Make a Flier Ad for a Business

A poorly designed flier will not generate results.

Think of the last time that you found a flier in your mailbox or under your car's windshield wipers. How much time did you spend looking at it? Fliers are one of the most cost-effective methods of advertising a business, but a poorly designed one is nothing but a waste of money. If you are planning to design a flier for your company, it is critical to design it wisely to maximize the impact.

Things You'll Need

• Computer
• Word processing program
• Printer
• Paper

Instructions

1. Open the word processing program of your choice. If it has pre-installed templates, search for one designed for fliers. This can help you with much of the layout.

2. Determine your target audience. A flier designed to impress a specific group of people will generate more business than one designed to simply interest the general public.

3. Start the flier with a title that is short, simple and to the point. For example, "Dave Smith -- Airbrush Tattoo Artist for Parties and More" is not nearly as strong as "Airbrush Tattoos!" Most casual viewers will only read your flier for a few seconds before discarding it, so every word must count to grab attention.

4. Add a color image that is relevant to the flier. In the example of Dave's airbrush tattoo business, a photo of one of his best tattoos would be ideal. The image should be high quality (at least 300 dpi). The image will the the focal point of your flier, so it must be as professional as possible. One large image is stronger than several small ones.

5. Add the main benefits of your business. People will want to know how your company can benefit them. Avoid long paragraphs with words such as I, we, us and our. Instead, list the benefits as succinct bullet points. Make use of power words such as free, deal, save, guarantee, discount and new.

6. Add a testimonial from a satisfied customer if you have access to one, including a name and company. Do not make up a false testimonial; this could come back to haunt you.

7. Consider offering a special deal or discount that is redeemable with the flier. It will encourage people to save the flier.

8. Add your company's contact information, including phone number, email, website and physical address if it is a store or other public space.

9. Proofread the flier carefully, then have someone else proofread it behind you. Driving home from the printer is a bad time to spot a mistake.

10. Print the flier in color on high-quality paper. If you cannot afford color printing, use colorful paper with a black and white printer. Switch your image from color to grayscale in the computer before using this option; it will look better than a black and white print of a color image.

References

• Business Articles Home: "How to Create a Successful Promotional Campaign Through Flyer Prints"; Dan Blackburn
• Business Know-How: "10 Easy Ways to Make Your Flyer Stand Out in the Crowd"; Karen Saunders