Printscene — Somercotes, Alfreton, Derbyshire
Compliment Slips for Business: What They Are and When to Use Them
Compliment slips are one of those small printed items that often go overlooked — until a business starts using them properly and notices the difference they make. This guide explains what compliment slips actually are, what they’re used for, and whether they’re worth adding to your print order.
Written by Printscene
- Compliment slips
- Business stationery
- Derbyshire
What is a compliment slip?
A compliment slip is a small printed sheet — typically one-third of A4 in size — that carries your business name, logo, and contact details. The phrase “With compliments” is usually printed on it, which is where the name comes from.
They’re a piece of business stationery that sits alongside letterheads and business cards. Where a letterhead is used for formal correspondence, a compliment slip is designed for shorter, informal messages — attaching a brief note to a package, enclosing with a product, or passing on information quickly without needing to write a full letter.
What do businesses use compliment slips for?
The most common uses are straightforward. A compliment slip tucked into a parcel with a handwritten thank-you note adds a personal touch that a printed delivery note can’t replicate. It tells the customer that there’s a real person behind the order.
Beyond parcels, compliment slips are used for:
A note on the personal touch: In an age where most communication is digital, a handwritten line on a printed compliment slip still stands out. It takes seconds to write and leaves an impression that an automated email rarely does.
What’s typically printed on a compliment slip?
The standard layout is clean and functional. Most businesses include:
Some businesses add a tagline, social media handles, or a QR code — but the format works best when it stays uncluttered. A slip that tries to carry too much information loses its purpose. Think of it as a signature, not a brochure.
One-sided or two-sided?
Most compliment slips are printed single-sided. The back is usually left blank so there’s space to write on if needed. That said, some businesses use the reverse for a short service summary, a loyalty code, or a referral prompt. Both approaches work — it depends on how you plan to use them.
What size are compliment slips?
The standard size is DL — 99mm x 210mm — which is one-third of an A4 sheet. This fits neatly into standard DL envelopes alongside a folded A4 document, which is why it became the default format.
Some businesses opt for A5 (148mm x 210mm) if they want more writing space, or a custom size to suit a particular product or packaging. For most businesses, DL is the practical choice — it’s compact, recognisable, and slots into standard envelopes without any folding.
DL (99 x 210mm)
The standard compliment slip size. Fits DL envelopes. Works alongside A4 documents folded in thirds. The default choice for most businesses.
A5 (148 x 210mm)
Half an A4 sheet. More writing space. Suits businesses that want to include more detail or use the slip as a mini message card rather than a short note.
Paper stock and finish options
The paper you choose affects how the slip looks and feels — and by extension, how your brand comes across. A few options worth knowing about:
Uncoated (offset) stock
Has a natural, slightly textured feel. Takes a handwritten note well — pen ink doesn’t smear or bead the way it can on coated stock. Most compliment slips are printed on uncoated stock for this reason. It also tends to read as more premium than glossy.
Coated gloss stock
Print colours look richer and more vivid on coated stock. The trade-off is that biro and some pens don’t write as cleanly on it. If the slips are mostly pre-printed with a typed message rather than handwritten, gloss can work well.
Coated silk stock
A middle ground — better colour reproduction than uncoated, but with a softer, less reflective surface than full gloss. Writes reasonably well with most pens. A popular choice when businesses want both good print quality and the ability to add handwritten notes.
Heavier weight paper
Standard compliment slip paper is usually 100gsm to 120gsm — heavier than copy paper but not as thick as a business card. Going to 150gsm or above gives the slip a noticeably more substantial feel, which can reinforce a premium brand impression.
How do compliment slips fit with the rest of your stationery?
They work best as part of a consistent stationery set. When your compliment slips, letterheads, and business cards all use the same logo, fonts, and colour palette, everything looks considered and professional. Mixing different formats — a modern business card with a differently styled letterhead and a generic compliment slip — can undermine the impression you’re trying to give.
If you’re ordering or updating any part of your stationery, it’s worth reviewing the full set at the same time. Getting everything produced together ensures consistency and often reduces unit costs when you’re printing across multiple items in a single run.
Matching matters: If you’re reprinting compliment slips to match existing stationery, bring a sample or share your original artwork file. Colour matching across print runs is much more reliable when we’re working from the same reference.
Are compliment slips still relevant in 2024?
Yes — arguably more so than they were a decade ago. When most business communication happens by email or message, a physical printed note carries more weight than it used to. It signals that someone took a moment to do something beyond clicking send.
For product-based businesses especially, the unboxing experience has become more important. Customers share packages on social media; the contents matter. A well-designed compliment slip tucked into a parcel adds a professional, personal touch that a plain delivery note simply doesn’t.
For service businesses, the value is more about relationship building. A handwritten line on a printed slip sent with a proposal, alongside a completed job, or as a follow-up to a referral takes seconds to add and is often remembered long after an email would have been deleted.
How many should I order?
Compliment slips are inexpensive to print in quantity, and unit costs drop significantly as the run length goes up. Most businesses that send packages or post documents regularly will go through 250 to 500 in a year without thinking about it.
Ordering 500 or 1,000 at once typically offers a much better cost per unit than ordering 100 at a time. The risk is low — unlike a calendar or anything with a date on it, compliment slips don’t have an expiry, provided your contact details don’t change.
If you’re not sure how many you’ll use, starting at 250 is a sensible position. You’ll quickly get a sense of how quickly they go and can adjust for the next order accordingly.
Frequently asked questions
What’s the difference between a compliment slip and a letterhead?
A letterhead is full A4 and designed for formal correspondence — quotes, invoices, formal letters. A compliment slip is smaller (usually DL), less formal, and used for short notes or enclosures. Both carry your branding but serve different purposes.
Can I get compliment slips printed with my existing logo?
Yes. If you have your logo as a print-ready file (AI, EPS, PDF or high-resolution PNG), we can work directly from it. If you don’t have the original artwork, let us know and we can advise on the best way to proceed.
Do compliment slips need to say “With compliments”?
Not necessarily. It’s a convention rather than a rule. Some businesses print “With thanks”, “From the team at [name]”, or simply use a clean branded layout and leave it at that. The phrase does add clarity though — it immediately tells the recipient what the slip is for.
What’s the minimum order for compliment slips?
This varies by printer. At Printscene we can discuss quantities that make sense for your usage — get in touch and we’ll give you pricing options across different run lengths so you can compare.
Can I proof the design before printing?
Yes. We’ll provide a digital proof for your approval before anything goes to print. It’s important to check contact details, spelling, and layout carefully at this stage, as changes after printing aren’t possible.
Ready to order compliment slips?
We print compliment slips from our workshop in Somercotes, Alfreton. If you know what you need, send us your artwork and we’ll get a quote across to you. If you’d like help with design or you’re not sure what specification suits you, get in touch — we’re happy to talk it through.
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