Online faxing has made transmitting important documents in a timely manner that much easier. But while sending and receiving faxes online looks a lot different than doing so from a fax machine, some things haven't changed—like the importance of a fax cover sheet.
In simple terms, a fax cover sheet is a piece of paper that appears before the fax itself. On it, information like the sender's contact information, the recipient's address, and the contents of the nature of the fax are included. This sheet was important in the heyday of traditional fax machines, but it's just as important now.
Keep reading as we dive into a few of the reasons why you should customize your fax cover sheet.
Ensure Compliance and Boost Security
One of the biggest reasons to customize a fax cover sheet is to ensure your fax is compliant and boost your security.
When sending faxes containing sensitive information, like banking details or a patient's medical history, your business is responsible for protecting that information. In some cases, such as when sending any medical information, businesses are even required by HIPAA laws to safeguard it. A fax cover sheet can help with this.
Without a fax cover sheet, anyone walking by a fax machine can see the first page of information as it sits on the tray. Using a cover sheet lets others know what is contained within that fax and helps ensure it gets to the right person. Even if a fax cover sheet or privacy, in general, isn't required by law, using a cover sheet can still add an extra layer of security.
Add a Professional Touch
Another great reason to include a cover sheet is that it can help add a professional touch to your faxes. Not to mention, this small detail shows the recipient you care about their security by helping make sure faxes get to the right destination, and that any confidential information is hidden from others using the same fax machine.
Typically, a fax cover sheet will include your contact information. From a professional standpoint, this makes it easier for recipients to reach out to you in the future since they will have your information on the cover sheet.
Build Brand Awareness
It's no secret that branding is important, but consistency is the name of the game. In fact, studies show that it takes five to seven impressions for a brand to stick in someone's mind. Building consistent branding starts with making sure all your communications follow your brand guidelines—including any faxes.
Now, it might not be possible to implement branding within the fax itself; however, you can apply branding guidelines when designing a cover sheet. Creating a custom fax cover sheet is a simple way to add some brand details to your faxes. As such, include different fonts, colors, and writing styles that match your brand guidelines to make sure you're never losing out on a chance to build brand awareness.
Customizing Your Fax Cover Sheet
Creating a custom fax cover sheet is not only a simple way to increase brand awareness. It can also be used to increase security, ensure compliance, and make your faxes look more professional. Before sending a fax, make sure you take the time necessary to design and create your own custom cover sheet to enjoy these and other benefits.
