The ‘noise’ within the marketing industry that flyers create is incredible – all you have to do is own a letterbox that doesn’t have a ‘No Junk Mail’ sign on it to understand that truth of this statement! There are plenty of flyers getting about, and many of these are created by big companies, with professional design and flyer printing and compelling offers. Despite the high level of competition among flyers for the consumer’s attention, a well-though out flyer is still an amazingly effective lead generation tool. Here we’re looking at the design elements, offer elements and flyer printing elements that really make a difference to your business’s success with flyers.

The Offer

The offer is the most important element in determining whether your flyer gets stuck on the fridge, or in the bin! Consumers see a lot of advertising every day. They’re experts in decoding what it is really saying – and can tell within around 8 seconds (just as with websites) whether your flyer contains anything worth investigating further.

Your offer needs to give potential customers a reason to break their routine, to go to a different store, or to take a chance on a new brand. Examples of compelling offers include:

• Buy this, get this free: Where the purchased item is something the consumer would have bought anyway

• Percentage off: Where the percentage is greater than 20%

• Time-limited offers: Where the offer is valid only for a specific time and you include this in your flyer printing

• Free trials: Perhaps the most compelling of all offers. The higher value and more commonly used a product or service is, the more likely you’ll get a response.

Design elements

It is certainly possible to save some money and ensure a higher level of creative control if you design your flyers yourself. Use programs like Label Design Studio 3.1 or Netsmartz Greeting Card Studio 3.1, available as free downloads. Alternatively, use the version of MS Publisher available with Open Office. The design for your flyer printing should:

• Have a single, dark element, such as a photo or headline to attract attention

• Have a headline in a much bigger point size than the body copy. Don’t fall into the trap of making the headline just a bit smaller to make the copy just a bit bigger – nothing will end up being read!

• If you need to include several small photos, group them together so they form a single element on your printed flyers

• Only two fonts and families should be used for your flyer printing. Both should be readable and have a ‘feel’ that matches your business’s brand.

Flyer printing elements

There is a range of flyer printing prices available on the internet because there is a range of different qualities! It is possible to find high quality flyer printing at lower end prices, if you use some rules of thumb for determining which businesses to work with. Here is how you can ensure that poor flyer printing quality doesn’t negate all the hard work you’ve put into your piece:

• Look for a company that offers hard copy proofs. Printing something from your home printer is a world away from how your flyer will look after it’s been professionally printed.

• Look for flyer printing companies with a range of stock options. Having slightly thicker or glossier paper can help set you apart from the others in the letterbox by feel, rather than by sight.

• Make sure that a low product price for your flyer printing isn’t offset by hidden extras. Shipping, artwork charges and set-up fees are common culprits.