A letterhead or a letterheaded paper is a piece of stationery paper that has the name, address, phone and fax number, email, and website address along with a logo/design of the company. In some cases, a background is included as well. A letterhead is also referred to as a heading that includes these details and is put on a sheet of paper that is to be used for official purposes.
Importance of a Letterhead
A letterhead is an important printed sheet of paper that serves as an essential tool for a company for the following reasons:
- It provides a company with a clear corporate identity.
- A personalized and well-designed letterhead portrays a professional image, reflecting the company’s strength and stability by showing its investment in quality printed stationery.
- It creates a positive impression on potential and existing customers.
- It contributes to building a strong brand image while also serving as an effective advertising and sales tool.
- It ensures consistency in the appearance of formal documents and communications.
- It makes the information presented on it appear official, legal, verified, and authentic.
Therefore, it should be designed with accurate details presented in an attractive outlook. The chosen colors, fonts, sizes, format, and template should be appropriate, professional, and eye-catching.
Standard Sizes and Features of Letterheads
In most countries, the standard size for letterheads is A4 (210*297 mm). However, in North American countries, the size used is 8.5*11 inches (215*280 mm). As for the other features, they may vary as per company demands or requirements. However, that too should be within the realm of available options as well as set standards.
Use of a Letterhead in an Organization
In an organization, letterhead is used for professional and formal correspondence. Some of the uses of a letterhead are:
- Issuance of official letters.
- Internal communication, such as minutes of meetings, memorandums, inter-departmental communication, etc.
- Issuance of notices, including legal notices.
- Issuance of warnings.
- Issuance of tenders.
- Communication with clients.
- Preparation of contracts.
- Providing endorsements, verifications, or referrals.
Using MS Word Templates for Letterhead Design
When designing a letterhead, a company may get it designed or use the available templates. Microsoft Word offers a wide range of letterhead templates that are easy to use, edit, and customize. Therefore, many companies opt for the MS Word templates to design their letterheads.
Using Templates across Different Versions of MS Word
The method of using templates varies slightly across different versions of MS Word. For instance, the features in the 2013 versions differ from those in the 2016 version, which were further changed in the 2020 version. With the introduction of newer versions, the design and options of the templates also change slightly. However, it is not difficult for companies to understand and use different versions, as all are user-friendly and the variations are minimal.
Importance of a Professional Letterhead Design
Whether a Word letterhead template is used or a company has one designed specifically for itself, the design should be formal and professional so that it can be used for all formal correspondence.
