7 ways you can use leaflets to boost business exposure

In the age of digital marketing, print is making a comeback. This might sound surprising because most business owners now allocate a huge chunk of their budget to social media ads, PPC advertising, and video marketing campaigns. But even in this digital age, print still holds up and offers undeniable benefits. 

The average online user is exposed to up to 10,000 ads each day. For the customer, this influx of branded messages can be overwhelming and, for brands, standing out can be a challenge. How can you make your business get noticed on a budget when your competitors are doing the same thing? 

Just because creating an online marketing campaign has become more difficult, that doesn’t mean that you should give it up. Online ads remain a must, but supplementing your efforts with old-fashioned leaflet distribution can yield great results. 

Whether you want to promote an affordable fast-food chain or a boutique perfumery, these leaflet design tips will help you stand out.

Unlike all the ads that customers see on their newsfeeds or before watching a video, leaflets have a unique feature: they stick around. An online ad is easy to scroll over and never come back to, but leaflets stay. Once you get them in the mail, or on the street, through hand to hand leaflet distribution, these tiny pieces of paper stay in your bag, in your pocket, in your home. As a result, the customer is exposed to your brand’s message multiple times, making it more memorable. To achieve a stronger response, use colour strategically: 

If you have a website, you probably followed the trends and chose a minimal design for it because it’s practical, user-friendly, yet striking. Why not choose the same aesthetics for leaflets? Whether you’re talking about print or digital, you can never go wrong with simplicity. Removing clutter and focusing on clean, geometric lines, and classic fonts can make your brand message stand out and draw the recipient’s interest. 

Think outside the box when designing leaflets and use the fold to create interesting effects and optical illusions. Look at the way DHL designed their brochures to be shaped like a box: 

It’s simple, yet eye-catching. At the same time, it’s consistent with DHL’s services and brand identity.

Just like online ads, which need to be short, leaflets also have limited space for you to express your creativity. That space you do have, you need to use strategically and one of the best ways to do that is by choosing striking, attention-grabbing fonts. Pay attention, though: these fonts still need to be readable and recipients shouldn’t have to spend more than a couple of seconds to make out your name, address, and slogan.

Another major web design trend, creative illustrations give you the chance to design unique leaflets that stick with the customer. They’re perfect for materialising abstract concepts, they can generate an emotional response, and they look simply stunning. Most marketers choose to buy or commission illustrations online, and that’s a good option, but if you want to innovate, why not collaborate with an up-and-coming local illustrator? 

If you have a higher budget for your offline marketing campaign, or maybe you’re attending a notable conference where you want to impress, embossed printing is a great idea. Through this technique, letters and other visual elements are in 3D and they seem to float on the leaflet, creating a fancy, sophisticated look. Embossed printing is typically used for business cards, but it works for leaflets too, especially if you’re promoting a restaurant or hotel. It shows that you pay attention to details and that you’re willing to go the extra mile to make a good impression, which in business is always a plus. If you think that embossed printing is too costly for street distribution, then you can print just a few leaflets through this technique and give them to potential business partners or put them on display in an exclusive venue in your area.   

When planning your hand to hand leaflet distribution campaign, keeping in mind your targeted customer persona and choosing the right brand ambassadors helps reduce rejection rate. However, the modern consumer is busy and there’s always a chance that they might throw away your leaflet before they get a chance to read it. Best way to draw the attention of customers with short attention spans? Give them a leaflet that’s not just a piece of paper and that has an additional purpose. For example, you can design your leaflets to double as bookmarks, calendars, origami, or paper sculptures. It can be something funny, practical, creative, or crazy, depending on your brand. This way, customers will keep leaflets around for longer, remember your brand, and have higher chances to contact you. 

So, which will it be? Will you choose a classic design for your leaflets or will you think outside the box and experiment with creative ideas? No matter what you choose, remember that leaflet design should be consistent with your brand and that you should always work with a professional designer who can bring your vision to life.