Nailing your own brand’s flyer strategy can be a very difficult thing to do. Just think of the last time you were handed a flyer by someone on the street – what did you do with it? Did you read it with eager anticipation or throw it in the nearest recycling bin? I’m guessing you did the latter.

In order to ensure your flyer receives the level of attention you are looking for, it is important to take time to get your strategy, design, print and chosen methods of distribution right beforehand. This may seem a little confusing and overwhelming at first, but don’t worry – we are here to help.

Using our guide, we will teach you how to design and deliver your flyers to new and existing customers as effectively as possible.

Before you get started…

While it can be tempting to jump straight into designing your flyers – don’t. Before you get going, it’s important to set objectives which focus on what your flyer campaign is looking to achieve. Ask yourself these five key questions to ensure you get exactly what you want out of it:

• What is your overall objective?
• Who are your target audience?
• What is the key message you want people to take away?
• What call-to-action should your audience take as a result? (i.e. online sign-up, store visit, etc.)
• How should the flyers be distributed?

Knowing the answers to each of these questions can make a big difference to the impact and cost-effectiveness of your campaign. It will also allow you to look back after it has finished, analyzing whether it was successful at achieving what you expected it to.

Design

Now onto the fun part. You may have the perfect design for your flyer already in your head, but there are many aspects you will need to consider. First, think about which color scheme you would like to use. Bold and bright colors will be better at attracting people’s attention but, if these don’t correspond to your brand’s overall image, it’s better to stay consistent. Also, think about whether your flyer could work better in a black and white color scheme, as this would save a lot of money in terms of printing costs.

Second, think about the font and text you want to include. Make sure you don’t simply cram your flyer full of words, as this could put off your audience. Instead, only include the most important copy – the key message and call-to-action you identified within your initial strategy. Also, the font you choose to use should be clear, understandable, and in a color that is easily readable.

Third, consider the imagery you want to feature. Whether you choose to use high-quality photos of your own, or a stock image from an online source, there are a number of different imagery options to choose between. The decision you make will really rest on your brand, your industry and your target audience. As an example, using a cartoon character may work well with a younger target audience but, if your looking to advertise a new bar or pub, it probably won’t be the best fit.

Fourth and finally, the size and shape of your flyer can make a big difference. Most flyers tend to come in A5 (approximately half the size of A4) but, just because that’s the most common doesn’t mean you have to use it. If you have a product with more information or photos to convey, for instance, a foldable flyer may be a better choice. Likewise, if you are looking to stand out from the crowd, shaping your flyer around a certain shape or image can be a great way of doing so, as these examples prove.

Here are some extra hints and tips on how to nail your flyer’s design:

1. Use other flyers you like for inspiration.
2. Gather as many design choices as you can by using different freelance designers.
3. Test out your design ideas on a small handful of people prior to printing.
4. Proofread your flyer before sending it to print.
5. Ensure your flyer is designed in the right file format.

Print

OK, so you’ve nailed your design and are now ready to print your flyers out. That’s great! Before you go ahead and use the first printer you come across though, you will need to ask yourself these three key questions:

1. Which form of printing is better suited to your needs?
2. How many flyers do you need to print?
3. What level of quality/finish are you looking for?

There are several printing methods to choose from, with each offering their various advantages and disadvantages. For example, if you are looking for a relatively quick turnaround time and don’t need require too large a print run, use a digital printing service. However, if the opposite is true, and you are looking for a higher quality print you can use again in the future, then offset printing could be the best bet – although it may come at a higher cost.

This will obviously have an impact on the overall cost, so your allocated campaign budget will make a big difference to the number of flyers you can afford to print. You also need to think about whether you want to target hundreds of people on the streets, or only a select few people. While it may be tempting to get your flyers seen by as many people as possible, being realistic about who and how many people you target could offer a much better return on investment.

Printers offer a range of different paper styles, shapes and sizes for you to choose from. Once you’ve chosen the correct one for your campaign, you will then need to think about the finish and level of quality you might want. Do you want a postcard-like thickness for your flyer, or more of a flimsy leaflet? How about a matte or glossy finish? And do you need the prints to be folded? Whatever you choose will influence the price, so it’s important to think about these things beforehand to ensure you’re not spending more than you anticipated.

Distribution

Once you have printed your flyers out, there are two main ways of distributing your flyers: physically and digitally.

Physical distribution is the traditional method of delivering your printed flyers to customers. Whether it be handing them out to an array of people on the streets, or posting them through various people’s letterboxes, physical distribution is a much more hands-on, personal approach towards advertising your brand. However, prepare to find a lot of your flyers either on the floor or in the bin.

Digital distribution, on the other hand, is an effective method of sending a digital version of your flyer out to existing customers. Most printing companies will provide you with a PDF version of your flyer which you can then use to send to subscribed members of your email list, or post on your social media sites. This helps to ensure your flyer reaches more people at no extra cost to either you or your brand.

Conclusion

So, there you have it – everything you need to consider when designing, printing and distributing flyers to the masses. The key things to remember are your target audience, your budget and what you are looking to achieve from your flyer. Once you have identified what these things are, choosing the design, printing method and distribution channel will become so much easier.

Don’t be afraid to look at other flyers for design ideas, and make sure to keep track of whether a particular design has worked for you or not. If it hasn’t, don’t worry – learn from it, change the style and avoid making the same mistake next time.