Three Keys to an Effective Flier

With all of the emphasis these days on social marketing, online this and that, sometimes we forget about the lowly flier. This is vital to help attract new customers at venues like conventions, retail stores, special events, and related events or venues (for instance, at a race track when you have a racing game). It's worthwhile to review some basic elements of an effective flier.

1. The Audience. Who's this flier going after? Is it the same demographic that your game usually hits, or somewhat different? You may need to alter your standard marketing message if you're trying to bring in a different audience. Keep the audience in mind when you write your copy, and then edit the copy trying to think like one of your targets. Does this flier really attract your interest?
2. The Goal. You should have a clear goal in mind for this flier, and a direct call to action in support of that. Perhaps you want to get the reader to your booth... you should put in some mechanism to help with that (see The Hook, below). Maybe you're trying to bring the reader to your web site; make sure the web address is easy to spot, and try to put a specific landing page so you can track how well your flier has done.
3. The Hook. The effective flier has a great hook, or perhaps more than one. It may be a killer piece of art that's also the cover of your game, or maybe it's a perplexing visual that needs to be explained... and the customer will come looking for the answer. It may just be a great headline that makes the reader stop and think about coming to your booth or finding out more. Maybe it's a plain old coupon offer... "FREE Game!" is always a good one, though you can use "Buy One, get One FREE" or "50% OFF With This Coupon".

Finally, make sure the quality of the flier is no more and no less than it needs to be. Don't pay for a 4-color slick flier on glossy paper if there's no artwork and no need for the extra cost. On the other hand, if you're counting on the impact of your fabulous artwork to attract attention, a muddy black& white photocopy won't do it.