Stationery commonly refers to goods such as paper, envelopes, letterhead, etc. However, the term has also been expanded to include items such as pencils, pens, notepads, etc. In general, anything associated with writing or correspondence falls under the stationery heading.
Correspondence Items
Professional grade correspondence materials and items can help project professionalism and a personalized touch when contacting business or personal clients. In many cases, individuals or organizations commonly send their correspondence with audience via common paper and print quality with off the shelf envelopes. For the most part, this can be a cost saving enterprise when corresponding with a particular target audience, but can be a detriment in other cases. For example, suppose that your organization wants to continually leave an impression of professionalism and quality. Sending out correspondence with low quality paper, ink, and envelopes can oftentimes send the message that an organization or individual does not value a professional standard of quality.
Professional Grade Stationery
In the correspondence section, our discussion regarding stationery focused primarily on letterhead and envelopes. Most of us have received correspondence from local business, medical and legal professionals, and personal contacts. In these cases, try to recall the impression that was left when you received correspondence. Did the letter mailed to you convey the message of quality and professionalism? If the answer was no, did the quality of the materials and presentation of the stationery itself weaken the effect of professionalism? In order to leave a lasting impression of both quality and professionalism, one might consider the use of professional grade stationery.
Professional grade stationery might be a higher quality of paper, e.g. linen fabric or a heavier paper stock, or a high quality envelope with a personalized return address. In the cases where you have come across professional grade stationery, what impression did the materials leave you with? Did the professional grade stationery leave you with the expectation that you were getting a level of service and quality that you might not receive with another competitor? If so, then you might consider using professional grade stationery the next time you order stationery supplies. Oftentimes, we only have once chance to leave a lasting impression.
Marketing Application
In targeting new prospects or existing customers, many companies use the variable data feature which allows one to customize and personalize a direct mail campaign. A variable data feature allows one to personalize each mailing with a prospect
