Printed Door Hangers

Printed Door Hangers

People invest a lot in door hanger printing. So it should be a given that there must be an equal or even a better return of that investment once you implement your door hanger printing campaign. However, some people make a few common mistakes when they print door hangers. They fail to see a couple of critical properties in the design of door hangers and what is worse they may repeat them over and over again.

If you are a door hanger designer, or a person who wants o invest in door hanger printing for your business then read on. We have compiled a small guide for you on why some door hanger printing campaigns fail. Hopefully you can avoid these same mistakes so that your investment in door hangers will come back ten fold.

Wrong target market

The worst thing you can do in door hanger marketing campaign is to target the wrong market. The very nature of door hangers is that you can place them directly at your target customer's house. However, if the home who receives the door hanger has no particular care or concern over your product, they most probably will just throw it away. All that walking and printing effort gone to the trash. For example, you are marketing a high cost service such as an exotic spa treatment or a 2000 channel high definition satellite service. The wrong door printing strategy would be to just put them all in the nearest neighborhoods that you can reach. This might seem okay, but you are not maximizing your distribution potential. Since your products are on the high end, it is better to focus your distribution in classier high end neighborhoods, and then when you are finished with them you can give the rest to the others.

Ineffective message or content

Another big mistake in door hanger printing is creating the wrong kind of content. This is a bit related to the target market issue we discussed above. Now, you may have a target market in mind, but you also need to cater your design to that market. A color door hanger designer should know the concerns and dreams of the people he/she will be marketing to. Some designers fail in this because they do not adapt the message of their custom door hangers to match those concerns and dreams.

To use the above example again, let us say that your message to your high end customers is that your services are the cheapest in the city and that they will save hundreds of dollars if they become your customers. Sounds okay right? However, customers on the high end of the spectrum are not necessarily looking for the best deals. Since they have some cash to burn they want the best service or a service that is fitting of their lifestyle. So you might do okay in some level with that original message but again you did not maximize the effect of your door hanger.

Lack of originality

Lastly, door hanger printing can fail because of the lack of originality. This happens when you have rivals that are also putting up door hanger advertisements. Some people, once they see one door hanger ad, they think they have seen them all. So if your rivals have been in a neighborhood before with door hangers, your own door hangers might get snubbed because they have seen door hangers like that before. You have to be original and make your door hangers different enough and eye-catching enough that people will think its not just that "usual door hanger ad".

Those are a few of the major mistakes designers make that help their door hangers fail. Learn from these mistakes and hopefully your own door hanger printing campaign may fare better.

Janice Jenkins is a writer for a marketing company in Chicago, IL. Mostly into marketing research, Janice started writing articles early 2007 to impart her knowledge to individuals new to the marketing industry.

For comments and inquiries about the article visit: Door Hanger Printing

what are techniques for advertising a small business?

i am doing a project for a class and i need help with coming up with advertising ideas. here are some examples that i am looking for....flyers placed on car windshields and door hangers advertising the business? can anyone think of any more ideas like these that would be for advertising for a small business. these things would be print ideas, no internet things, thats another part of the project that i have to do that i havent done yet. also if anyone has any creative advertising things that they have done in the past....thanks!

Hi,

Good idea placing fliers on car windshields and door hangars. The reason those techniques work is because the customer MUST at least look at it to remove it or throw it out. Once you understand the fact that most people will only give it a 5-10 second chance to grab their attention, it's ESSENTIAL that you do exactly that - GRAB THEIR ATTENTION.

Be sure that your printed materials have a very effective headline that gives the reader a benefit and reason to continue reading through your marketing piece. I have identified several other advertising techniques that you can use to promote your small business while staying off the internet.

Run a classified ad in the local newspaper. Be sure to make it heavy on user benefits. Rather than just saying who you are and what you do, explain to them the BENEFITS they will receive when they come to your business.

Depending on your business, you can approach a local printing company and make a deal to exchange print jobs for your services or for something that will be of benefit to them but low cost to you. The printing can be used for handouts, brochures, vinyl’s, banners, etc.

Put vinyl lettering on the windows of your vehicles. Perhaps take scenic shots with the vehicle and vinyl in view. Again, use the deal with a print shop to outsource this. Also, print vinyl’s to place in your businesses storefront windows.

Create cool stickers to give away for free at events and store locations that will wind up in strange places and increase your business's exposure. Print shop may aid in this effort as well.

Print and copy loads of fliers to put up around town and advertise the benefits of your business and give away coupons on the fliers. Also, hand out fliers in person and talk to locals and tourists to get additional information on their interests.

Submit letters to the editor in newspapers to raise awareness of your business. Signature the bottom with your company name and a brief benefit or reason to call you. Comment on very controversial topics that many people are sure to read.

Much like the print company alliance, make a deal with a local radio station to exchange air time for some benefit you can provide them with. This will allow you to do things like run ads, host talk shows about topics related to your business and more.

Good luck with your small business. Be sure to post a question if you would like some suggestions for online advertising techniques. You could also check out http://www.strategicedge.ca for more advertising and marketing techniques and tips.