What is a Leaflet? 10 essential questions about Leaflets

What is a Leaflet?

A Leaflet is a small sheet of printed paper that puts across a short message clearly and concisely.

Businesses use Leaflets to advertise their products and services as part of their marketing strategy. They’re often also used to let people know about new stores, special offers and events.

• They can either be:
• Handed out face-to-face
• Delivered to customers through the letterbox
• Stapled to a brochure and passed on

What is the difference between Flyers and Leaflets?

Historically, the words ‘Flyer’ and ‘Leaflet’ have had meant different things:

• Flyers: A single sheet of paper, with a front and back page – often used to promote events and club nights
• Leaflets: A folded sheet, folded to create the effect of multiple pages and provide space for more content

However, as time has gone on, these two terms have become more interchangeable and are generally considered to be the same thing in the present day.

What is the standard size of a Leaflet?

A5 Flyers are the most frequent size ordered by our customers, measuring 148 x 210 mm.

DL Leaflets are a popular choice, as they have a tall, slim design that works well for many types of business. It leaves ample room for text and space for imagery – the perfect combination. The DL size Leaflets measure 99 x 210 mm.

However, it’s possible to order a whole range of sizes, depending on your needs and the purpose of the Leaflets you are having produced. That’s especially useful if you’re looking to fit them within specific packaging if they’re being sent out to your customers as part of a wider package.

We offer various Leaflet dimensions ranging from A7 to A2 – as well as our bold square Flyers that are perfect for contemporary-looking, design-led pieces.

Are Leaflets a good way to advertise?

Leaflets are a cost-effective way to promote your business, advertising your products and services to potential customers. They’re a quick method of getting a clear message across to a wide audience.

They also offer you the chance to be creative within a marketing campaign. Take the opportunity to show off your design skills by creating a stunning promo piece that impresses all the right people.

Flyers are also likely to be retained by recipients, with 45% of people who receive one through the mail likely to keep it on a pinboard or in a kitchen drawer – according to a DMA study.

What should I include in a Leaflet?

The most important thing to consider when designing a Leaflet is this: will it entice the reader and will they understand what it’s about at a glance? If the answer is no, then go back to the drawing board.

When considering how to write a Leaflet, think about the message you want the reader to take away. Good Leaflets need:

• Benefit-led and relatable headlines
• Key message or theme
• Copy written in plain English
• Design broken up with sub-headings
• Bullet points to detail key information
• Call to action: What do you want them to do?
• Key details: Phone number / website / email address / social tags

Contact details should be displayed clearly so people know how to find out more. Include a map with your location highlighted to guide customers to your premises.

Likewise, don’t forget images to showcase your products and boost the visual appeal of your Flyer. The more visual your business, the more you should focus on imagery.

What is the best font for Leaflets?

It’s easy to get carried away when picking a font, which is important aesthetically, but make sure your text is readable.

Using an easy-to-read font for any blocks of text, such as descriptions of products or services, is essential.

Helvetica is a strong choice for a Flyer. It’s a simple sans serif font that displays information in a clean and effective way.

The Helvetica ‘family’ includes different components such as Helvetica Bold – ideal for your headers and key messages.

It’s best not to go crazy with the number of fonts you use. If you find yourself using 3 or more on a single Leaflet or Flyer, you might want to ask yourself if you really need that many.

How long do Leaflets take to print?

Flyer printing has a quick turnaround once your artwork is finalised.

At Solopress, we understand the need for speed and offer free next day delivery in the UK on Flyer orders.

This is especially useful if you’re exhibiting at a trade show or event and need last-minute Leaflets, or on any occasion where a hard deadline means that you have to produce promo material without delay.

What is the best way to hand out Leaflets?

Once you’ve printed your Flyers, you then have several ways to distribute them.

You can hand them out directly, making sure you have the appropriate permission or pay a professional Leaflet distribution company.

This can be an effective way to draw people in from a busy street, or to boost visibility in another area – farther away but with high footfall.

Alternatively, you could send them out to customers. You have a few choices:

• Door drops – bulk delivering unaddressed Leaflets and Flyers through letterboxes
• Addressed mail – sending them directly to addresses in your approved database of contacts
• Send in packages – including Leaflets inside the packaging of products you ship to customers

Do I need permission to distribute Leaflets?

Check with your local council to see if you need a licence to distribute free Leaflets, as this can vary from city to city.

Enter your postcode into the Government’s website for an accurate picture of your local area’s regulations.

You may need to obtain a licence that covers distributing Flyers in the street. However, if you’re posting through letterboxes or leaving them in a building for people to pick up, you don’t need permission to do so, unless these premises are private.

How do I design my own Leaflets?

You can take a proactive role in creating your own Leaflets by submitting high-quality designs to us using Photoshop or InDesign.

If you aren’t experienced with design software, you can use our free online Leaflet maker online, selecting from a wide range of eye-catching designs and inputting your own info and imagery.