Let’s say you’ve got a really cool offer you want to promote. Or you’re an up-and-coming musician with a new album available to stream. Or you’re organizing your neighborhood’s first block party, and you want everybody to be there. How do you get the word out? Flyering.
Distributing flyers might seem old-school, and it is. But it’s stayed popular for centuries because it works. Read on to learn more about flyering and how to get traction with amazing designs and strategic flyer distribution.
What is flyering?
Flyering is a type of advertising that promotes brands, events, movements and offers through concise, often (but not always) print materials that are passed out or posted in public spaces. You’ve likely seen flyers on community message boards and telephone poles. You’ve also probably received them at events.
Flyer design by tale06 via 99designs by Vista
A flyer is distinct from other print marketing materials, like brochures and pamphlets, because of its simplicity. A flyer is a single page, while other materials are typically folded to create distinct panels or multiple pages bound together.
Distributing flyers is one of the oldest forms of advertising. The invention of the printing press in 1440 made it possible to print flyers, also known as handbills, in large quantities. Flyering as an art and communication form quickly followed the adoption of the printing press. Later, easy access to mass printing made it possible for flyer distribution companies to arise.
Although flyering often involves print materials, digital flyers exist, too. Just like print flyers, digital flyers are distributed through communities, except these communities are online. You can distribute digital flyers through digital media platforms like email, blogs and social media, and through paid ads.
Small businesses, hyperlocal brands and anybody who wants to spread the word in a tangible, DIY sort of way should give flyering a try. Flyers are a great small business marketing tactic that make an impact on people, and we’ve got the stats to prove it.
Is flyering legal?
For the most part, yes, flyering is legal. That said, it’s always best to check your local laws before flyering in public, as it could be restricted or prohibited in your city. Local laws may also restrict where you can flyer or the type of content you may include on flyers.
For example, it’s illegal to place flyers in mailboxes in the United States unless the flyers are stamped and mailed via the U.S. Postal Service. However, it’s perfectly fine to place flyers on parked cars’ windshields in most jurisdictions.
You might need to get a permit to distribute flyers in a public place like a park or shopping mall. If you’re not sure if you’re allowed to distribute flyers in a specific area, ask the building or area’s owner or management.
How effective is flyering?
You might be wondering how effective flyering can really be in our digital-focused world. The truth might surprise you. Data shows that it’s actually a very effective strategy today, with 89% of people surveyed by the Data & Marketing Association reporting that they remember receiving a flyer. People were more likely to remember a flyer than any other form of advertising.
That’s not all. Data from this source also shows that 79% of consumers keep, pass on or at least look at the flyers they receive. And 45% of respondents said they regularly keep flyers for future reference.
To understand flyering from business owners’ perspectives, we can look at data from VistaPrint and Wix’s recent collaborative small business marketing survey. We found that 34% of participating business owners use flyers as a cost-effective way to do local outreach. For consumers, 38% cited flyers as a reason why they visited a small local business.
Flyers are effective because they’re tangible, highly visible, a bit of a disruption to the receiver’s day and you can target super-specific audiences.
What kinds of brands should try flyering?
By nature, flyers have a DIY, crafty, even punk rock vibe. If this describes your brand, flyering can be a great way for you to connect with your target audience.
Flyer design by C1k via 99designs by Vista
Certain types of businesses tend to benefit most from flyering, too. Real estate is one of these business types. Think about it—real estate is a very local business. People looking to buy and sell homes want to work with professionals who understand their neighborhoods and all their nuances. They’re looking for realtors who live and work locally. Producing a small run of flyers and distributing them around town can be a great way to connect with these clients.
Real estate isn’t the only kind of business that can benefit from flyering, though. Any brand that primarily serves local people, like a coffee shop, car wash, daycare center or dog walking business, can connect with the people who’ll actually use their services through flyering. Put another way: You wouldn’t take your dog to a groomer that’s an hour away. You want to go to a groomer in town. Flyers are a way to target only the audience that’s likely to convert.
Retail stores are another kind of business that can benefit from flyering, especially if you use flyers to advertise your grand opening or a specific promotion. Restaurants and bars can use flyers in a similar way.
Flyer design by tale06 via 99designs by Vista
For-profit businesses aren’t the only organizations that can get in on the action. Nonprofits can also get a lot of mileage out of flyers, largely for the same reasons as businesses. For example, a nonprofit thrift store might advertise a seasonal sale with flyers, or a language-learning organization might target local people looking to improve their language skills with flyers in community spaces.
How to design effective flyers
Although every flyer is unique, every strong flyer contains the same components:
- Visual hook
- Headline
- Supporting text
- Call to action (CTA)
The visual hook could be an eye-catching graphic or the headline itself. Play with different fonts and colors to make your flyer not only fit your brand but command attention from afar. The visual hook could also be the offer, such as a coupon. In any case, when you create and design a flyer, it should express its message loud and clear.
You may need to include supporting text, like instructions for redeeming the coupon or your shop’s address. Incorporate this into the design, but in a way that doesn’t detract from your headline or main graphic. This text is there to support the eye-catching part.
Your flyer should also include a call to action. This is simple text that tells the viewer what to do next, like come to your grand opening on a specific date or stream your new album now. You may opt to include a way for people to take action immediately, like a QR code or, if it’s a digital flyer, a link.
Take a look at these flyer designs for inspiration:
Flyer design by tale06 via 99designs by Vista
Flyer design by Luz Viera Studio via 99designs by Vista
Flyer design by Rose * via 99designs by Vista
Learn more about the range of flyer and brochure sizes VistaPrint offers.
Flyering strategies that work
Designing an amazing flyer is just the first step in a successful flyering campaign. The next step is delivering flyers by hand or distributing flyers via message boards and in other public spaces. How, where and when you distribute your flyers have a big impact on how successfully you’ll connect with your target audience.
Before you start distributing flyers, determine who you want to receive them. Is your goal to bring longtime fans into the store for an end-of-season sale, or to introduce new audiences to your brand? Beyond this, who tends to be in your target demographic? For example, if you’ve just opened a used bookstore near a college campus, students are likely to be an important group to reach. Or if you’ve opened a new yoga studio and you’re offering a discounted intro month for new members, your target audience likely includes people who are interested in fitness and wellness.
Ask yourself this: Where and when would I naturally encounter my target demographic? If you want to give them flyers, you need to be where they are.
That might mean leaving flyers on windshields in the student parking lot on campus. Or, for the yoga studio example, it could mean thumbtacking your flyer to the corkboard in a health food store. It could also mean working with a flyer distribution service to target your audience effectively.
Take a look at these specific flyering strategies:
Posting flyers publicly
When a lot of people think of flyering, they think of posting flyers on telephone poles and community message boards. This may be the best way for you to advertise your business or offer, as passersby will see your flyer. A few businesses that can benefit from this strategy are dog walkers, movers and landscapers. You can also spread the word about a yard sale or another local event by posting flyers.
Handing out flyers
Handing out flyers, whether it’s part of a larger event or you working on your own, is an effective strategy because it puts you face-to-face with the people you’re reaching. This gives you the opportunity to have a brief conversation with each of them and share more about your brand or promotion.
Try this strategy if you’re targeting a specific, local audience. Knowing where your audience tends to hang out is key to doing this kind of flyering well—if you’re promoting a concert, for example, logical places to distribute flyers include music stores and concert venues.
Bundling flyers with other giveaways
Piggyback your flyer onto another valuable giveaway. This could mean shipping flyers with coupons in every e-commerce order you pack or collaborating with other businesses to offer something great, like swag bags at a networking event.
Try this strategy if you’re part of a local business organization. Often, it’s part of sponsorship packages. Sponsoring local events is an easy way to connect with a large audience right in your city.
Sharing flyers digitally
This last strategy is done completely online. Post your digital flyer to your LinkedIn, Instagram or any other social media platform to ensure your followers see it. You can also share flyers through email and on platforms that are more discussion-focused, like Reddit and Discord. This could be something you do yourself or through flyer distribution companies.
Try this strategy if you want to connect with people from around the world. It can be a great way to promote newsletter signups or drive traffic to your website.
Successful flyering is part design, part drive
As a small business, give flyering a try! Whether you go print or digital, flyers are a way to get the word out about your brand and the awesome things you’re doing. Create a unique flyer to advertise your next event, promotion, service or simply to introduce yourself to the world.
FAQs about flyering
How effective is flyering for small businesses?
Flyering is a very effective advertising strategy for small businesses. Flyering allows business owners to target very specific, often local, audiences and put offers directly into their hands.
Where are the best places to distribute flyers?
Good places to distribute flyers include trade shows, community events and community message boards, as well as handing them out to passersby. Keep in mind that you may need a permit to distribute flyers in a given jurisdiction.
What should I include on a flyer to get the best results?
Effective flyers have minimal text. Stick to a strong headline, an eye-catching image and only the absolute must-include supporting text, like your store’s address. Don’t forget a call to action, either!
How can I track the success of my flyering campaign?
Track your flyering campaign’s success by measuring traffic to your store, website or event. If the flyers include a coupon, promo code or QR code, it’s very easy to track exactly who’s connecting with your brand through the flyer.
Is digital flyering an alternative to traditional flyering?
Digital flyering is similar to traditional flyering, but not quite an alternative. Try digital flyering if you’re an e-commerce store, an online service or if you want to connect with people outside your local area.
