What are compliment slips used for?

Compliment slips have multiple benefits and should be a key staple within your business stationery.

They are most often attached to something you are sending to a potential or existing customer. This may include an information pack, brochure, samples or anything else you may wish to send out. Printed compliment slips are also often included as a thank you to your customer for their order. Rather than attaching a note on a scrap of paper, businesses use professional compliment slips that are printed with their logo/branding and contact details. This reinforces the brand image, adds professionalism and gives the potential customer easy access to your contact details, should they wish to contact you upon receiving your company's material. Using a compliment slip with a hand written note also makes the potential customer feel important and valued. It shows them someone from the company took the time to include a personal note.

When it comes to what compliment slips are used for, this is a classic example of why they should form part of your business stationery. Have you ever found yourself in a situation where you have requested information or samples from multiple companies to compare them? If so, like me, you have probably received samples hastily thrown into an envelope without any branding. Sure, the samples/information might be great and be of interest to you, but where did they come from? In scenarios like this, adding a compliment slip is absolutely crucial to avoid missed leads. As the sender, you can’t assume the recipient has only requested information from you and not other companies. A business card may suffice, but where do you add that important and personal note? Compliment slips bridge the gap between a business card, which has no space to write a note and a formal letter which is often overkill if you only have a couple of sentences to include. In fact, it’s commonplace for companies to attach both a compliment slip and a business card to anything being sent out.

What is a compliment slip?

A compliment slip is a small piece of professional printed paper that is most commonly either DL size (210mm x 99mm) or A6 size (148mm x 105mm). These are the most common sizes, as they can easily fit inside standard envelopes. Professional compliment slips contain your company logo, contact details and a space for writing. They are always printed on uncoated paper making them suitable for writing on, but can also have additional finishing options. Foil blocked compliment slips and embossed compliment slips are also very popular. Adding a personal note on a professionally printed compliment slip can create a nice blend between the professionalism of the brand and the personal touch of the person sending it. Professional printing of compliment slips isn’t expensive, and can have a great return on investment, given their multitude of benefits. In addition, many companies push the envelope and create a compliment slip that really stands out. This can include using textured papers, adding embossing or even using foil blocked compliment slips, most commonly printed with the logo/brand in metallic gold, silver and copper foils. We suggest spending the same amount of time designing a compliment slip as you do on your business card, as both are important items of printed stationery. Regardless of how technology advances, the humble compliment slip is a traditional way of doing business and by investing in professional stationery, you're demonstrating the importance of personlisation with your potential client base.