Flyers and leaflets might sound like two very similar printed products, but there are some significant differences. If you’re thinking of using either one, you need to know more details about each product so that you can choose the right print medium for your business needs. We spoke to
instantprint, who are the UK’s leader in print manufacturing, to help us differentiate between leaflets and flyers. Instantprint told us that whereas a flyer can be printed on both the back and the front, a leaflet is a folded product and a flyer unfolded.
Flyers are handed out to passers-by for marketing purposes and so have information printed on both sides to give people more to read. Flyers that are placed on noticeboards or in windows can only be read on one side and therefore normally have information printed on one side only.
Companies that use flyering as an advertising technique assume that not every flyer they hand out will be read, as some people throw them in the bin, hence why flyers are called ‘throw-away’. This is why flyers are printed cheaply on low quality paper.
Flyers are normally used by businesses like fast food restaurants and music promoters- anyone with a special offer or event to promote. As the offer or event will be over in a short amount of time, flyers are the perfect marketing tool because they are ‘throw-away’. (You wouldn’t want to advertise a one-day promotion event with posters all over town as they would become out of date very quickly).
When designing flyers, it’s important to make them eye-catching, as the customer will decide within a few seconds of seeing the flyer if they want to take it or not. You should use bright colours, attention-grabbing images and large text to make sure people find them interesting and take a flyer.
Leaflets on the other hand are not handed out to the masses and they are not ‘throw-away’. Leaflets are used by companies who want to communicate information, for example the NHS and the government. Leaflets contain more information than a flyer and are designed to be read more than once. They are printed on quality paper and cost more money to make. Flyers can be handed out on the street to anyone walking by, but leaflets are left in places where those who need them will find them, for example doctors waiting rooms.