A letterhead can generally be describes as something which heads the sheet of a letter. It usually contains the name and address of the company, along with the logo or the corporate design if applicable. Backgrounds are often a feature too, but may be presented as a watermark, so that any text appearing on the letter is still visible on top of the background image or design.

Letterheads, although sound as though they are simply for ‘letters’, are used by companies and corporations to present themselves more professionally and give off a proficient image. They may be used for professional letters, but also for invoices, quotes and compliment sheets. Companies who offer a letterhead printing service may also offer the option of including envelopes with the corresponding letterhead at a low or no extra charge.

There are many different styles in which a letterhead can be printed. The traditional letterhead will contain what was described above; the name, address and logo of the company. But a letterhead may also contain an image, or some form of design around the information. This will generally be in colour. It is also now common to find some information in the footer of the letter, or invoice etc. This may be the address or some other contact details.

Letterhead printing is a service offered by many printing companies and prices are competitive as printing supplies become cheaper, and the quality of a higher standard. Consumers can now pay a fraction of the price for professional quality letterheads than they would have in previous years.