Have the students discuss the various pieces that might become part of a business or organization's stationery. Items to consider might include:

• letterhead stationery
• envelope
• invoice
• monthly statement
• cheque
• receipt
• account receivable statement
• thank you notes.

Students will need to investigate the combinations of paper colour, ink colours and possible typefaces or print sizes and fonts to prepare a complete stationery package.

The students will need a colour logo to be part of each piece. See Modules 7 and 8 for information on logos design.

The business card should reflect the style, colour scheme and logo image of the other stationery forms. Have students examine a number of sample business cards and discuss the most effective presentation features.

The person's name and job title on the card is placed away from the company name details. The person's job title is not as prominent and appears below his or her name.

Have the students collect a variety of pamphlets that are prepared on a single folded page. This type of pamphlet is not only used as a mailer but can often be found on counter displays or, for example, as a travel brochure. Have students prepare a series of thumbnail sketches of their ideas for a multi-fold advertisement. Typically, this type of advertisement would include a number of colours and the use of easily read text and attractive photos, in an easy eye flow arrangement.

Have the students experiment with a number of different ways of folding the pamphlet or mail insert. Book style or accordion style are the most popular. This may depend, in part, on paper size. Explore optimum sizes for the folded document. Experiment with three and four-fold styles. The advertisement may also be developed as a landscape or portrait format. Complete the layout to establish the best effect.

The advertisement could be printed on one or both surfaces depending on the amount of information, how the information is arranged and printing cost.

Have the students research the cost of printing using a single colour or a number of different colours for their stationery package. Other cost considerations will include the paper colour, weight of stock and the paper's surface (glossy or mat finish).

Cost estimates for the pamphlet mail insert brochure may also be done.

When students are researching and calculating costs, obtain cost quotes for 100, 500 and 1000 copies of each of the selected forms. This will help them to understand that there may be savings achieved by ordering larger quantities to avoid additional set-up charges by the printing company.

It might be valuable to have on hand a number of standard set-up costs to provide a guide for the students to follow; for example, the difference in cost for a three ink set-up as opposed to a two ink set-up or the price differences for a number of paper weights or colours.