Flyers. Paper and ink. You might be thinking, “Surely these don’t have a place in our digital world.”

And you would be wrong!

Flyers still present great opportunities to get your business name out there and for potential clients to see your brand. But it can’t just be any ole template from Microsoft Word anymore. The flyer itself may be a traditional medium, but your take on them can be anything but traditional.

Low-cost advertising solutions are highly accessible now, but be wary of common marketing mistakes.

Here are the steps to writing the most effective massage therapy flyers:

Write your hook and call to action

Effective massage flyers go beyond the goal of awareness (i.e. reminding people in your town that your practice exists). Instead, you want to set a more specific, concrete goal that can be tied to a call to action. Here are a few examples:

Goal: Sell out holiday promotions

Headline: Time is running out to reserve your holiday promotion!

Call to action: Call to reserve your appointment before we’re booked

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Goal: Increase foot traffic

Headline: Relaxation is right around the corner

Call to action: Stop on by!

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Goal: Increase online bookings

Headline: Book Your Appointment Online, Hassle-Free

Call to action: Visit our website and choose your time

Give clear supporting information

For example 1 (the goal of selling holiday promotions), outline the holiday promotion you’re offering just below the bold headline in a slightly smaller but still easy to read font.

Keep in mind that you have limited space and that the goal is to intrigue someone enough to call or book. Therefore, use plain language and don’t over-explain the services. If you call your holiday promotion something cute, it might not be as obvious what the client can expect.

For instance, instead of “The Lovers Package” — which you then have to explain — just call it “Classic Couples Massage with Aromatherapy.”

If your pricing is competitive, be sure to include it in larger font below the explanation.

If experience over value is what you wish to communicate, you don’t have to include the prices. Instead, focus on more indulgent and exclusive language that will entice a clientele with a higher price point in mind: “Indulge in the experience of a lifetime at Luxury Massage & Spa. Limited bookings available.”

For example 2 (the goal of increasing foot traffic), highlight a testimonial from a current client. You don’t have to use their life story, but get to the meat of it: “I suffered from sciatic pain and Andrea has changed my life!”

If you are rated 5 stars on Facebook or Google, don’t be afraid to put a graphic there with 5 stars and print one of your most recent 5-star reviews. Curtail it with ellipses if needed. People passing by are unlikely to read a paragraph testimonial, no matter how good it is.

For example 3 (the goal of increasing online bookings), you could also print a testimonial or promote a discount for first-time bookers. For example, “15% off your first visit when you mention this flyer.” This will also help you measure the efficacy of the flyer and the locations where it hung.

Highlight your contact information or use a QR code

You only have a few seconds to convince someone to visit your website or call you to book an appointment. Therefore, you should try to make both of these options as simple as possible.

If your URL is long, you could try buying an easier-to-remember URL and redirecting your site to the original. Redirecting takes only a few minutes and many website domain providers like GoDaddy provide step-by-step instructions.

If URL redirects are not your cup of tea, you can generate a QR code. This is the square of unique black and white blocks that allow users to scan via their phone’s camera and immediately open your massage therapy website without typing in anything.

You can display the QR code on the bottom or side of the flyer and most people will instinctively know what it is. But type out the website URL below it anyway just in case.

Streamline your design

Don’t give your headline and call to action much to compete with. Visually, you should see the headline first, call to action second, and supplemental information third. Ideally, your graphics are clear and relegated to either the background, side, or along the edges of the flyer so that they don’t distract from the text.

Stay away from arrows or call-outs (stars, bubbles, lightning bolts) and simply make things stand out with a larger or bolder font.

COLORS: Choose one main color and one accent color for your background, copy, and design elements. Too many colors might distract from your message. If you’re not going to use colors that are in your logo, be sure that they still coordinate, or change your logo to all white or all black so that they does.

FONTS: Stick to one main font and one accent font. Scripted fonts may feel refined, but they can also be difficult to read, especially when they’re smaller. If you want to use a script, choose one that has more space between each letter and doesn’t look italicized. Use it sparingly, like on a package title or subheading, but never on contact information.

IMAGES: If you have an image, make sure that it is crisp and clear. We recommend using the image behind the headline, just above or just below. You can left or right justify any images that are supporting the supplemental information so that you don’t have to sacrifice the center space of the flyer.

If you need massage therapy flyer templates, Canva is the spot for you. You can choose the design that is right for your message, alter the colors and fonts as needed, add your logo and text, and download for a few dollars. It’s easy and user-friendly!

PRINTING: Spring for a professional printer. Printing flyers yourself may be cost-effective, but thick or glossy paper makes a more lasting impression. For printers, we like Staples and moo.com.

Where should I hang my massage therapy flyer?

Almost as important as the flyer’s design and messaging is its location. Obviously, you want to place flyers in high-traffic areas, but you can go beyond the nearest Starbucks. You should consider where your ideal clientele works, shops, and lives.

We recommend that you try to tailor your message and headline to the places where your flyer hangs. For example, you could promote athletic massage at a local gym and list the benefits for recovery and old injuries. You might consider promoting pre-natal massage at a local yoga studio, or a couples massage in the coffee shop next to a boutique hotel. Better yet, talk to the hotel concierge and leave them a few flyers to share with guests asking for massage. You can also reach out to other local businesses and ask if they would be interested in referring their clients for a one-time discount.

The possibilities are endless, but your printing doesn’t have to be. Try creating a few versions and hang them at different spots around town. See if there are any trends with your incoming calls and bookings. What location and promoted service worked best to convert potential clients?

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