Sunday, 2 February 2014

3 Compelling reasons to advertise your Business with Flyers

Sample Flyer

Seeing loose papers on the ground are no new phenomena, most of us are used to such occurrences. On this day and on this occasion however, I was struck by the sight and like Moses and the burning bush, in the book of Genesis 3:3, took a second look. The result of that innocent act emerged the above title: '3 compelling reasons to advertise your business with flyers.'

Unlike Moses who however, heard a mysterious voice causing him to quake, fumble and tremble, with further instruction to remove his shoes, I heard no such enigmatic expression that necessitated shaking or quaking. Neither was I instructed to do anything strange, stooping plus observing was my only task, and on that single colorless piece of paper, was written the one word ‘advertising'. A couple of days later came the article you're now reading.

Flyers come in different sizes and shapes ranging from A4, you can print sizes A5, A6 and even DL depending on your business requirement. Whatever size you may choose, flyers are known to be one of the cheapest, direct and brand building methods of advertising for small businesses and start-ups. 
Time to examine the three reasons for employing flyers as a promotional tool. 



Target Audience


Flyers give you the ability to focus on a target audience as compared to mass media that appeals to the masses, removing that sense of generalization and unsegregated appeal that accompanies mediums like television adverts. 

Unless you are McDonald's or any of such companies that can generate national and international interest making customers salivate with each advert, small businesses can follow targeted approach by narrowing and limiting distribution to selected group of people or area that are likely to yield results through  the use of flyers.

 
Having once been tempted to advertise through radio, I quickly discovered that unless proper research is undertaken to determine a target group that too, could yield disappointing results for a small business needy of cash, and perhaps operating on a shoe string budget, making the next point even more crucial.



Flyers are Cost Effective

You may not be the great prophet Moses, but one certain way of avoiding the quaking and trembling effect of financial pressure associated with mass media advertising such as radio, is by promoting your business with flyers because it presents a cheaper option. This technique is not only economical in terms of production but in the method of distribution.

Though not the only teacher, experience they say is the best teacher so after discovering a few distribution avenues which yielded no immediate results, I went on a search and here are a few suggestions that could work for you: seek ways of inserting leaflets into magazines, place flyers in public places where target audience or existing customers are likely to visit, and the third on my list is to distribute flyers at events or festivals.

Reaching customers this way has some added benefits: the opportunity of meeting potential customers face to face, with the possibility of reaping immediate results, and 'brand enforcement'.

Enforcing your Brand

Branding has been associated with concept and image; it's what sums up a business personality. Advertising your business therefore with flyers provides the opportunity to define your organisation  in a way that carries your image; it becomes the vehicle through which your business personality is etched on the minds of customers.

You get to choose the words that carry your image and you get to choose the colors associated with your organisation.  Colors have personalities, they have emotions, they speak and they can change atmosphere. It has been noted that emotions are the cause for people's decisions, that is why persuasive words matter.

A legend once expressed that one is more likely to have impact on a people if they speak their language. Having a designer who share your culture, speak your 'language', who can articulate your thoughts, capture and express your vision with the appropriate tone provides a better chance of making a lasting impression on your existing or potential customers with flyers and without any antics. 

And oh, you needn't take off your ‘shoes’, like Moses in the book of Genesis 3:3-4, because while standing face to face with your potential client, you also stand on the same platform of equality: customer relations.


So if you desire direct, effective and economical way of reaching customers, consider not only using flyers in your promotion but examine also the channel of distribution.