Rubber stamps and self inking stamps come in a wide array of styles, sizes and lettering. The most widely used bears the company name and address and possibly logo. Over the course of your business, this stamp will save hundreds of hours in time otherwise spent handwriting the information on each piece of mail.

Other basic impressions include date, paid, overdue, received, and entered. Every company generates invoices, and these ready-made phrases help streamline the billing system by placing pertinent information prominently. A custom signature stamp is also a great time saver on business correspondence.

Any store that sells office supplies will generally have the basic rubber stamps and self-inking stamps packaged ready-to-use. Other styles and phrases can be special ordered to fit a particular need.

In addition to the signature stamp, other specialized phrases might include a division manager's name and position, "back ordered" for suppliers, "inventoried" for warehouse stock, or a combination of "called", "left message" and "not valid" for businesses with high telephone volume. Any brief wording that is frequently used in day-to-day operations may increase organization and save time if available as a stamped impression.

Deciding between an ink pad with rubber stamps and self-inking stamps depends on how frequently you will use it and whether it will stay in one place or be transported around. The stamp with ink pad is generally a few dollars cheaper in the short run and can be an excellent choice for a start-up company or small business.

Large businesses or high-volume users will find it more economical in the long run to use the self-inking style that can be refilled with bottles of ink purchased from the product supplier. This type comes with a cap that rotates over the lettering that helps to prevent scratches in the impression or drying out of the ink. It also circumvents the possibility of losing a separate ink pad or blundering with the occasional leaking ink.

Kits are also available that allow the user to make phrases particular to the business needs. If this method is chosen, particular care should be taken in purchasing a base large enough to accommodate easily-readable text, especially if making a stamp with more than two or three words or containing company logos. Whatever style best fits the company, the added organization and time saved will be well worth the small up-front investment.