How to Hand Out Flyers

Flyer and leaflet distribution can be a fantastic marketing strategy for targeting local customers. There are some restrictions on when and where you can hand out your flyers, however, so check below to make sure you’re on the right side of the law.

Can I Hand Out Flyers in the Street?

Being able to hand out flyers in the street depends on local government policy. You’ll need to check with the local council in your area whether or not you need to pay a fee or apply to a licence. 

If you fail to adhere to the rules of your licence, your licence may be cancelled, and you could get a fixed penalty of up to £80, or a fine up to £2,500 and a criminal record. Your flyers might also be taken away from you until the end of any legal proceedings. 

Do I Need a Permit to Hand Out Flyers?

The permissions needed to hand out flyers depends on your local council’s rules. To check the law in your area, you can enter your postcode into the Government’s local council finder.

For example, there are a number of places in Birmingham where the council require you to apply for consent before handing out print. This is to help improve littering in these areas.

Other councils may issue a badge for each authorised person to wear while distributing the flyers and leaflets. If you are issued a badge, local police officers could ask you to show this at any time.

Is It Illegal to Post Flyers?

If you’re following local government policy, posting flyers is completely legal. There are even a few instances where you don’t legally need permission, or to apply for a licence, for flyer posting. These include:

• If you’re posting them through letterboxes
• If you’re distributing them in a building, bus station or taxi
• If you’re handing them out on behalf of a charity
• If you’re handing them out for political or religious purposes

Although you won’t need permission from your local council, you will still need to ask for permission from whoever owns the land, taxi, café or wherever it is you’re posting your flyers and leaflets.

Handing Out Flyers Tips

1. Understand Your Target Audience

   Targeting your distribution is a fantastic way of boosting your flyers’ performance. If you run a local business, one option is to geographically target your audience. Pick postcodes and areas that are close to your business to find potential customers who live nearby and distribute there.
   
   You could also try demographic targeting. If your flyer addresses a certain group of people in a specific demographic category, e.g. single parents or students, then being selective over who receives a flyer can also boost your chance of success.
    

2. Choose Your Location Wisely

   Now you’ve considered your target audience, the next thing to do is plan where you’re going to distribute your flyers.
   
   Are you going to hand them out to people directly? Leave a stack of handouts in a high traffic area? Or go door-to-door? Think about the legal implications of your location choices and make sure you get the right permissions before flyer posting.
    

3. Brush Up on Your Networking Skills

   Planning on handing your flyers out? Use this as an opportunity to make a brand connection. Talk with the potential customer and find out their views on your industry, or what problems they have that your product could solve. 
   
   Building rapport leaves customers with a positive feeling about your business and really helps to reinforce your flyer’s message.
    

4. Get Your Timing Right

   Planning your print marketing around different seasonal events is another great way of creating relevant content to engage your audience. 
   
   If you’re advertising an event or sale, do you want this to be pre-event or during? Are you targeting customers during the holidays? When will your target customer be around your distribution area? You need to consider all of these things when planning your flyer drop.
    

5. Collaborate with Other Businesses

   The most traditional ways are often the best! Ask other local businesses if they’ll post your flyers in their windows or stack them on display tables. Businesses with waiting rooms are best for this, where people spend time and won’t have much to do – like hairdressers and dentists. 
   
   Research some local businesses beforehand and think about which ones will be of interest to your target customers.

We hope this gives you all the information you need to successfully hand your flyers and leaflets out. All that’s left now is to make your own flyer! Create your own professional print quickly and easily free our free online design tool.