How to Use Print Promotional Tools: Flyers

part of the series:

How to Use Print Promotional Tools

So far, we have covered Business Cards and Cover Letters to introduce yourself and your art, Postcards and Rack Cards to give information.

Another way to broadcast your information is flyers.

Flyers are a great Do-It-Yourself promotional tool for artists on a tight budget. They are easy to create, produce and distribute.

• You don't need graphic design skills to create flyers. You can use ready-made templates in most word processing software. Just fill in the blanks with words and images.

• You don't need special equipment to print flyers. You can print small quantities on your home printer.

• You don't need a huge mailing budget to distribute flyers. Most flyers are distributed by hand. You just need a supply of colorful stick pins or a good staple gun and the occasional bandage for paper cuts.

• You don't have to cram your message into a small space to broadcast your message. You can use both sides.

• No muss, no fuss, no waste. You can print on demand. If you run out, you just open up your document and print more.

Flyers are versatile. Anything you can do with a postcard or rack card you can do with a flyer.

You can use flyers to:

• promote events and workshops

• highlight special promotions

• offer prizes through raffles

• educate art lovers with tip sheets

• create mementos of exhibits

You can post them on bulletin boards and in windows, insert them in newspapers and magazines, hand them out and mail them.

Design Flyers With the End Point in Mind

• By now you should know that any marketing activity starts with your audience. State the benefits of what you are offering. Think about the places where they are most likely to see and read your flyer.

• Make your flyer visually appealing. It may be tempting to fill very nook and cranny. Don't. You can use both sides of the flyer to create a nice balance between text and images.

• Decide whether you want to use a template, design your own or get help with a custom branded design from a graphic designer. That way, you can work out the timeline and your budget.

• Decide how you are going to distribute your flyer and how long it will be around. If you plan to post outdoors, take the weather into account. If you want a "collectible" version as a memento, give extra attention to the archival quality and visual appeal.

Get Attention When You Distribute Flyers

• Share the space and make it easy for people to look at the whole board. When you post flyers on a bulletin board, you can improve the chances that your flyer is visible. I am famous for tidying up bulletin boards. Most of them end up a mess as people add new items, with no thought to what they cover up. Of course that means you can pick a prime location for your efforts.

• Some venues require you to ask permission before you post. If the bulletin board is in a store or restaurant, make sure to follow any guidelines. Don't annoy them or waste your time by ignoring their rules.

• Add a personal conversation to your piece of paper. I like to go one step further. I talk with the owner and staff to let them know about my event. They often let me know that they have told their regular customers to attend.

Get Help When Flyers Get Frustrating

Remember, if the process eats up your precious studio time, is technically beyond you, or frustrating, please let Robin help. It's not a big investment and you'll end up looking ever so splendid! Her dedicated support has helped me, and can help you, make a better living making art. Robin is located in Los Angeles, and serves artists world-wide. For more info on how she can help free up your time so you can focus on what you do best, email her at Robin@ArtistCareerTraining.com 310-649-4434 Pacific time. The first 15 minutes is on us.