Despite what digital marketers would have you believe, print advertising is not dead. In fact, there are still very real needs for print. Two forms of print advertising that drives sales are flyers and brochures. If you’re new to the world of print advertising, you may want to consider implementing flyers and brochures into your marketing strategy.  

Following is helpful information on both. 

Flyers vs. Brochures: What’s the difference? 

A flyer is a one-sided piece that advertises products, services, or events. Typically disseminated or passed out unfolded, a flyer is sometimes called a leaflet, circular, or insert. Flyers are great for announcing grand openings, advertising a promotional sale, or for alerting communities to upcoming events. Flyers can be cost-effective because they only require printing on one side and typically use lighter, cheaper stock.  

Brochures are more substantial than flyers and normally contain graphics and text on both sides of the paper. Often times, a brochure is folded to create panels of information. The stock used for brochures is typically heavier than the stock used for flyers, too. Many organizations and companies provide brochures for their salespeople to showcase their services and products. Brochures may also be delivered to residents in a community, which is a typical practice of restaurants and other service-based enterprises.  

Design Tips for Flyers and Brochures 

As with other forms of print advertising, you only get once chance to make a first impression. If your brochures and flyers are poorly-made, you may leave a bad impression on your potential clientele. Well-executed materials, however, can help build brand awareness and increase sales.  

If your enterprise doesn’t have an in-house graphic design team, consider consulting with a designer at Pel Hughes or commissioning the expertise of a freelancer. Graphic designers can help ensure that your copy is legible, your graphics are crisp and well-placed, and your color selection is on point with your brand’s image. Busy graphics and poor color choice can turn customers away. Consulting with an experienced graphic designer ensures that your brand comes across as professional and legitimate.  

Working with a copywriter can help, too. Issues with sentence construction, verbose and effusive language, and subpar grammar tend to result in a cold reception among clients or customers. A copywriter will help you utilize powerful, concise, and professional verbiage that sets a professional tone for your brand.  

Sometimes, knowing what not to do can help you determine your expectations with your print materials. Some of the most common faux paus we see with flyers and brochures include: 

• Busy and illegible fonts 
• Too many graphics 
• Distracting and disjointed color selection
• Cheap stock 
• Blurry images and graphics 
• Poor spelling and grammar 

If you’re wondering what elements make for great brochures and flyers, it is important to understand consumer interests and their psychology. People are busy; they have limited time and energy to read anything. For this reason, the contents of your print materials should be broken up into small, digestible sections of text. This is why great advertising copy is punchy and to the point. A brochure may benefit from bulleted lists, too, which can help recipients determine what makes your brand different from your competition.  

Well-executed brochures and flyers should also be informative. Your contact information such as your company’s address, website, and phone number should be easy to find. Your print materials should also have a call to action. A call to action can be as simple as calling your business for a quote or visiting your website to shop for products.  

Pel Hughes is a woman-owned enterprise serving businesses of all kinds. We offer in-house printing and graphic design. From brochures and flyers to catalogues and postcards, our team of experts can help you execute beautiful print materials that resonate with your potential customers. Give us a call at (504) 486-8646 to speak with a knowledgeable member of our staff.