Marketing is a comprehensive operation involving an array of activities, all targeted towards one thing, influencing the target audience to take action. Over the years, the act and strategy of marketing have drastically evolved, especially after the advent of online marketing and social media promotions. Businesses big and small based in close-knit communities like Bloomington Normal, Champaign Urbana, and likewise across America are heavily investing in digital marketing strategies, but does that diminish the value of the traditional marketing tactics. By traditional, we mean the old-school techniques, notably flyer marketing. In this article, we will explore the defining aspects of flyer marketing, how many types of flyer marketing are there along with its’ impact on political advertising in Bloomington Normal & similar American cities.
Understanding Flyer Marketing & Distribution
Flyer marketing is one of the oldest forms of promotional techniques, wherein a business, organization, or political party uses printed leaflets, distributing them among the masses to attract the attention of the target audience. The origin of this practice dates back to the Renaissance Period in Italy. Since then it has been used for multiple reasons, both positive and negative.
Throughout history, flyers have been used for spreading the message of services, products, revolutions, ideas, war, propaganda, social awareness, and political and scientific ideas. It is still used for similar purposes, but for this article, we will solely focus on its reach when it comes to business and political advertising.
In that context, here’s how flyer marketing takes place. A business, political party, private group, institute, or organization approaches a marketing and distribution firm. If they don’t have a design ready then the marketing firm can help with finalizing a creative design and layout. Once it’s decided, the finalized design for the flyer can go for print. In the meantime, one has to decide the location to target. Accordingly, the marketing and distribution firm will assign the task to separate teams. They can either distribute the flyers as handouts from a central location or use the door-to-door marketing approach. In door-to-door flyer marketing in Champaign Urbana & Bloomington Normal, the personnel in charge of distribution and delivery will ring the doorbell of each household in a locality and leave the flyer at the doorstep, ensuring that it reaches the target audience.
There lies the USP of flyer marketing. It takes the message to the doorstep of the potential consumer, influencing them to take immediate action. This type of marketing approach delivers faster results, especially if the target is a smaller community.
Different Types of Flyer Marketing for Promotions
Now, flyer marketing does not follow a one-size-fits-all approach. It comes with multiple variations, which one can choose as per their convenience. Let’s take a look at all the options available.
- Handbills: These types of flyers contain minimum text and are produced for mass distribution, usually printed on ordinary paper.
- Posters: These are slightly larger and mainly used for targeted promotion, with graphic designs, infographics, etc.
- Pamphlets: Widely used for businesses for door-to-door promotion or mass distribution. The target is to reach out to as many people as possible.
- Marketing flyers: Marketing flyers are used by both businesses and political parties. These are hung on the door handles of the residences or businesses in a specific location to promote products and services.
- Brochures/catalogs: Popularly used by restaurants to print the menu in a two-fold or three-fold brochure/catalog format to promote their takeaway and food delivery services. A new business with a range of products can use the same tactics to market its range to the target audience.
How does it Benefit Political Advertising?
We know that businesses have lots to benefit from flyer marketing. It is cost-effective has a faster response and has high reach and responsiveness in a small location. But how does it benefit political advertising in Bloomington Normal? Let’s explore.
Perfect Addition to the Marketing Mix
Compared to business marketing, political advertising is a whole different ball game in all aspects. When running a campaign, political parties and the candidates invest heavily in the promotion of their election agenda to influence the voters. In the last few years, we have seen political entities spending a massive amount of funds on digital and social media campaigns, in an attempt to reach out to the younger population. But including flyer distribution in the marketing mix is equally beneficial especially if you want to reach the older generation that is not that tech-savvy or frequent online, specifically on social platforms. Also, flyers have a greater impact when trying to reach out to a close-knit community. So, keeping flyers within the marketing mix is a good idea.
Personalized Marketing
Voters prefer to think that they are acquainted with a politician and when the latter reaches out through a flyer, it feels like a personal approach. It garners a better and more positive reaction from the voters. It makes them feel like the candidate is reaching out to them individually and an instant trust is created between both. No amount of new school marketing techniques can replace that impact.
Targeted Reach
If you are a candidate trying to target a particular community with specific agendas and messages indigenous to that area, then nothing trumps the value of flyer marketing for political advertising in Bloomington Normal.
Conclusion
To summarize, flyer marketing has a multidimensional approach and multi-faceted impact. It is an evergreen marketing concept that never gets out of trend. If you have a tight budget and yet want to generate a significant impact through promotional activities then choose flyer marketing in Bloomington Normal.
