Leaflets and Flyers – Your Secret Weapon in B2C Marketing

If your business targets consumers, there are several ways to reach them:

TV and radio advertising (can be expensive) digital marketing (this almost goes without saying) and, the more“old-fashioned way” – leaflets and flyers. Depending on your demographic, traditional through-the-door or posted marketing can be highly effective.

This article will tell you how, and why.

Some Myths – De-Bunked

Reports of the death of the flyer are somewhat previous.

In our view, it’s thriving and very much alive. You may have a few assumptions about leaflets and flyers or have some preconceived ideas. Do the following resonate with you?

• People don’t like them, and they go straight in the bin
• Nobody acts on them
• This marketing method is old-fashioned
• Young people don’t like it
• It’s a horrendous, scatter-gun approach
• Leaflets can’t be targeted
• But mainly…

Who Reads Flyers Anyway?

Well, you may be surprised.

The Direct Marketing Association has some interesting facts and figures on the matter.

89% of consumers remember receiving door-drop mailings — way more than any other marketing channel. And 45% will keep leaflets, either in plain view or in a drawer.

Don’t these sorts of things go straight in the recycling? Indeed, if they’re relevant, they do not.

On behalf of our B2C clients, we’re happy to celebrate this positive research. Maybe you’ve already engaged this way as a customer. Perhaps you have stuck a helpful flyer to the fridge at some point or stored it in a drawer in case you needed it in the future. Perhaps it was from a removal business, a cleaning company, or a new restaurant opening up in town. In any case, it worked.

This is marketing at its best: quiet, unassuming and it meets a need or solves a problem. If you’re in marketing, and you sell to the Great British Public, can you afford to ignore leaflets and flyers? In Xpress Group’s experience, the answer is definitely NO.

Here are a few compelling reasons to reconsider the humble printed marketing campaign.

Firstly, let’s offer a quick definition for a useful frame of reference.

What are Leaflets and Flyers?

Generally, leaflets are small, folded pieces of paper, typically A5 or B5, whereas flyers are flat and unfolded. In the case of door drops, they tend to be focused on specific local areas.

Given these superficial differences, we’ll refer to both in the same terms; they’re both forms of advertising, and the distribution method is identical. Done well, leaflets and flyers promote professionalism and evoke trust. Likewise, they can be visually appealing and memorable. In other words, they have great potential for practicality and charm – all at the same time.

Let’s examine the reasons why:

1) Solid and Tangible

As a differentiator to digital, in our marketing communications, Xpress Group tends to highlight this benefit first and foremost. We think this touchability is the main benefit of printed materials. Their USP versus online, if you like.

Electronic marketing communication carries a high risk of misinterpretation or misunderstanding. Also, an email can be deleted unread—and let’s be honest, most of them are. This is because most of us only open emails if we know the sender or understand the subject line. Social media status updates can be ignored, and blogs can be unread.

Many internet users make the most of an adblocker to reduce the intrusive “noise” of a webpage. The result is that a fair amount of digital marketing will never reach them.

It sounds obvious, but it’s hard to ignore printed collateral.
Why?

Because you have to do something; it requires at least a split-second glance, plus some physical contact (you have to pick it up) and an effort – albeit small – to throw away. Ideally, your target market will act on it; take it somewhere, pass it on, or keep it. And, as the stats above show, many do.

Leaflets and flyers use a few of our primary senses, so never underestimate how impactful they can be.

2) Engages Your Audience

Would you like to speak directly to your customers?

The word is out: leaflets will say what you need them to say in a style and tone of voice that your audience will really like.

So, it’s a good idea to request them to do something.

For instance, ask them to respond in some way within a reasonable, time-limited period, perhaps by using a discount code on your website. Depending on their profile, your target market may appreciate a QR code. In any case, your message must be unequivocal: solve problems. Be useful. Request feedback.

3) Can Be Highly Targeted

If you want to reach a specific population, flyers can be organised to drop through the letter boxes of your would-be and future customers.

With this exercise, it’s possible to be highly exact regarding the recipients. Step forward, data profiling and segmentation. Thus, only your prospects – or those more likely to buy from you – will get them. For example, elderly consumers in, say, Eastbourne could be exceptionally responsive to leaflets promoting mobility products and services. Young, City types – less so.

You may wish to catch attention by means of a special offer or promotion, a free service or a coupon. Make sure to include your website address, business location, opening times and contact details.

If appropriate, think about handouts at busy areas such as shopping centres, local events and even at bus or train stations. Yes, this is old-school. Yet, it works.

Giving a leaflet to someone can be extremely actionable.

4) Cost-Effective

We can’t be definitive regarding pricing.

Everything will depend on the design, size, thickness of the paper, and the type of finish you choose —contact Xpress Group for advice. We’d advise ordering the best you can afford, as it’s more likely to be kept (people respect quality). Ordering one good leaflet to be printed in bulk could be your best-ever marketing decision.

Digital advertising has limited space, and ongoing costs can mount up. Once your leaflet is out there, it’s a one-off cost (except for distribution). And, there’s room for good copy and images. The per-word cost is, therefore, more affordable.

Talking of copy:

5) Easy-To-Digest Messages

Well-designed, excellently composed leaflets and flyers get the message across fast. They offer key information in an easily readable format. Bullet points are a helpful way to achieve this. Make them want more.

Please avoid jargon. Just plain English.

No good at the word stuff?

You have a short time to communicate, so if in doubt it’s well worth employing the services of a copywriter. He or she can pare everything down to its bare bones – without dumbing down or missing anything.

Some Top Tips for Leaflet and Flyer Design

• Who is your audience? It doesn’t matter if you don’t like the layout, design or the words. You are not buying your own products. The only people who matter are your would-be customers. Harsh, but true.
• Check out what your competitors are doing. And then, do it better. Stand out from the crowd.
• Your design should enhance brand recognition and be in a consistent tone of voice with your other marketing.
• Balance out images and words so that they make an equally impressive impact.

Key Take Aways About Leaflets and Flyers

In Xpress Group’s experience, they really are your secret weapon for B2C marketing, by dint of the fact that they go directly into people’s homes.

Almost nothing is, or can be, more effective. Leaflets grab attention in ways that digital marketing – tweets, Facebook and emails – simply cannot. Digital can be noisy. Leaflets and flyers, subtle and understated.

Produced to a high standard (again, Xpress Group are highly experienced in design and production), they will reach the right people at the right time.

If you would like to:

• Showcase your products and services to new consumers
• Express your USPs in a digestible format

…there’s a leaflet or a flyer out there with your company’s name on it.