Flyer
Whether print or digital, flyers are a classic medium for spreading the word of your department's events, programs, and classes. Anyone can make a flyer; to make a good flyer, however, requires thought and intention.
Oftentimes the impulse is to jump right into design. While a blank canvas is appealing, take a moment to prepare. Answering a few key questions will save you time and energy by giving you purpose and direction.
Key questions:
Who is the audience?
Different audiences will require different information be at the forefront. If you are advertising a program to students already enrolled at George Mason University—a certificate they might add to a master’s, for example—then copy can focus on the value of adding an additional program, how it might support their current studies, the monetary value of doing something akin to a dual-degree. Advertising to prospective Mason students means you’ll want to include key facts about your department, financial aid, and even Mason itself.
Your audience will also help determine how and where this flyer should be distributed. Speaking of:
Where will this be displayed or distributed?
This is an important question for sizing and content. A flyer that will be displayed on the TVs in the Johnson Center is different than one which will be handed out at a fair. Be certain of where your flyer is intended to be used before starting a design or preparing the copy.
What do you want to achieve with the flyer?
Do you want people to visit your program website? Fill out an inquiry form? Sign up for a course? Every flyer should have one key action you want your audience to make, and should give them the tools to follow through with that action: a shortened link to a webpage or inquiry form, instructions on how to add a class to your schedule, or ticketing information for the event.
Once you have these three key pieces ready, you’re ready to start creating! To help you with the creation process, templates are available as both Adobe InDesign files and Canva files. These are already approved by the central Office of Marketing and Communications.
As you’re designing and writing, here are some best practices:
Focused and Brief Text
While text is important, keep it focused and brief. 100-200 words is a general target. Remember: there will be a link to your website included, so save the minutiae and smaller details for the webpage. A good, general outline of the copy for a program promotional flyer may look something like this:
- A brief summary of the program.
Think of this like an elevator pitch: if you had only 30 seconds to explain the program, what would you say?
- A list of 3-5 selling points for your program.
Items such as: unique coursework, valuable curricular or extracurricular experiences, fellowship opportunities, what a graduate might gain that is unique to this program, can the program be completed entirely online.
- Basic catalog information.
How many credit hours, if an internship or thesis is required, etc.
A full listing of course requirements is not recommended for a flyer: remember, the goal is to get them to the website, where they can see those details in a clearer format, and which is updated more regularly.
- Application deadline
Include all sessions: spring, summer, and/or fall, depending on your program’s admissions cycle.
Simple Design
Keep the design simple. Too many design elements—patterns, photos, multiple fonts—will distract from the content. Fewer but larger photos are much more effective in conveying your message than a lot of little photos or design elements people won’t pay attention to.
For photos, make sure they are high-resolution photos so they will look good in print and can be more easily resized to fit your design.
NOTE: Please follow the rules of Fair Use for images taken from the internet. Please review this helpful guide from Baylor College on fair use for universities, as well as the Mason University Library’s InfoGuide on Fair Use.
Photos from photo.gmu.edu are available to use.
Clear Call-to-Action
Have a clear call-to-action. Do you want them to visit your website? Start an application? Fill out an inquiry form? Select one clear action you want the recipients to do, and highlight that on the flyer.
Using a larger font, bolding the text, using a different color are all good techniques for drawing attention to information.
Accessibility
Be aware of accessibility. Even if it’s a digital PDF, make sure the font is legible both in contrast (ex. no light-yellow font on a white background) and size.
Follow George Mason Style Guide
Other resources:
For photos, you can check out https://photo.gmu.edu/, which is Mason’s online photo repository. Mason faculty and staff can gain access to the photos by clicking “Staff Password” in either the sidebar or the yellow hyperlink at the top of the homepage.
Our CHSS Marketing and Communications Sharepoint includes individual department, college, and Mason logos, as well as templates to assist you in the design process.