What is a flyer?
One of the oldest and most traditional forms of marketing a business is a flyer. A flyer, which can also be called a leaflet or pamphlet, is a paper advertisement which is usually distributed to the public in some way. The size, fold, weight and finish of a printed flyer can vary from photocopied flyers to a more expensive bespoke size/cut, glossy finish with spot UV. The type of flyer you choose to have will depend on your target market, brand and budget.
Why have a flyer?
With many different ways to market your business you might wonder if a flyer is the right choice when it comes to promoting your product or service(s). A flyer designed and distributed well, can be a great way to gain more customers. Here are some reasons why you might want to choose to have a flyer for your business.
- Cost effective. As they are smaller, the design and print cost is less than a brochure, for example.
- Clear and concise. They can be great ways to market your business in a catchy way. As there is less to read there is the potential to attract greater attention and focus on the main USPs (unique selling points) of your business or a current promotion.
- Quicker and easier to produce. Unlike a brochure or a website, a flyer can be planned and created more quickly. As there is less space to fill there is less text to write and not as much time needed for design.
- Easy to mass distribute. You can have a large number printed and there are options for a wide mail marketing campaign. This enables you to reach a wider audience.
A flyer is certainly a form of advertising most businesses will have used or at least considered at some point. If you decide to have a flyer created, there are options when it comes to the design.
What are my options when it comes to having a flyer design?
One of the most obvious options when it comes to having a flyer is to create one yourself, from scratch, using a package such as Microsoft Publisher. Another route would be to use a template within Publisher or one of the many template services available online. When you collect printing quotes you may be offered a design service from a professional Printers. The final option is to hire a professional designer. Even within this option there can be choices, as some designers may offer you the choice of you choosing a template they’ve pre-designed, or creating a bespoke design to suit your brand and market. For this blog we are going to focus on the advantages of hiring a professional designer to create a bespoke flyer design for your business or organisation.
The advantages of having a bespoke flyer professionally designed
Consistent brand
A professional designer will be able to create a flyer which works within your branding so there is a consistency with other promotional material and your website etc. They can ensure they use the correct fonts and colours, as well as design a flyer in a style that will sit alongside any brochures or banners you have produced. This consistency will give your potential customers confidence in your service or product which can then result in more sales and a greater response to your flyer marketing campaign.
Beat your competitors
When you hire a professional designer, it’s a good idea to let them know who your main competitors are. This will enable the designer to research their brand identity and promotions. They can then come up with a bespoke flyer design which will stand out amongst the competition and win customers.
A successful design
If you hire a designer with many years of experience in designing marketing materials, you are more likely to have a flyer design which hits the mark and sells your product or service. They will know what works, what doesn’t and give your flyer marketing campaign the best chance of success.
Quality Photos
Most designers will be able to source professional stock photos to work with the design. They will ensure they are of high enough quality for print. If you are providing your own photos, they can give you feedback on their suitability, as well as check their resolution for print. Having great photos can make all the difference when it comes to designing a successful flyer.
Marketing consistency
It is really important when creating any marketing material that it works alongside other promotions and continues your brand image. A professional designer cannot only ensure your flyer design is consistent with your brand but they can then carry any aspect of the flyer design across to other promotional material, such as your website or an email newsletter. You may decide to run a promotion using different marketing avenues and therefore your designer can ensure the campaign design works across all your selected media.
Getting the text right
An experienced designer will be able to advise you about the quantity of your content. Having too much text can put the reader off and the message can become lost. Having well written and catchy titles within your text will entice potential customers. Equally having too little and leaving important information out, such as a web address or details about how to order, will lose you customers. Whilst a designer may not offer a copywriting service themselves, they may be able to recommend a professional copywriter. They are also another eye to look over your content and give you some suggestions if they think it could be improved upon.
Right font, right size
You can have the best content in the world but if it’s displayed using the wrong font or at the wrong size it can lose its impact and put readers off. There’s a wealth of fonts to choose from and a professional designer will be able to select a readable font to work within your branding and sit well alongside your logo. They can also ensure the fonts work within any brand guidelines your business might have. The size of the fonts will depend upon your target market and also possibly the amount of content on your flyer. Your designer will be familiar with a wide selection of fonts and font families and can ensure the fonts used help create impact and get the desired results from your flyer.
Preparation of your flyer file
Your flyer will need to be set out correctly for print and this can be a real headache if you don’t have experience of adding bleed, crop marks and an understanding of what quiet space is. Hiring a professional will ensure important information is not cut off during the printing process and that your file is set to the correct colour and file format. They can also prepare an online file should you decide you want to add the flyer to your website or send it to potential customers via email.
Is your logo up to scratch?
Many smaller businesses start out with a DIY logo which has been prepared in Word or Photoshop. These home created logos are usually not suitable for scaling or of good enough quality for printed material. You should have a vector version of your logo which a graphic designer can re-create for you. This is essential when it comes to having any flyers, brochures etc printed. If you are not sure if your logo is suitable for print, then they can check this, as well as let you know the colour codes used within the logo design. This will mean the right colours will be used throughout any other designs. A professional logo and branding is so important when marketing a business.
The right image
As with most things, hiring a professional will result in a better outcome than if you tried to do it yourself. Having a well designed flyer will reflect positively on your business. It will help build trust with your customers and potential clients. A consistent image and well thought out design should therefore increase your flyer response rate.
Gives you time to do what you do best
Spend time working on the aspects of your business which you are good at and pay professionals to do the work they are good at! By paying a professional designer to create your flyer you will have more time to devote to your business in the most effective way. You will also be supporting another business at the same time.
Bespoke
When you hire a professional always check that their designs are bespoke. This will help ensure they create a flyer to fit your business and target market. There is nothing more unprofessional than seeing a flyer which has been copied from another design or simply a familiar looking template. This will turn off customers and can result in loss of sales.
The advantages of a DIY flyer or an add on printing service
If you do decide to create a flyer yourself or opt for a free service from a printer, the obvious advantage is that initially you will save money. However, after considering all of the advantages and reasons to pay a professional designer to create your flyer, in the long term your business could easily loose customers and sales. Investing in your business is one of the most important things you can do and hiring a professional designer from the start for any of your branding and marketing materials is so important. Having the right image will attract potential customers and help achieve a successful flyer campaign.
Summary
In conclusion, in order for your flyer to stand out from your competitors in a positive way, you need to ensure all aspects of your flyer has been carefully considered. A professional designer will have experience in creating successful flyers and should know what will work for your business and campaign. As a flyer is a relatively small job, hiring a professional should be within most businesses financial capabilities. That small investment can go a long way in helping to achieve a successful flyer design.
If you would like to find out about the cost of our flyer design service, please don’t hesitate to get in touch with us by email – sales@ampmgraphics or calling us on 01298 605010. Alternatively, you can view our flyer design prices on our flyer design page here.
