Functional Flyers

To Raise Revenues, Start by Raising Event Awareness

    The likelihood of a person attending your establishment’s event, whether it be a low-key, high-brow wine tasting or an all night mosh-pit Metal show, immeasurably is enhanced by giving them a concrete reminder days before the event. Obviously, making this concrete reminder have some sort of shock value, aesthetic beauty or customer benefit will make a potential patron mark their day planner a hell of a lot faster.
    It doesn’t work if you don’t get creative. Flyers are an inexpensive, fast way to get your event on the general public’s collective radar, but they all ultimately fall into one of two categories — trash can or back pocket. The fate of your flyer rests in not only the hands of a good printer, but also the graphic artist, the street team and finally the perfect timing.

It’s What’s On The Outside That Counts
    “If they have something in hand it is more tangible,” Jeff Salisbury, operating partner of O’Meara’s in Manassas, Va., says. “About half of our advertising budget is used for flyers and printing.”
    At O’Meara’s, the promotional calendar includes events such as the Maxim model search, the Next Flight to Paradise featuring the O’Meara’s Beach Babe Contest, Sam’s Slumber Party on Saturday nights, and Ladies’ Night, featuring O’Meara’s Bar Boyz. With all this action going on, the venue prints more than 2,000 flyers each month. Salisbury says there are a lot of tips for making a good flyer that an operator must keep in mind.
    “Make sure they represent what your event is going to be,” he says. “If you are having a bikini contest, have a girl in a bikini.” Often owners are tempted to put a gorgeous girl in a bathing suit on a flyer. However, if your club is in downtown Detroit, it is February, and it is an all-night rave, you are not conveying your message properly. “If you are going to put details, put them on the back,” Salisbury says. “Make sure you have the date and the time, and make sure the eye-catching stuff is on the front.”

Give It Time
    Mantra Lounge, in Milwaukee, Wis., hands out an average of 20,000 to 30,000 of its 12-point stock, high-gloss advertisement flyers a month, via street teams in several surrounding cities. “Flyers are very important, because it is their first image of an event,” says Co-owner James Amato. “Try to give a month’s notice,” he advises on promoting a large event.
    Giving the printer enough time to create your perfect flyer is crucial as well. “I usually like to do 30-60-90,” says Salisbury. “Think 90 days in advance, production 60 days in advance and send it out 30 days in advance.” Key for consideration is the producer, too. If you source out jobs, you might save a few hundred bucks, but is it going to be worth it to have to send the proof back three times and have your order take an extra week longer?

Hit the Pavement
    Getting your flyer to the public is the most important step. Without proper execution, it won’t matter if there is a completely naked girl on the front with the offer of a lifetime-long free bar tab. What they don’t know about definitely will hurt you. NCB

MEET THE ADVERTISERS
Dave Handmaker
Post Card Press
18732 Crenshaw Blvd.
Torrance, CA 90504
(310) 747-3800

Miguel Paredes
PK Graphics
420 Lincoln Road,  
Suite 305
Miami Beach, FL 
33139 USA
(305) 534-2184