Advertising with Flyers

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Advertising flyer critique: what's wrong with your ad flyers

John Kuraoka, a project of www.kuraoka.com

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In this article, you will learn how to improve your advertising flyer, and specific ways to turn your ad flyers into more-effective marketing tools. A more-effective ad flyer increases your sales and reduces your work and expenses.

Admittedly, I have not seen your advertising flyer. Then again, I probably don't have to. I have reviewed hundreds, if not thousands, of advertising flyers for small businesses. And, after 20 years I have found that nearly every small business ad flyer contains the same mistakes and missed opportunities. Avoid these nine common mistakes, and your advertising flyer - and your marketing in general - will be the stronger for it.

Advertising flyer mistake #1: Using your business name or category as your headline

Remember, your flyer is an ad, not a business card. It needs to sell. Your potential customers aren't interested in your name. They're not even interested in what you do. They're interested in their own needs and wants. So, hit them with a headline they can't ignore, because it addresses their needs.

Instead of:
John's Lawn Care

Try:
Get your lawn in shape for summer fun - and save!
or:
A lawn you'll be proud of in 14 days, guaranteed!
or:
Spend your weekends with your family, not your yardwork!
or
Are you spending too much on lawn care?

You get the idea. Figure out what's important to your potential customers. Then, use your headline to immediately answer their question: "What's in it for me?"

Advertising flyer mistake #2: Listing services instead of raising problems and solving them

Do I want vacuuming or dusting or mopping? Not right now, thanks. Do I want a clean house, without drudgery? Yeah, maybe. Do I want to regain the use of about four hours of lost time every week? Time that I could spend creating memories with my family, but instead I'll spend on my knees scrubbing out the toilet bowls, getting splashed in the face, putting bleach spots on my clothes, and inhaling toxic cleanser fumes? Would I like those hours back? Oh yes! Absolutely!

Although your ad flyer copy should include your key features or services, each feature or service should be attached to a clear, customer-oriented, benefit that addresses a problem, or hassle, or pain. Also, tell - or, better, show - how those benefits prevent or solve problems for your potential customer. Tip: research has repeatedly shown that people are more averse to pain than attracted to reward.

Think about all the problems, both real and potential, that could stem from not using your product or service. Put yourself in your customer's shoes. Talk to them. Listen to them. Learn what their problems are, and identify things about you or your product or service that make a difference in relieving or overcoming them.

Emphasize in your flyer copy the problems and solutions that set you apart from your competition. And, never forget that your competition, in many cases, includes do-nothing, do-it-yourself, and kid-down-the-street options.