Custom letterhead is your company’s identity on paper, traditionally printed using high end printers at a print shop. This official heading may include your company colors, relevant graphics, and contact information. For authenticity, it needs to be attractive and consistent. You know the local print shops will deliver in that regard, but a new thought crosses your mind. What about your home printer?

Should you print at home or head to the professional print shop?

How Does Self-Printed Letterhead Stack Up to Custom Letterhead?

If you have moderate skill with design, and a document processor like Microsoft Word, you may end up with a letterhead that looks great on your screen. However, a digital letterhead and a printed letterhead can be night and day depending on the type of printer and paper you have.

Here are a few factors to consider when using your own printer verses purchasing professional letterhead:

  • Color: If your letterhead uses one or more colors, it’s important to get them right. Not all home or office printers are optimized for color and imagery. A store printer might produce faded colors or create streaks within the colors. If a letterhead looks low-quality, or like anyone could print it from home, recipients may call the legitimacy of your business into question. This is important for everyone to consider, especially non-profits, churches, and charities that use custom letterhead paper to ask for donations.
  • Borders: If you need your letterhead near or at the edge of the paper, you may not have the option at home. Not all store printers include a borderless option. When home and office printers offer the option, they often require some of your time to set up properly. If you use your printer for other types of documents, changing the settings back and forth may become an annoyance. In contrast, high end printers don’t have the same border limitations, so you have more control with professional letterhead paper.
  • Cost: You might think self-printing is cheaper than the print shop, but this isn’t always true. Before you print at home, calculate the cost of ink and toner. If you use letterhead paper frequently, or your design is complex with colors and imagery, you may end up spending more than you would have purchasing pre-made letterhead paper in bulk.

It’s no surprise that a professional printer produces higher quality results compared to a hundred-dollar, store printer. This means crisp and clear text, as well as rich and vibrant colors. Check out this article to learn more. It also means you have more control over the page borders and where your header starts.

Let us create a Letterhead
for your company that will stand out among the others!

We’re ready to assist no matter how big or small your project is

Is There a Place for the DIY Letterhead?

Yes. Self-printing can have merit over the professional letterhead at times. For example, you may prefer to print your own if:

  1. Your business is moving soon, and you’ll need to update the contact information. If you purchase letterhead paper before the move, you’ll need to discard any paper you didn’t use that has your old information on it.
  2. Your business is fully digital or almost fully digital.

Which Letterhead Paper Makes the Cut for Your Business?

No matter which option you choose, it’s great that you took the time to personalize your business and set it apart with a letterhead. If you don’t have a letterhead design or would like assistance with a redesign, the team at Center City Print is happy to help at our locations in Scranton and Kingston. If you would like to purchase professional letterhead paper, you can also place an order online or visit us. We have high end printers for high quality results.