Fonts
Readability is the most important aspect of font choice. But there are many readable fonts. A basically good design can be rendered useless with inappropriate fonts. Choose fonts that communicate your identity and message.
Color
Are there established corporate colors which you must work with or are you free to explore a variety of color combinations? In general, the more colors used, the more expensive it is to print the design. The color of the paper itself is also a factor in the design. Color is a powerful element of design. It is often the most noticeable aspect of a design.
Color printing can be expensive for many small businesses. Before planning an elaborate design requiring multiple color components, discuss budget with your client. Careful use of just one color can be just effective as an entire rainbow.
Paper
Choose the right grade of paper for each piece of your stationery package. Business cards typically use cover stock and letterhead uses bond paper. Many paper manufacturers produce complimentary color and textured paper in different grades to allow you to coordinate your designs. Hammermill suggests using a smooth paper stock with a rag content [def.] of 25% to minimize streaking and blurry type.
Printing/Distribution
One of the questions asked about the stationery package when beginning the design process was "How will the letterhead be used?" If thermography is under consideration as a printing method and an element of the design, be sure to ask your printer if they are using laser-safe thermography techniques. If the client indicates that the letterhead may frequently be photocopied or faxed, you'll want to design with the limitations of those reproducation methods in mind.
Whether you are an experienced designer or just starting out, there are ways to jumpstart the design process. Professionally designed templates can provide complete solutions to your basic stationery needs or provide a starting point for customized designs.
