Address labels don't only go on postcards and envelopes. You can use them on flyers, small items and letters to let customers and prospects know exactly who they are dealing with. Personalizing labels not only give your marketing materials an extra dose of personality, but they also reinforce your marketing message.

There are many ways to spruce up your label printing efforts so that people will take notice of your labels and won't just skim over them like they would normal black-and-white labels. Here are some ideas to give your address labels some kick that will get them noticed and turn them into a marketing vehicle for you.

Ditch the black and white. Add some color to your address labels. Although they don't have to be on a white base, make sure the base color is light enough that the address can be easily read. This goes for the recipients? eyes as well as the Post Office's eyes! Postal workers see thousands of pieces of mail per day and if they can't read your piece quickly, it'll go right back to the sender. You can try colored text on a white background or complementary colors like light yellow and purple. To make it really classy, color your text the same color(s) that is in your logo.

Another classy design is using a metallic color, like silver or gold, with black lettering.

Add your logo. Adding your logo gives your address labels a touch of class and professionalism. Every time a recipient sees your logo it's another chance for that recipient to memorize it. Then the next time he sees your logo on a billboard or on your store sign, your logo will look familiar and he'll be more apt to do business with you. People like to do business with familiar companies.

Use a different font. Many labels are printed with a simple font, like Arial or Times New Roman. That's fine and good for readability, but there are other fonts you can use that are just as easy on the eyes. Try Garamond for an elegant twist on Times New Roman or try Trebuchet instead of Arial. Stay away from fonts like Curlz, which can be hard to read when it's printed in small size.

Add a graphic element. This could be anything from a picture to a bold, colored line across the top of the address label. If you don't want to use your logo (some logos don't translate well when they are printed that small), use an interesting graphic element to draw people's eyes to your address label.

Address labels are mandatory on every piece of mail you send out, so you might as well make the most of the opportunity. Don't neglect your address label ? it's one of the places where people look the most!