How To Create an Effective Flyer

What the contractor sent

What You Could Do

Today’s guest post comes from Danielle Lee, Director of Segment Marketing at Vistaprint.

I’d like to share some thoughts on a flyer that I received in the mail from a contractor. Parts of it were very effective in getting me to open the mail, but what was inside the envelope completely failed to capture my interest. A few simple steps, which I’ll outline below, could have resulted in a call from this potential customer.

The flyer arrived in a full size business envelope with a handwritten address.  At first, I thought it was a personal letter. When I looked closely, it was a very professional business envelope with the contractor’s logo and address printed on it. It was hand addressed to “Current Resident.”  Normally, I might have tossed it out, but his timing was perfect because I’m thinking about a construction project for my home. His letter reached a potential customer at the right time and I decided to open it.

Inside the envelope was a simple black and white, photocopied flyer (pictured at the right) with a headline message followed by a list of services and a phone number. I was so surprised to receive just that simple piece of paper with only his phone number in such a nice envelope. I was about to toss it out but I happened to notice that his business card was also in the envelope. The only additional information the business card provided was his email address. In my opinion, this mailing failed because there was nothing more than his contact information, when there should have been a clear call to action or some incentive for me to follow up and learn more. There was no compelling reason for me to call.

What was good about this mailing:

• The handwritten address caught my attention and the professional looking envelope got me to open it. It made me feel like there was something worth looking at inside the envelope. It could have been even better if it was addressed with my full name instead of “Current Resident.”
• The flyer had a headline to capture attention and was easy to read.

What could have turned this into a winning mailing:

• Put all of your contact information on the flyer. I almost missed the business card in the envelope.
• Tell us why we should do business with you. Tell me why you’re the best at fixing leaks. You’re available immediately, affordable, reliable, or use the latest technology. Give us reasons why we should contact you in the future.
• Show examples of your work – in color! You know that your products and services are the best, but we don’t. Pictures of recent construction projects on the flyer would have captured my attention. Use a color flyer to show your products and services at their best.
• Show us local references and referrals. This contractor is located more than 30 miles away from where I live. If the flyer had customer recommendations with pictures of his work in nearby towns, that would have gotten my attention. The next time you complete a project is the ideal time to send a flyer to everyone else in the area to show off your work.
• Put an offer on the flyer that is unique to this advertising. The offer creates another reason for the customer to contact you. Also, making the offer unique lets you track and measure which advertising campaign produces an opportunity.
• Create a presence on the internet and promote that on the flyer. I was hoping to see a website with pictures of his work and an opportunity to learn more about his company. When I searched for his company on the Internet, I found a Facebook page with pictures of his projects. Make it easy for customers to find you on the Internet by including that information on the flyer.

A lot of time and money went into this advertising campaign.  It could have been much more successful with a few more simple additions. I’ve included a mock flyer template image that you can follow for your next campaign that could help your success rate. Will I call him about my project? I’m not sure.

How have you been successful with your direct mail campaigns? Do you have any suggestions for this contractor for future mailings?