Flyers are one of the most effective marketing tools for small-medium businesses and large corporations alike. Some may say it’s annoying to get a flyer through your front door, or be handed one on the street – but do they ever work!
Create an effective flyer and you’ll spread awareness about your company, which is vital for drawing in new customers. You may even attract new business then and there by advertising some of your bestselling products or a new sale or promotion. At the very least, even if your flyer is thrown away, they’ll have glanced at your logo – and repeated exposure is crucial for brand recognition.
Designing effective flyers is a process that entails strategy and careful planning. Here are the top 9 pointers that you need to know to ensure you have an eye-catching, persuasive flyer that will grab the attention of potential customers.
Make It Look Professional
It should be your aim to create a flyer with a professional look. If your flyer looks unprofessional, your company won’t be taken seriously.
A professional-looking flyer uses the right colour and font combinations, a neat and well laid-out design, professional-looking images and strategic placement of your logo. Professional flyers also must be printed onto high-quality glossy paper, with the right kind of printer.
We’d always recommend using an expert business stationer like 123Print, rather than trying to print your flyers at home and risk them appearing unprofessional.
Make It Compelling
Your flyer needs to have a “call to action”, which will provoke your audience and make them respond to your offer or message.
So, if you want readers to buy products, invite them to visit the nearest branch of your business for further details on how they can place an order. A company looking for clients should mention the type of services they offer, any contact information like a telephone number or email address, and where clients can write to get in touch with them.
If you are having a sale on your products or services, highlight that in your flyer by showing how much you have slashed prices. Make sure there is still room for more discounts.
Other persuasive techniques you can use in your flyer include the word “only”, testimonials from satisfied clients, and interesting statistics. Don’t hesitate to be creative and write something imaginatively worded – or even use a poem if that will catch people’s attention.
Avoid Clutter and Waffle
Try not to clutter up your flyer with too much text, as it will make it hard for people to read. Avoid using a low-contrast font or a loopy or handwriting-style typeface that might look cool but is hard to decipher.
Also, don’t be tempted to cram your flyer with a lot of information – this runs the risk of causing readers to lose interest in it. Instead, get straight to the point and keep your message simple, short and relevant.
Be sure that what you write is easy enough to understand even by someone who does not know much about your business. For instance, if you are selling cars, avoid using a lot of jargon and technical terms. Make it clear and easy for Joe Public to understand what you’re offering.
Divide the Copy into Sections
When you’re designing a flyer, it is advisable to divide the content into short, concise sections. This will help readers quickly go through your flyer and get to the point of what you are trying to say.
That means doing away with long paragraphs that take too long to read, and skipping most photographs because they tend to slow down the response time of people reading your flyer.
Use an Attention-Grabbing Headline
In writing a headline, you should always be direct and to the point. Your headline or tagline should make it clear what you’re selling or the service you’re offering, and intrigue readers into wanting to know more about your business.
Feel free to use some humour or irony in your headline to make it stand out, if it’s appropriate for your business. Avoid making it too dull or lengthy because readers might skip your flyer if it is not interesting enough.
Add Customer Testimonials
Testimonials are vital in flyers because they give people an idea of what they can expect from your business. Potential clients will get a feel of how good you are at what you do by reading through past customers’ experiences. They also serve as social proof, empowering them with confidence that you deliver on the promises you make and that they will get what they expect from you.
If your business has been around for some time, there should be testimonials that you can use in your flyers. If not, ask clients for a short blurb of how happy they are with the job you did for them or if they received good service. You can also put up a survey or a contest where you give out prizes in exchange for testimonials. If your business is relatively new, do not hesitate to ask regular clients for their comments on how great your service was. You can also create an online survey and invite people to fill out the survey.
Use Relevant Images
The images you include in your flyer should be relevant to the theme of your flyer. For example, if you want to sell a new product or service, show what it looks like so people will instantly know what they can expect when they buy it. Likewise, if you have testimonials from happy clients, include photographs of them so people will relate to your product or service.
A picture can be worth a thousand words, so don’t forget to fill up your flyer with images to capture the readers’ attention and make it more interesting. Try not to use stock images such as clipart – but show people photographs of your actual premises, staff, or products. And of course, the photographs should be of a high enough quality to not appear grainy.
Keep the Typography Simple
What typeface you use will have a huge impression on your readers. Avoid using too many different fonts as this can make the flyer look too busy or messy. Stick with one or two fonts and colours that will effectively convey your message.
Do not underestimate the power of the right font, as this will make or break the way people read your flyer. As a general rule, serif fonts work best for established, serious companies, whereas sans serif typefaces come across as more modern and fresh. Stick with something clear yet professional like Arial, Times New Roman, or Tahoma if you’re unsure.
And of course, always ensure that your text isn’t too small for people to be able to read clearly. If your clientele are mostly older, this is particularly vital. It’s better to have large, easy-to-read text with less information than too much information crammed in a smaller font.
Proofread Your Work before Printing
After you have finished designing your flyer:
1) Proofread it carefully before printing to ensure there are no spelling errors, typos, grammatical errors or punctuation problems.
2) Have some colleagues, peers or friends read through the text and suggest any corrections they may see fit.
3) Be open to their suggestions to know how things are read and what will work for your flyer.
Always remember that a good flyer is not just about the design or look of one, but it should be engaging and compelling too. It requires careful planning, but the results you get in return are worthwhile!
Where Can I Order Professional Flyers?
Flyers are still a great marketing tool if done correctly. The tips in this article will help you create a flyer that will not only appeal to your audience but also get them to invest in your products or services.
At 123Print, we can help you design the perfect flyer for your business that gets results. You can choose between DL, A5 or A4 sizes for your flyer template, and create a custom design for both the front and the reverse. Choose from a range of fonts and colours, and upload your own artwork and logo for the finishing touches.
With the ability to order anywhere between 50 and 20,000 flyers, our innovative printing services will boost your marketing campaign and greatly increase your brand awareness. We always aim to print and ship orders within 48 working hours, so you can get distributing straight away!
