Last updated on July 8th, 2021 at 02:52 pm
A flyer is a great marketing tool as it is so versatile. It can be used for almost anything! From promoting an event to advertising a sale, there are no limits to what you can use a flyer for. Flyer marketing is easy and fairly inexpensive, you do not need to be a professional designer to create an effective flyer. That being said, there are a few things to keep in mind that will make the process easier regardless of your design experience.
Have a clear goal
Before you have even started designing your flyer, you want to establish a goal. What do you want your viewers to take away from your flyer? You have limited space on a flyer so you want to ensure you utilize that space to the best that you can. Once you have established your goal, it is easier to narrow down what information you need to include and what information you can cut if you are running out of space. It’s important not to overload your audience with irrelevant information. Establishing a goal up front will help you create an effective flyer.
Use a template
When you are designing a flyer, remember that you are designing for print. This is an important distinction to make as it will impact not only the layout of your design, but also the settings you use. For a successful print job, you need to make sure you have correctly incorporated bleed lines and margin of safety to ensure your design won’t be cut off. If you’re not familiar with how to set up these guides in your file, using a template will make that process a whole lot smoother. Remember to check that you are designing in the CMYK color profile as opposed to sRGB. sRGB is fine for digital design, but when you are designing for print, CMYK will help you achieve the most color accurate printed product.
Design from the top down
Like a page from a book, a flyer will be read from the top down, so it only makes sense to keep this in mind as you are designing. You want to keep the most relevant and important information at the top and move down with the information that is of lesser importance. The same goes for any visual elements. The size and scale of your design elements and text should reflect the same hierarchy, with the most impactful graphics and images in the top third of the design.
Go full bleed
A full bleed flyer will not include a white border around the edge, leaving it looking even more polished and professional. Having a borderless design will help your flyer stand out from the hundreds of other run of the mill flyers. If you opt for a full bleed flyer, you want to ensure you set your file up correctly. If you do not specify that you want full bleed and you do not use the correct template, you may end up with a ⅛” white border margin on all sides. Printivity offers templates for various flyer layouts including both full bleed and no full bleed options.
Use high-quality elements
High-quality visual elements, such as images, are imperative to the success of your design. Any visual elements included in your design should be relevant to the message and easy to decipher. If someone has to stand there and guess what they are looking at, odds are they will walk away and not give it a second thought. Captivate your audience with a high-quality design by ensuring every element is as good as the last. It is recommended to use a resolution of 300dpi for any images included in a design for print.
Contrast is key
Incorporating high contrasting visuals is a great technique for grabbing your viewers attention immediately. Your flyer should have a strong pull to get your viewers to stop and read it. Odds are, it will be placed in an area of heavy foot traffic, such as a local coffee shop or library. This means your viewers are likely on the go and will not stop for just anything. If you create a compelling enough design, you will not only stop your viewers in their tracks, but potentially attract more viewers from afar.
Include branding
You may have the greatest flyer of all time hanging in your local coffee shop, but if no one knows who posted it, they may not pay much attention to it. Make it easy for your viewers to figure out who you are, where you are located and how they can get in touch or get your product. Flyers serve as a great tool to increase brand awareness, as long as you incorporate branding in your design.
Include a call to action
Your call to action is what tells your audience what they should be doing. Make it a fairly simple one, such as calling a phone number or visiting your website. You can even set up a QR code for them to scan that will take them directly to the webpage you want them on. If you don’t opt for a QR code, but you want them to visit a website, using a shortened URL will make it easier for them to navigate there. The longer the URL, the more likely it is that they may make a typo or just not even bother with it at all.
Ready to print your flyer?
Printivity offers flyer templates with all of the information needed to create a print-ready file. Flyer template layouts include 8.5”x11” gate fold, half fold, tri fold, z fold and no fold in both full bleed and no bleed. Flyer sizes range from 8.5”x11” to customizable sizes with the ability to easily input custom dimensions when selecting your preferences. If you have any questions or are ready to start the printing process, call us at 1-877-649-5463.
