Over complicated designs can look really unprofessional especially if they are not well thought out. They can also detract from the company name and contact information. Some badly designed letter heads make it impossible to read the company name which is something you want to avoid. You want to be clear and bold but also subtle. Having all the text in capitals in the largest font size that will fit on the paper gives the impression that you are trying too hard which also looks very unprofessional and cheap!

Quality materials give the impression of a professional business. Even the paper you use for letters is important. If the paper is low quality it will give the impression that you don't care about details or about your clients. Using high quality paper will also give your business a personal touch, the equivalent of a mint on your pillow in a hotel. It's these little details that make clients feel valued.

Creating stationary yourself seems like a good idea and appears to be the better option. However unlike a professional printer you won't have the right machinery or materials for the job. A normal home inkjet printer will be nowhere near the quality you would get with a professional laser printer or printer press. Plus a professional will use better quality papers and inks to make sure you're stationary looks as crisp as possible.

Professional graphic designers often have a lot more experience than you do when it comes to designing stationary layouts and business cards. They will know instantly what sort of designs will work with your company image and be able to give you their expertise. The most important thing about your company's identity which you can only get from a professional is a unique look. There are many templates out there and some are even customisable but they still aren't truly unique.

A professional graphic designer will be able to create a business identity for you from scratch and make it look exciting as well as unique. They will ensure that your business stands out from the rest; it's their job after all.

Creating stationary and layouts yourself would take time and money. In the long run it would cost you more money to get a poor result than it would to pay upfront and get a professional result quickly.

The same applies when getting business cards printed. The one thing that people often get wrong with business card design is they make the designs too complicated and crowd the small space with too much imagery and text. A professional would be able to take all the different elements you want and put it together in a way that would look stunning.