What To Do (And What Not To Do) When Creating Street Flyers

While the ubiquitous nature of the internet has made digital marketing the number one tool in many marketers’ arsenals, there are certain techniques that are uniquely effective and cannot be replaced. Without a doubt, using street flyers is one of these. While their simplicity is part of what makes flyers attractive as a marketing tool, it’s imperative that you put some thought into their design in order to make them effective. Here are some important tips on what to do and what to avoid when creating street flyers.

DO consider the distribution process

Street flyers can be distributed in a number of ways including being handed out by a team, stacked in strategically chosen locations, sent through the mail, or displayed as posters. Through analysis of your customer base, choose carefully which will work best for you and where distribution should take place.

Often, brands will use identical flyers for many distribution channels. This is a mistake: to maximise the effectiveness of flyers, they should be designed with a specific distribution method in mind. For example, flyers advertising arch-support shoe inserts should speak directly to those suffering from foot-related issues if placed in a podiatrist’s office, but appeal to a wider range of people if being handed out on the street.

DON’T make your brand the headline

While a prospective customer will of course eventually need to know the name of your organisation, that will not grab and keep their attention and therefore should not be the first and most visible part of the flyer. Here’s something that may surprise you: in most cases, neither should your business type! Instead, your headline should be a pain point the customer will recognise or an opportunity that is simply too good to pass up. “Impossible to keep your car clean this winter?” and “Let us keep your car looking great this winter – first detailing on us!” are good examples.

DO take the time to size your flyers correctly

As with most marketing techniques, one-size-fits-all is a recipe for failure. There are a number of things to consider when sizing flyers. Distribution once again becomes important – if they are handouts, are they small enough to be put in a pocket or purse but large enough to be easily read? If they are to be used as posters, be careful not to fall into the ‘bigger is better’ trap. Certainly take advantage of some extra real estate compared to handouts, but a reasonably sized poster will resonate better with most passers-by than an unnecessarily obnoxious monstrosity.

DON’T rely on a one time high-volume campaign

Inexperienced organisations and marketers will often spend considerable money on a single high volume blast of flyers in an attempt to reach as many customers as possible. However, this has been proven to be ineffective. Instead, spread your marketing push over at least three separate campaigns. With post and door-to-door campaigns where you know prospective customers will receive all flyers, consider making each flyer a follow-up of the last (if your budget allows, that is).

DO track performance using offers

Offers such as “25% off with this flyer” are, of course, effective due to the discount offered. However, equally important is the ability to measure the success of your flyer-based marketing campaign. By calculating how many flyers are returned and asking customers what they liked or didn’t care for about them, you can fine-tune their design and offers included to maximise their effectiveness.