Flyers. They're such a simple marketing piece. Printed on one side of a letter-sized paper, they're easy to produce and won't break the budget. For a small business, they're a wonderful little marketing tool. You can hang them, stuff them and leave them. Of course, you can use them for direct mail too.

Read through the direct mail and brochures parts of this web site, as much of the advice on these pages applies to flyers too. Here are some other tips:

Decide on Your Flyer Content

• First, think about the message you want your flyer to communicate. Don't focus on the name of your business. Focus on the benefit your product or service will provide to your target audience.
• Write down the following information about your company:
  • Top two or three products and services.
  • How these products and services benefit the customer.
  • Basic contact information such as phone number, email and web site.
  • Office location(s) and hours of operation if applicable.
  • A customer testimonial if you have one.

This is the basic information for your flyer. Notice you're focusing on two or three products or services and explaining their benefits. Don't cram your flyer full of too much information. If it's cluttered, few people will take the time to read it. It should be easy for the reader to scan. If you want to mention other services, create additional flyers.

• Don't make outrageous claims on your flyer. Present your products or services in a positive and believable way. You lose the trust of the reader, when you make statements that can't possibly be true.

Design Your Flyer

Here are some tips to help you with designing.

• Elements of your flyer should not overpower. Good design doesn't have to be complicated. The simpler your flyer, the easier it is to read. Don't overdo it with text and graphics. Limit your design to no more than two fonts or type styles. Keep your layout simple.
• Establish a center of attention. This should be something to grab the viewer's attention. Figure what idea or image would be the most important to the reader and make that element stand out by making it larger or by placement.
• If you won't be photocopying your flyer, a photo is an eye-catching element to include. If you will be photocopying, don't use photos as they won't reproduce clearly. You can use a digital camera or scan photos, but make sure they are of high quality. You can also use stock photos. These are photos you can download from websites that give you permission to use them. (You can't just copy photos from a web site without permission.) Most websites charge for the use of photos. There are some, such as HP Image Library and Microsoft ClipArt and Photos that provide a limited supply of free stock photos. Personally, I use IStockPhoto as a resource for very low-cost stock photos.
• Photos and graphics shouldn't be fillers. They should say something about your company or product. Photos of people are always eye-catching. Use a photo of a happy family using your product. If you're looking for clipart, Clipart.com has some reasonably priced subscriptions. Once you subscribe, you have unlimited access to clipart.
• If you want to highlight specific information on your flyer, such as a money-back guarantee or your contact information, place it in a box or border.
• Don't be afraid of white space. When the elements on your flyer "breathe," it improves the readability and appeal to the reader.

Distribute Your Flyer

• You can hang flyers around town, but be selective where you place them. Personally, I'm not a fan of tacking one up on the grocery bulletin board. With your flyers stuck in the middle of "get rich quick," garage sale and lost dog notices, you somehow diminish your professionalism. Ask family or friends who have businesses or who belong to clubs or associations to hang one up or pass them out.

• In most cases, I'm also not a fan of stuffing flyers in newspaper boxes. Half of them end up blowing around the neighborhood, and your intended audience finds them in a ditch, all wet and torn. If you want to go for mass distribution, check with your local weekly or daily newspapers. Many of them offer, for a reasonable price, to deliver your flyer with the paper or other advertisements. In the long run, you'll probably end up with better results.
• Mail your flyer. Flyers can be folded, sealed and mailed. See the send direct mail page to find out more about mailing options.
• Always keep a supply of flyers handy. You never know when someone might request information.

A Few Final Thoughts

• Once you create a flyer, don't fall into the trap of thinking you must constantly change it, just for the sake of change. If the flyer has been working and drawing new business, stick with what works. For new prospects, it's as fresh as the day you made it. For repeat customers, your message is being reinforced and secured in their minds.
• Just because flyers are among the simplest marketing tools, that doesn't excuse you from professionalism. I regularly clean flyers out of my mailbox that are copied to the point of fading, handwritten and full of typos. Usually, these go in the trash. As with all marketing pieces, when the flyer carries your company name, it sends a message about your experience and reliability as a business.