Question about flyers

[pollyanna]

I've started my business and was wondering about advertising. I wanted to know if anyone has made flyers and put them on cars? Does it accually bring in any business? And will I get into any trouble doing it?

Thanks for any help
Pollyanna

[Billie]

Personally, I think putting flyers on cars is a tacky way of advertsing. I have a large vehicle and would rather not have someone crawling up to put a flyer on my windshield. Usually, I've got my hands FULL with kids and groceries and would rather not have to take the time to pull the flyer down from my windshield. If it's not something I'm interested in, then I'm stuck with a flyer I have no use for.

I do, however, always browse the flyers inserted in the local paper or posted on local bulletin boards. =)

Just my 2 cents. I hate seeing flyers on my vehicle.

ETA: Have you thought about placing a vinyl ad on your own vehicle? You can get them done here for pretty cheap - under $20 for the back window of an SUV. Just an idea. =)

[E.V. Lowi]

I agree- I don't like paper flyers on my car and I have never purchased anything that they were advertising.

I think they are trashy and end up as trash littered all over the ground. I don't mind e.mail flyers, though.

[pollyanna]

does any one know how to make the flyers that you post in the stores. The ones you take the number off the bottom?
I was thinking about using my car for advertising. I was wondering if those vinyl ads can come off(when at work) and go back on when I'm driving around.
Pollyanna

[eepster]

The way to make flyers with tear off contact info on the bottom is quite simple. Just print the general info up at the top. Then on the bottom three inches or so print the tear offs. Use little text boxes that can be turned 90 degrees. Make them only about 1/2 inch high and around 2 1/2 inches long. Once you have one copy & paste several in a row with breathing room between them. After printing them just snip a slit between each one with scissors.

Make sure all the relevant info is also in the main text at the top, so if the flier runs out of tear offs before you replace it people can still write it down if they want to.

[Peppermint Leaf]

hi there
I have a 10 year marketing background -- I may be able to help you with some alternative ideas (I personally dont like it when I find flyers on my windshield) .. what type of business do you have?

[nursingmom]

I think it depends on your market. One of my friend who owns a remodeling business, and he only got one response from hundreds of flyers(postcards) he sent out through mail. And I have another friend who used to own baby online business and she said print ads didn't work very well for her.

[prescottchels]

My DP has the magnetic signs on his truck all sides and tailgate and has gotten calls from them, and they can be removed easily when you don't want to be "on call". My SIL has the vinyl lettering on her rear window and that works great for her biz, though it's not removable til you want to get rid of it for good. For my own biz I plan to get the magnetic car signs, and I've done flyering in neighborhoods where I stick my postcard w/scotch tape (it's windy here) to the door knob or dead bolt and have gotten clients this way and it's great exercise too. I agree the windshield flyers are not a good way to go. I helped a friend of mine mail out postcards from a list he bought I think it was about 500 and he didn't get one single call. Generally I think stuff that gets sent in the mail people easily overlook.
I too look at the ad inserts in the paper and those envelopes of coupons and ads that get sent out several times/yr as well as bulletin boards which I've also gotten clients from.
Good Luck!!
Chelsie
PS another thing you can do is talk to your local paper about doing a new biz spotlight/press release. It's free here and I think they do several/week