Flyers: think outside the box!

Think outside the box!
Here are some tips on how to create an appealing and modern flyer:

1. Focus always on the design (good design is always inspiring and welcoming);
2. Focus on the message: what do you really want to say? How are you going to say it? Who's your target group(s)? Are you transmitting a good taste message to your customers? Are you passing on a good or bad corporate image?
3. Think about your end-user or customer = think commercially!
4. Think about originality and creativity = how can you distinguish yourself from the competition?
5. Think about fonts, styles, images and color;
6. Think about scaling and printing = visualize your end result! (make as many printings as possible before moving to the actual printing company);
7. Think about usability: who's going to read your flyer or use it? Whats the best format and layout to use?
8. Is your flyer user friendly? Are your colors appealing? Is your design delivering emotion?
9. Think ahead of your time!

Some people ask us, what is the life cycle of a flyer?

Independently from it's size, color range, message, target group, etc, flyers have a very short life spam. 

This also depends from the purpose of the flyer: is it to advertise an upcoming event or to advertise a business?

Flyer's brevity issues vs. speed of creation

Flyers need to be developed with care, love and attention. The designer and the customer often think/work together to create a particular flyer. They think together about a concept and a design.

We always advise people to think carefully about their flyers, not rushing the process. Although flyers have generally speaking a short life spam/brevity, quality should always be at the heart of it's creation. Rushing things tends to ruin them.

Punctual goals

Often flyers serve to inform people about punctual services, products, events, new corporate addresses, etc. But flyers always serve a purpose!

Flyers serve punctual goals, occasions or events taking place in a particular time frame. After that, the flyer has accomplished its short-life purpose. People can get rid of it.

The exception to the rule

In some other cases, companies can re-use their flyer. This regards mainly flyers advertising a new business address, general products or services (that don't get fast outdated). 

Promotional flyers & educational flyers

Promotional flyers are often very quickly "dead" - right after the promotion is over. Their planning and preparation may have taken some month, but as soon as the promotion is over, they no longer serve a purpose (only as a reference, to be filed somewhere or to be saved as a souvenir ;-)

Educational flyers (flyers for courses and training's)

These often obey to a year/month/week schedule, and cannot be used endlessly. Their life spam is also very short, serving punctual goals.

The impact of design & fashion in flyers

Design & fashion change daily, at a fast pace. Businesses are slower!

But business needs & goals although more steady, tend to change faster than ever before. This is mainly due to the raise of new technologies and to the globalization of the world economy.

Design & fashion play an increasingly bigger role in corporate strategies, in Marketing, in Branding: in printing materials, etc.

Dynamic marketing campaigns: regular printing of new materials

We live in a dynamic world. So, it's convenient for companies to refresh their corporate marketing campaigns, by creating regularly new flyers and printing materials. 

Current customers are constantly changing their minds, are mobile, dynamic, eager to learn and often demanding. They are also well informed, computer literate, wanting to be surprised now and then, wanting new materials, products, services and experiences. Modern customers want convenience, appealing and clear messages.

What is the "worse enemy" of a flyer?

Well, its probably wanting to copy another flyer! 

Sometimes customers bring along flyers from the competition, as an example of what they want. 

This goes without saying, that sometimes they want an exact "copy" of that particular flyer, with their logo, colors and message.

Designers always prefer if a customer arrives empty-handed, with a vision or need for a flyer.
Designers don't like to copy other peoples materials. The creative "kick" is then lost.
Being a designer is wanting to be creative and original at all times, not copying other designers or other people's work.

Leave us your comments and observations here!