customers are paying for your goods and services. Branded invoices make your business look more professional. While most people are not excited to receive invoices, customers are more likely to pay the bills if they know from where it came. You’ll likely also receive the payments faster as your contact information will be listed on the invoices.
2. Thank you notes
Show your appreciation by sending thank you notes inside matching printed envelopes. Not only will they give your notes a professional look, but they’ll also get recipients excited to open your message. You can use the correspondence for vendors, customers or other entrepreneurs.
People receive so many emails each day that it’s easy for a personal message to get lost in the fray, but a hand-written message stands out. Knowing that you are willing to take the time to create a one-of-a-kind message speaks about your character, and will make people feel more comfortable and confident working with you.
3. Direct mail
With direct mail, you can use branded stationery to earn more customers by getting information about your business inside people’s homes. It allows you to target specific neighborhoods and demographics. Not only does it get your message into people’s hands instead of their junk folder, it also provides reference material for potential customers. You can include messages about upcoming sales, provide information about your website and social media or highlight specific products or services. Include a promo code to use online or a QR code that sends them to a specific landing page so you can track the success rate of this strategy.
Those envelopes you had made earlier are great for direct mail, especially if you use a font that looks like handwriting for the address. This will make it look more personal and increase the open rate.
4. Trade shows
While it’s quick and easy to do business digitally, sometimes you need to get out and make business deals the old-fashioned way. Attend industry trade shows to meet influencers and potential customers. One piece of branded stationery that is a must in this situation is business cards. A business card is often the first impression that people receive of your brand, so be sure it has a unique design. People receive a ton of business cards during these types of events, so make sure it stands out.
Attending exhibition shows also allows you to check out the competition; you might gain inspiration for new products or services to provide. In addition to business cards, you should have some promotional products to hand out at your exhibit space. Branded stationery works in this case, especially if you decide to hand out customized sticky notes and matching pens or pencils.
5. Inter-office communication
While it is very important to use branded materials for communication with the outside world, it’s also critical to use those materials for inter-office communications such as memos or reports. Doing so helps establish a consistent message across your business to your employees and reinforces your brand.
It’s especially important to use these materials in the onboarding process. Providing these materials to employees will make them feel like they have the necessary tools to be successful, making them more confident with clients. This will also make them more engaged with your brand and less likely to leave.
As you can see, branded stationery can be very useful for your business. It often creates a first impression of your company and gives your business a more professional look. Hopefully, these tips can help you expand your use of stationery.
Do you have any other ways to use branded stationery? Leave them in the comments below.
