# General Business Category > Marketing Forum > [Question] Flyers for marketing design/print company

## lance71

Has anyone had a good experience from printing and distributing flyers for your design and print business?

If so where was the best place for distribution? What would be the ideal things to have on the flyer to get attention?

I am thinking of doing some flyers for my business but have heard a lot of stories of people getting absolutely no business or the wrong kind of business.

Thanks,
Lance

----------


## IanF

I have never had much success with my own flyers. I used the post office to deliver. For our customers it works when they are distributed at the appropriate place like at road running races for running shops.

----------


## lance71

That makes sense, I have heard about using the post office which is pretty clever as it stays to your area. I was thinking of getting someone to hand flyers at the robots but if people are anything like me they don't pay much attention to them. Do you have any recommendation on how to get your name out there similar to that of a flyer?

----------


## IanF

The best way is referrals from existing customers.

----------


## lance71

Ok so word of mouth - I know that is the best advertising. The only problem is I started from nowhere so only have had a few clients, but have had some of that anyway.

----------


## pmbguy

I have no experience in your field, but I have a simple plan that should work. Search for websites you know you can greatly improve. Make a huge super list. Then contact the businesses on the list and see if you can set up appointments. If you spend lots of time and energy on this you are bound to catch fish, perhaps even a whale or two.

----------


## lance71

Thanks for the input! That's brilliant advice. I actually did something similar by searching for sites that needed improvement and created a list of email addresses and sent out emailers offering specials, but had no luck with that.

I think actually contacting the people directly will greatly improve my chances.

----------


## pmbguy

Once you get them to commit to an appointment you halfway there. Obviously be extremely prepared. Research the business history and their future plans. Make sure you impress them with what you know about them. If you manage to do this your chances are greatly improved. Good luck

----------


## pmbguy

Oh I almost forgot. RESEARCH THEIR OPPOSITION

----------


## lance71

Thank you very much once again, I will definitely put that all into play.

By researching their opposition, do you mean kind of see what they have got as their online marketing etc. and use that to convince them they can do better?

----------


## pmbguy

You got it

----------


## pmbguy

Research your opposition (client current website guys and their website) and research your client's competitors' and their websites and guys

----------


## vieome

> Has anyone had a good experience from printing and distributing flyers for your design and print business?
> 
> If so where was the best place for distribution? What would be the ideal things to have on the flyer to get attention?
> 
> I am thinking of doing some flyers for my business but have heard a lot of stories of people getting absolutely no business or the wrong kind of business.
> 
> Thanks,
> Lance


Instead of flyers, give out business cards, flyers are more likely to be ignored, but people might pay more attention to business cards.

----------


## lance71

> Research your opposition (client current website guys and their website) and research your client's competitors' and their websites and guys


That's perfect thanks I will do and send feedback if this works, which I'm sure it will.  :Smile:

----------


## lance71

> Instead of flyers, give out business cards, flyers are more likely to be ignored, but people might pay more attention to business cards.


I was actually thinking of just that, it also gives you more of an opportunity to tell the potential client exactly what you do etc. Thanks for the input.

----------


## IanF

Lance 
Have you thought about who your ideal customer is. If it is brides for wedding invites then frilly elegant flyers handed out at a wedding expo should work. If it is corporates maybe pads of things to do with subtle branding on it. It is harder to get out there to market yourself. 
Also think of the customer you least want, and bring that in to your pitch not in a negative way rather making sure your advertising does not appeal to them. EG price shoppers don't say you are the cheapest.

----------


## wynn

> If it is brides for wedding invites then frilly elegant flyers handed out at a wedding expo should work.


I agree with IanF perhaps print a run of gimmick wedding invitations to hand out at a 'Bridal Fare' where you are inviting the prospective brides (clients) to a marriage between them the bride and your business as the groom.
Make it clear that if they RSVP to the invite they will get a discount.

----------


## lance71

> Lance 
> Have you thought about who your ideal customer is. If it is brides for wedding invites then frilly elegant flyers handed out at a wedding expo should work. If it is corporates maybe pads of things to do with subtle branding on it. It is harder to get out there to market yourself.


Thanks again Ian, you see the thing with my brand is the ability to do any kind of design so I would ideally like to market myself to all walks of like (which I know is near impossible) but I am keeping my branding to a generic look and feel of my company. 

Saying that I think it is very valuable advice and I will most certainly start looking in that direction if I don't have a huge amount of success doing it this way.

----------


## lance71

> I agree with IanF perhaps print a run of gimmick wedding invitations to hand out at a 'Bridal Fare' where you are inviting the prospective brides (clients) to a marriage between them the bride and your business as the groom.
> Make it clear that if they RSVP to the invite they will get a discount.


Thanks Wynn, also great advice, I think it is important to make the potential client feel as if they are going to be getting a good deal here (Also important in this day and age I think)

----------


## lance71

Has anybody thought of or gone the approach of using YouTube? I have just had a call from a friend who says he was specking to a major marketing guru who was telling him that is the way things are moving, not Facebook and Twitter etc.

Would love to hear some stories about how this works and how it may have worked for someone who tried it?

----------


## vieome

> Has anybody thought of or gone the approach of using YouTube? I have just had a call from a friend who says he was specking to a major marketing guru who was telling him that is the way things are moving, not Facebook and Twitter etc.
> 
> Would love to hear some stories about how this works and how it may have worked for someone who tried it?


Well I think it is important not to restrict oneself, to a particular time of medium and just try and use as many mediums as possible. With you tube one has to come up with something that has a potential to go viral, and more importantly that viral has to reach your target clients in your area, not an easy task. I think the irony of it is that while technology gives us a chance to expand our market, with websites, tube, twitter, facebook, more and more people are coming to appreciate the old face to face comunication. So I think face to face, door to door, and then use technolgy to work as a silent partner to expand your market.

----------


## lance71

Very well said and I agree completely, I am quite fascinated with the whole viral thing, but I think if you are not a huge well known corporation it would be a bit tricky to get your video bringing in the business (but still fascinating nonetheless)

The only thing about the face to face, door to door part, its all about getting that opportunity which we did cover on earlier but all in all this was a very helpful thread - thanks to everyone.

----------


## Wiz

For me - Word of mouth and references seems to work better. Never tried some offline marketing  :Confused:

----------


## lance71

Thanks Wiz, and I completely agree with that but you always have to start somewhere before word of mouth and references can start working for you.

----------


## vieome

Well wonder how long social media likes  will be trusted when now will have people dedicated to creating false http://www.theguardian.com/technolog...ine-popularity popularity

----------


## lance71

Yes but has that not been around for a while already?

Who are they trusted by now though?

----------

