This is an easy 'how to' article giving advice on how to make a leaflet, how to design a leaflet and how to write a persuasive leaflet.  By the time you have finished reading this, you will be able to design a compelling persuasive promotional leaflet that stands out and grabs the readers attention. Understand these steps and let your leaflets do the selling.

What are leaflets?

A leaflet is a printed sheet of paper. You can design them as A4 leaflets, A5 leaflets and A6 leaflets, A6 leaflet being the smallest. The reason promotional leaflets are small is so that they can be easily dispensed and distributed. Because promotional leaflets are often only looked at fleetingly, facts need to be kept to a minimum. The most common types of leaflet include; advice leaflets, charity leaflets, information leaflets (especially patient information leaflets), smoking leaflets and business leaflets. Templates and designs for all of these leaflets can be located on the internet or bought as part of a desktop publishing package.

Step 1   How do you want your leaflet to look?

You should try not to explain too much within a leaflet and your text should be short. Out of all successful marketing campaigns, the following guidelines for a leaflet stand the test of time;

1) Design leaflets to stand out and grab the readers attention

2) Give a clear idea of what the reader is expected to do

3) Keep that idea in the reader's mind, and

4) Persuade the reader to take action

Professional Promotional and Advertising Leaflets

If your leaflet needs to look ultra professional, consider using professional printers who may have a graphic designer to do the hard work. They will also cut and fold the paper so you end up with quality looking leaflets. If you are going to use professional printers, you should ensure;

1) The leaflet printer is clear about the colors you require.

2) The leaflet print paper is thick enough to prevent the ink bleeding through to the other side.

3) Any images you provide are sufficient quality (jpeg or tiff format 300dpi minimum).

If you are advertising something like a car boot sale, you would probably want to create the leaflet yourself.

TIP: Leaflet Printing Services - Leaflet companies vary in price and quality. You can find cheap leaflets asking for a few quotes, but by looking at customer commendation you can find reliable leaflet printing services. Camden Print http://www.camdenprint.co.uk provide full colour leaflet printing in the UK. They have a guaranteed turnaround, so you know you will get your leaflets on time.

Leaflet Designs - DIY Leaflets

Due to the burgeoning market in desktop publishing software, these days designing a leaflet yourself is not hard. You could of course stick to a simple word processor such as Microsoft Word or the free Open Office. However it is recommended to use specialist software that makes the creative process far simpler. Mid-range products include Serif Publisher and Microsoft Publisher, and both come with lots of free templates. If you can use Microsoft Word, you will be able to learn how to use Microsoft Publisher quite easily.

TIP: Microsoft Publisher is an expensive option. However by clicking to the Microsoft Website you will be able to download a free two month trial, which is more than enough time to create your leaflet.

Step 2   Designing a leaflet

Leaflet Designs - Clear leaflet layout

Have a clear understanding of what and where you will put everything;

1) Make a leaflet template; sketch out your heading, text blocks and graphics

2) Be clear what the promotion is about, stating when and where it is taking place and how much it costs. And if its free, say so!

3) Ensure leaflet displays contact information, and where to get further details

Leaflet Designs - Keep it simple

Leaflets are looked at quickly, so the content needs to be transferred very efficiently;

1) Keep the words to minimum

2) Use images to reinforce your words

3) Use bullet points, heading, paragraphs, fonts and italics

4) Above all, leave as much empty space as you can. When you make a leaflet, less is often more.

Step 3   Writing a Persuasive leaflet

Writing content that sells is an art, but sticking to a few principles will guide you in the right direction;

1) Sell a desirable outcome, a solution to a problem

2) Be specific, state the benefit clearly in the leaflet

3) Choose one or two of the most attractive things about the promotion, and present it clearly

Make an impact and be memorable; stand out and be different. Use compelling language and words that make people think. Be as outrageous as possible, bearing in mind your target audience. Humour, used appropriately, is also a great way to communicate. It relaxes people and makes them feel more comfortable about the message you are presenting.

Step 4   Review your work

Present your work to your friends. Show them the leaflet for 5 seconds and then ask them questions about its content. If they fail to remember the important points, the leaflet is not clear enough. Listen to your friends, write down any new ideas they may have. Listen to yourself, discussing your work with others will stimulate new ideas of your own. When the final draft is ready, always give your work to someone else to proof read.

Step 5   Leaflet Production: Producing a Leaflet

Most people print their own leaflets using a black and white printer, because this is cheaper than colour. When you print out your leaflets, pay attention to the following;

1) Use brightly coloured paper to get attention and make your leaflet stand out.

2) Images and text may not be very clear in black and white, so ensure high contrast between text, images and the background.

3) Ensure you use a readable font size (size 11 or 12).

Step 6   Leaflet Distribution

There are a numbers of ways to distribute your leaflets. Leaflet holders and leaflet dispensers can be used at point of sale and should be distributed to shops and other sales outlets. Leaflet distributors can provide leaflet delivery door to door and as well as distributing leaflets through the post, contribute to an effective direct marketing campaign. At public venues you can use leaflet display stands and put them up on notice boards. Leaflet inserts are ideal for placing in books, brochures and packing material.

Hopefully you now have a clear understanding of the process of making a leaflet from leaflet design to leaflet printing and leaflet distribution. But before you start, plan the process yourself so you know exactly what you are trying to achieve and the steps on how to achieve it.

This article is copyright of Camden Print: http://www.camdenprint.co.uk/how-to-make-a-leaflet.html