Do you know what company letterhead is?? It is a very important element for a company, especially for the identification, promotion and positioning of the brand in the market.
Although, in the context of the corporate world and the document management, much is said about the need for a letterhead with the company logo, there is not always much clarity about what this material actually is, or even how it should be elaborated.
That's why we, at ZapSign, created this content on the subject. Throughout this article, we will explain everything you need to know about letterhead: from what it is, through its importance and valuable tips on how to do it, to a detailed step-by-step guide so you can create it yourself. it.
Come on?
What is letterhead?
It is basically about um printed used in contracts, letters and other company documents, containing the company's name, logo and other relevant information, in order to represent the brand positioning in a graphic, personalized and bold way.
There are several different ways to make this document, varying color palette, fonts, weight, paper type and other characteristics. However, it is a fact that, invariably, there are elements considered to be main, and that a letterhead should always contain. They are: the logo, the brand name and the company contact.
How important is letterhead for companies?
Without a doubt, letterhead is one of the most efficient ways to present your company's visual identity and to show, right away, what it came for.
When presenting a document with letterhead to a client, employee or other professional, the impression caused is, at the same time, of impact, boldness, credibility and professionalism - thus, a resource at the same time elegant and powerful in the execution of a excellence document management.
However, in addition to making a good impression, the correct use of this type of form is essential to identify the brand to its customers, partners and related quickly, objectively and directly, reinforcing its image and position with the public and the market. , and increasing its competitiveness.
All this makes letterhead a totally indispensable item for the corporate stationery of any enterprise, since its use in all the company's printed (and even digital) material facilitates the assimilation of the main information about it and points in towards the robust construction of an image of trust and solidity.
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What should be considered when creating a letterhead?
Okay, now you understand what letterhead is and why it matters, and it's time to create one for your business.
To do so, however, it is necessary to know exactly what should be taken into account at this moment – what information to place, what size to choose, what type of paper, fonts, colors, etc. So, follow the tips that we will give below.
What information to include on the letterhead?
Usually, it is customary to place a header and a footer on a company's letterhead, taking care that only the most important information about the brand is inserted in both.
This is due to the fact that the excess of information can make the document visually confusing, and the person who has it in hand can, in the end, end up not paying attention to anything that will be there.
Furthermore, there needs to be plenty of space available on paper for the objective content of the business document in question (considering that it is a letter, official letter, etc.).
The main information to include in the header and footer of your letterhead is the company logo/name and some contact (normally, telephone and/or email), but it may also happen that there is a CNPJ, opening hours, slogan or some other particular information that may be relevant.
What should be the size and type of letterhead?
ABNT establishes that, as a rule, when creating letterhead paper, A4 size is used, as it is the format normally used in most documents, as it offers good space and is easy to edit. save.
However, there are cases and cases, and there is nothing to stop you from being creative and using other sizes. It is also worth noting that, with the increasing diffusion of digital documents, other formats have been further explored, bearing in mind the screen formats of electronic devices.
Difference between physical and digital letterhead
In the current context, it is important to differentiate between physical letterhead and digital letterhead. Although both have the same objective — to reinforce the company's visual identity in its documents — their applications and characteristics present important differences.
Physical letterhead is printed on traditional paper, such as 75g offset paper in A4 format. It is ideal for documents that need to be delivered in person, sent by post or physically registered.
Even with increasing digitalization, it is still widely used in printed commercial proposals, formal correspondence and institutional communications that require a physical presentation.
Digital letterhead is an electronic version, used in PDF, Word and other digital formats. Its use is increasingly common, especially in communications sent by email, electronic signatures and documents stored in the cloud.
With the possibility of integration with digital signature systems, digital letterhead guarantees practicality and reduces printing and logistics costs.
Both formats must maintain the company's visual identity consistently. The choice between one or the other depends on the means of delivery, the target audience profile and the level of formality required.
Legislation and legal requirements related to letterhead
Although the use of letterhead is not required by law for all types of documents, there are specific situations in which it becomes a formal requirement or reinforces the validity of the document.
In the business world, official documents such as minutes of meetings, notifications, official communications and external correspondence often use letterhead to demonstrate authenticity and origin. Although there is no specific law requiring its use, letterhead reinforces the legal weight and formality of the communication.
In certain areas, such as healthcare and law, the use of letterhead is associated with good professional practices. Medical prescriptions and legal documents, for example, often use letterheads that identify the professional and their registration number with the respective board.
For public bodies, issuing documents on letterhead is a requirement formalized by internal decrees and standardization regulations. In these cases, the official letterhead guarantees the document's compliance with public document management standards.
Thus, even where letterhead is not required by law, its use confers seriousness, evidentiary value and reinforces the authenticity of corporate documents.
It is important to respect the visual identity of the brand
By visual identity, we mean nothing more than a set of visual and graphic characteristics that define, in an imagery way, the concept of a brand.
Notice how major companies around the world are tightly bound to specific combinations of colors, fonts, and shapes. Perhaps one of the best examples is Coca-Cola, practically inseparable from the combination of red and white, and typography, which are so characteristic of them.
When creating your letterhead, it is very important to follow these parameters, or the document will not fulfill its main purpose. target, which is to reinforce the brand’s image to the public and the market.
Therefore, one cannot forget that the letterhead must contain the same elements as the rest of the company's material: logo, colors, fonts, images, shapes and others must be the same as those present on cards, badges, website, social networks, etc. .
Positioning elements on letterhead
An elegant letterhead should have your information well distributed, so that it is very clear, while not fighting with the content of the document. Prioritize header and footer. In some cases, certain elements may be inserted in the background, such as a watermark.
How to adapt letterhead for different documents
A well-designed letterhead needs to be versatile enough to handle different types of corporate documents. However, depending on the purpose, some adaptations are necessary to ensure clarity and professionalism.
For business proposals, the letterhead can be more subdued, prioritizing the logo and contact information. It's important to have enough space to present offers and terms and conditions in an organized manner.
In contracts, it is essential to ensure that the letterhead has ample space for clauses and signatures. Headers and footers should be discreet, without cluttering the document.
In internal memos or communications, the letterhead can be simpler, with just the logo and the sender's department, focusing on agility in communication.
For documents such as certificates or statements, letterhead can be more elaborate, incorporating discreet frames or watermarks that reinforce the official character of the material.
Adaptation is essential to maintain visual uniformity without compromising readability or the organization of information. Furthermore, it ensures that the company's identity is present in all documents, but in a manner appropriate to each context.
Be careful with the fonts you choose
It is very important that the written information on your letterhead is perfectly legible – remember that it will be placed in not very large areas of the print.
Therefore, the rule of “less is more” applies; forget about fancy typography, full of elements and serifs, and prioritize the simplest models.
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Step by step on how to make letterhead in Word
Although it is so important and its preparation requires a lot of care, the good news is that your company's letterhead can easily be made using Word, maintaining personalization and without losing credibility or professionalism.
Basically, there are two possible ways to create a letterhead using Word: the most practical is using a pre-existing template, but there is also the possibility of starting from scratch, starting from a blank file - which, although be more labor intensive, it provides a greater degree of customization in the document preparation process.
See below how to make your brand letterhead in Word, according to each way.
How to create your company letterhead in Word, starting from a pre-existing template
- Open Word, go to New, and select your preferred template from the available ones.
- Download the ready-made template you chose.
- Start customizing the header and footer by inserting your company information in the right places.
- Save the changes and you're done! Your letterhead has been created. You can also make a copy of it so you can edit it later, if you think it's necessary.
How to create your company letterhead from a blank document
- Open Word and under “New”, choose the option to create a blank document.
- By clicking on “Insert”, and then on “Header”, you will create your letterhead header. Enter the information you prefer, such as company name, contact telephone and/or email, etc.
- Add your brand logo by clicking on “Insert”, and then on “Image” to choose the logo image among the files from your computer.
- After choosing the logo image, adjust its size and position in the document.
- It's time to add a footer. By clicking on “Insert” and “Footer”, you can choose a template and adjust the information as you prefer.
- You can also add other elements like lines and other shapes to make your letterhead more attractive. Just click on “Insert” and “Shapes” to choose and edit the shapes you want to add to your document. But remember: don't overdo it!
- Save the changes and you're done! You created, completely from scratch, your own letterhead. As in the previous example, you can also make a copy of it so that you can edit it later, if necessary.
Examples of letterheads in different industries
The use of letterhead varies greatly depending on the company's sector of activity, adapting to the communication needs of each area.
legal sector
Law firms use letterhead for petitions, contracts, opinions and official documents. These are generally sober models, with neutral colors and a focus on the logo and professional identification (OAB).
Medical sector
Clinics, hospitals and medical offices use letterhead for medical certificates, prescriptions and reports. They usually include the doctor's name, CRM, specialty and the institution's logo.
Educational sector
Schools and universities use letterheads to design documents such as certificates, enrollment statements, and student announcements. The design usually features the institution's coat of arms and contact information.
Corporate sector
Private companies use letterhead for business proposals, contracts, cover letters and internal documents. Visual identity is heavily applied to reinforce the brand.
Public sector
Government agencies have standardized letterheads, with official coats of arms and logos, which follow internal visual standardization rules.
How to integrate letterhead with digital signatures
With the advancement of digital transformation, integrating letterhead with digital signatures has become essential for companies that want to streamline processes and maintain the formality of documents.
The process is simple: first, a letterhead template is created in digital format (usually a PDF file). This template is then used as the basis for generating documents that will be digitally signed.
When integrating letterhead with digital signature:
- visual authenticity (through the stamp) and legal authenticity (through the digital signature) are guaranteed;
- it facilitates the issuing of contracts, proposals, notifications and communications without the need for printing;
- paper, printing and logistics costs are reduced.
Tools like ZapSign allow you to upload documents with letterhead, place electronic signatures, and generate files ready for sending or secure storage.
In this way, the company preserves its visual identity in digital documents and guarantees the necessary legal validity, combining tradition and modernity in its official communication.
So stay with us and click here to learn about all the features of ZapSign now!
CEO of Henshin Agency and digital marketing consultant, fascinated by content marketing and an admirer of Japanese culture.
