Flyer distribution is the tried, tested and effective methods of direct marketing. Be it a new product, business or service, or events like concerts, an office opening, or even an open house — flyer distribution would be the fast, easy, and cheap ways to spread the message.
Following are the important aspects to consider in getting right your flyer distribution
1. Content
The key stages with respect to flyers are, content, design, and distribution.
The message that you want to convey through your flyer is referred here as content and it plays a vital role.
There would be lot of events which need easy and low-cost form of direct marketing. Make sure whether the flyers are apt or not for your event. Some messages look great on flyers while some aren’t!
It’s important to check the quality of the content — it should be clear and concise.
Start printing only if you are completely satisfied with the content and design. Usually, flyers are printed in few hundreds or thousands of copies and you can’t undo the process at the printing stage.
2. Targeted audience / know your audience
In whose eyes your message should get caught. To whom should your message be conveyed? Random people or right people?
If you observe, most flyers distributed to the random people who are passing by, might end up in the trash bin at the street’s corner.
Know your audience — whether specialised or general.
Handing your flyer to the right people is very important than ending it up with random people.
Understanding who your real audience are and choosing a smart distribution plan results in successful reach out to the right masses.
3. Season
Although different materials can be used, paper is the widely used for printing a flyer. So, the lifespan of a flyer would be short.
Paper flyers tend to be less durable, and the local weathers affect them even more.
Weathers like rain, snow and heavy winds could substantially affect the outdoor hanging flyers and the distribution process. Adjust your plans according to the local weather forecast.
Holiday season would be competitive yet apt if your flyer is carrying seasonal message.
During festivals like Halloween, Christmas, and New year there’s huge distribution of decorative and fancy flyers from other businesses. If your message is topical or seasonal then it’s worth competing with other flyers and deal with space constraints.
4. Methods
There are different methods of distributing flyers. The methods you choose would result in the effectiveness of your distribution plan.
The following methods are useful in ensuring that your flyers reach the right people –
· Delivering the flyers to people or homes directly
· Hanging the flyers in public areas
· Stacking up the flyers in crowded communities
It is important to check that the place you choose is open to flyering. Sometimes, the places you want to distribute flyers, needs permission. To get permission, check with the maintenance staff of the places like schools, parks, communities in neighbourhood, storefronts, etc.
You may have to fill the forms and follow their policies and guidelines to ensure smooth distribution.
It’s a good sign that few places like college campuses, are already with the flyers on the out front. There are even dedicated spaces or bulletin boards especially for flyers or local ads. Check and talk to the concerned maintenance staff without any hesitation.
5. Team
It is a tough process to distribute flyers if you decide to do it by your own. Lower the quantity of flyers, easier the distribution. Having the right team ensures you the faster flyering.
Think of getting help from your support network or employees to hang or hand out the flyers. In case of a party or get together, you can request your family and friends to distribute. If you are working for a club or an organization then recruiting would come to help in flyering.
It happens that the people you are looking to don’t have time to spare for your flyer distribution. In such cases give a call to flyer agency rather than deciding to do it yourself. Specialised agencies have tailored, economical plans and can help you out in the entire distribution process. They take care from start to finish, create smart plans and targets right audience, and reaches them in the right time.
Don’t get in trap of the gimmicks and tech features like real-time GPS tracking offered by few agencies. You may track the staff but can’t see how the job is done at the grassroot level. So be cautious and choose an agency that has good reputation and track record.
6. Targeting
All the above steps are considered to be basic and targeting your distribution is the final and important step that decides your success.
The two ways of targeting your distribution are –
· Geographic targeting
The idea of this way is to target areas which are more likely to get benefitted from your local business and vice-versa.
In geographic targeting, attributes like topography, landscape, neighbourhoods, streets, cities, and zip codes are taken into consideration. Hilly terrains and communities where houses are far apart are harder to cover while some terrains will be easy to cover.
· Demographic targeting
If you are either expanding your business in a new location or you are addressing a specific need, then demographics need to be considered.
In the earlier case, you may target loyal customers who are been interested in your business. In the latter scenario, people with specific needs are targeted, for example, who need babysitting, gardening, etc.
Only, people who get benefit from your message are targeted and thus ensures the high success rate of flyer distribution.
Flyering is the cheap way to advertise and helps you achieve your personal and business goals. Consider these six aspects to end up with a smart and successful flyer distribution plan.
