How to Create a Real Estate Marketing Flyer That Sells

How to Create a Real Estate Marketing Flyer That Sells

For decades, the trusty real estate flyer has been a staple marketing tool for agents and brokers.

And for good reason—when designed and distributed correctly, a real estate flyer can be an extremely effective and affordable way to promote your services, listings, open houses, and more.

But simply slapping together a lacklustre flyer and randomly tossing it on doorsteps isn't likely to generate leads or grow your business.

Creating a real estate marketing flyer that sells in today's digital world requires thoughtfulness, strategy, and a keen understanding of your target buyers and sellers.

In this comprehensive guide, we'll walk through the crafting of compelling real estate flyers that capture attention and drive results.

Know Your Goal and Audience

Before you even open your graphic design software, the first step is getting crystal clear on the purpose of your flyer and who you're trying to reach with it.

Identify Your Objective

Real estate flyers can serve many different goals, such as:

• Promoting an individual property listing
• Advertising your services as an agent/broker
• Marketing an open house event
• Announcing a new development or construction project
• Sharing community news or updates

Once you identify the specific purpose of this particular flyer, you can craft the content, design, and distribution strategy accordingly.

Understand Your Target Audience

Next, be specific about who you want to read and respond to this flyer. The demographic factors to consider include:

• Location – Neighbourhoods, cities, regions, etc.
• Age range
• Income and home budget
• Family size or situation (singles, couples, families, empty nesters)
• Home preferences and needs (type, bedrooms/baths, amenities, lot size, etc.)
• Likelihood and timeframe to buy/sell

The flyer message and design should speak directly to your target audience's priorities, interests, motivations, and concerns.

Choose the Right Flyer Format

Real estate flyers come in various shapes and sizes, each with pros and cons. Consider these factors as you determine the best format for your specific marketing goal and audience:

Full Page Flyers

The standard 8.5″ x 11″ full-page flyer is the most common option. The large size allows ample space to showcase property photos and details or effectively promote your brand. However, the cost per flyer is higher, and they can be trickier for recipients to store or display easily.

Half Page Flyers

Half-page flyers measure either 5.5″ x 8.5″ or 8.5″ x 5.5″, offering a nice balance of portability and usable space. They fit nicely into mailboxes and are easy for people to pin up on fridges or bulletin boards. Half-page flyers are more digestible at a glance.

Tri-fold Brochure Format

For listings or specialised promotions, a tri-fold brochure flyer adds depth. The three folded panels (eight total surfaces, including front and back) provide room for plenty of visually engaging content. Make sure to design the flow and layout intentionally across all panels.

Postcard Flyers

For neighbourhoods with stricter mailbox rules, a 4″ x 6″ or 5″ x 7″ postcard flyer slips easily through the slot. Postcard flyers are incredibly portable and have space for eye-catching imagery on one side and a more detailed message on the back.

Door Hangers

As the name suggests, door hanger flyers have an integrated cutout or hook to hang on doorknobs conveniently. They guarantee that each resident will see your message. The unusual shape also commands attention. But door hangers must be manually distributed.

Take-One Boxes

If you have a high foot traffic physical location like a model home or office, a take-one box filled with your flyers allows passersby to grab copies voluntarily. The self-service approach avoids intrusiveness.

For any format, ensure your flyer is easily comprehended at a close reading and a glance. Use bullet points, headlines, white space, and visual hierarchy to communicate critical information quickly.

Craft an Engaging Headline and Call-to-Action

Regardless of your flyer objective or design, your headline and call-to-action are the two most critical elements to nail. These work together to hook attention, convey key messaging fast, and direct the next step you want the recipient to take.

Write a Magnetic Headline

Your headline will determine whether or not someone engages with the rest of your flyer content, so make it compelling. Effective real estate flyer headlines:

• Promise pertinent benefits
• Appeal to the target audience's priorities
• Establish credibility and trust
• Introduce urgency or exclusivity
• Align with the content and purpose of the flyer

For example, listing flyers could have headlines like:

• “Your Picture-Perfect Family Home!”
• “Gluten-free Coastal Living Only 5 Miles from Downtown”
• “Turnkey Oasis – Now with 9% Price Reduction!”

The headline for a broker service flyer geared to sellers might state:

“Get a Free Home Value Report from Ashland's Top Producing Team”

Add a Clear Call-to-Action

Once you have their attention, add a prominent call-to-action to tell the recipient exactly what you want them to do after reading your flyer.

“Call Sara at 123-456-7890 to Schedule a Showing.”

“Visit Our Open House Saturday, April 4th 1 pm-4 pm”

“Reserve Your Spot at the Jennings New Construction Seminar”

The call-to-action should be an easy next step that leads prospects closer to conversion. Provide any relevant booking details, contact info, URLs, or unique codes needed to complete the action.

Look, the biggest problem with a bit of paper is that it's just a bit of paper.

It's a dead end.

You need to build a bridge from that flyer in their hand straight to your digital world.

That bridge is a QR code.

It’s not fancy tech anymore, everyone knows how to use them.

Stick one on your flyer that links directly to a video tour.

Or a gallery with 30 high-res photos.

Or even a page where they can book a viewing right then and there.

It makes their life easier, which means they're more likely to actually do something.

You can get these QR codes for free from loads of websites, and the good ones even let you track how many people have scanned it.

It's a doddle to set up and it connects your offline effort with your online results.

Optimise Visual Design

They say a picture is worth 1,000 words. Regarding flyers, compelling images and intuitive layout significantly amplify interest and readability.

Include Great Photos

Photos of the property or neighbourhood are essential for real estate flyers to paint a visual story.

For listing flyers, showcase:

• Exterior house photo
• Interior living spaces
• Unique features like pool, landscaping, or views
• Different angles and vantage points

For broker or branding flyers, incorporate:

• A professional headshot
• Stock photos reflecting your brand personality and target clients
• Infographics or charts to illustrate your success and expertise

Arrange the Layout Thoughtfully

Strategically arrange flyer content in an order and visual hierarchy that draws the eye down the page:

• Use your headline and a powerful image at the top to make a solid first impression
• Flow down through bullet points and paragraphs, highlighting key details
• End with your branding, contact info, and call-to-action in a footer area

Leave ample white space between elements and keep side margins clean. Limit paragraphs to 3-5 concise sentences each for scannability.

Add Visual Interest

Look for small opportunities to add polish through the intelligent use of:

• Fonts – Mix complementary fonts and sizes to create contrast between headings and body text
• Colour – Leverage colour psychology. Blue hues suggest trust. Green evokes natural spaces. Use accent colours sparingly for emphasis.
• Icons – Insert small icons following listing details like bed/bath counts and amenities
• Lines and boxes – Break up sections with horizontal stripes, dividers, or callout boxes.

Check Formatting Requirements

Be sure to design your flyer within the appropriate size and specifications for printing or distribution.

Using user-friendly flyer templates, you can quickly create flyers that meet professional design standards and are optimised for print and digital use.

These templates simplify the design process, ensuring your flyers are ready for distribution in no time with maximum effectiveness.

If mailing a postcard, verify postal regulations for image/text ratio and add the return address. Before mass printing, test that it fits comfortably over a doorknob for door hangers.

Write Magnetic Copy That Sells

Even the prettiest flyer design will fall flat without compelling copywriting to educate, engage, and motivate your audience.

List Sales Feature Prominently

For property listings, highlight sought-after home features like:

• Square footage
• Bedrooms and bathrooms
• Amenities (fireplace, pool, etc.)
• Recent upgrades and renovations
• Lot size and other details

Support with additional descriptive sentences like “The expansive chef's kitchen includes granite counters, a huge island, and top-of-the-line stainless steel appliances”.

For branding flyers, tout your credentials, awards, satisfaction ratings, and past sales stats.

Speak to Their Priorities and Lifestyle

Align your messaging with the motivations and values of your flyer's recipients. For example, young families want great schools, singles desire low-maintenance living, and retirees are interested in accessibility features.

Use lyrical copy to help readers envision living in the home or neighbourhood. “Imagine sunset dinners on your private patio overlooking the lakeside vista”.

Provide Logistical Details

Answer critical questions about property particulars or next steps:

• Open house or event times/dates/location
• Contact info and availability
• Registration or scheduling instructions
• Directions and parking details
• Deadlines for time-sensitive offers or discounts

The easier you move forward, the more leads your flyer will generate.

Build Credibility and Trust

Establish yourself or your team as reliable experts worth contacting. For example:

“The Smith Group has helped over 500 local families find their perfect Brookhaven home.”

Share professional affiliations, testimonials, years in business, and past customer results.

Be sure also to follow fair housing regulations for any descriptions or representations. Disclaimers like “not to scale” or “artist rendering” help avoid misperceptions.

Maintain Legal and Ethical Standards

Right, this bit isn't glamorous, but it'll save you a world of pain.

You've got to cover your back and follow the rules.

It’s not optional.

That means getting your head around the Fair Housing Act.

Don't write daft things like “perfect for a couple” or “quiet area for retirees.”

You're selling a property, not prescribing a lifestyle, and you can't be seen to exclude anyone.

Just talk about the features of the house.

You also need to have the essentials on there.

Your agent licence number, the name of your brokerage, and that little Equal Housing Opportunity logo.

Most regulatory bodies insist on it, so don't get caught out.

And it goes without saying, but be honest.

If the garden is 30 square metres, don't say it's a “sprawling outdoor space.”

Getting the facts wrong isn’t just sloppy, it can land you in serious hot water for misrepresentation.

Distribute Flyers Where Your Audience Lives

You could have the most beautiful, compelling flyer in the world – but if it doesn't end up in front of your target audience, it won't deliver results. Distribution and placement are just as important as design and messaging.

Door-to-Door

Personally delivering flyers door-to-door to specific neighbourhoods lets you get your message directly into the right hands. This works best for geographic farm areas or listings located in residential communities.

You can hand-deliver or hang flyers on doorknobs. Just be sure to follow any rules, like no soliciting signs. Only distribute during reasonable daytime hours.

Direct Mail

Mailing flyers using purchased mailing lists for your target demographics offers a broader reach. But you'll have less control over who receives and engages with the mailer.

Thing is, just carpet-bombing an entire postcode with flyers is a waste of money and effort.

It's lazy.

You can get much smarter with it.

Instead of just a broad mail drop, you can use data services to find the exact people you want to talk to.

Think of it like a targeted strike.

For example, you can get lists of homeowners who've been in their property for over ten years.

They're far more likely to be thinking about a move than someone who just moved in.

Or you could target renters in a high-end apartment block with flyers for new starter homes.

Just sold a house on a specific street?

Send a “Just Sold” flyer to the 50 houses either side of it.

It proves you get results in their immediate area.

This isn't about more mail; it's about better mail.

Handouts

Giving flyers as handouts at in-person networking events, open houses, industry expos, and community venues gets them into relevant hands. Just be present and proactive in distributing.

High-Traffic Drop Points

Placing flyers in central pick-up spots around busy areas like libraries, cafes, markets, offices, gyms, etc allows self-serve access. You can even explore targeted paid advertising placements on community bulletin boards.

Online

Post a digital PDF version of your flyer on social channels and your website for additional visibility. LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter can extend your reach.

For best results, take a multi-channel approach combining print and digital distribution tailored to where your audience will most likely discover your message.

Track Response and Optimise

To make your real estate flyers work for your business, you must go beyond a “set it and forget it” approach. Proactively monitor flyer performance and fine-tune your strategy over time.

Gather Feedback

Pay attention to any anecdotal reactions you receive and jot down notes. If you get great engagement from a specific neighbourhood, flyer style, or post timing, expand on what's working.

Measure Response

Build in ways to directly track flyer-driven activity like calls, walk-ins, event sign-ups, web traffic, or leads submitted. UTM campaign tags, unique phone numbers, online forms, and dedicated email addresses help quantify conversions.

Review Analytics

Assess digital analytics from your website, social channels, and email platform to see full-funnel impact, from initial impressions to closed deals. See which posts generate the most clicks.

If you're not tracking what works, you're just guessing.

A flyer campaign isn't just about getting your name out there; it's a test to see what actually gets a response.

So, you need to track proper metrics.

If you used a QR code or a unique web address, you need to be watching your website analytics like a hawk.

How many people actually visited that landing page?

How long did they stay?

Did they fill out the contact form?

A high bounce rate tells you the flyer promised something the webpage didn't deliver.

Better yet, use a dedicated phone number for each flyer campaign.

You can get them pretty cheap these days.

That way, when a call comes in on that number, you know with 100% certainty it came from that specific flyer you dropped in that specific neighbourhood.

This data shows you which headlines, images, and offers generate real leads, not just bin fodder.

Make Iterative Improvements

Let data guide edits and enhancements to your flyer content, design, distribution, and timing. Boost elements that get traction. Try A/B tests of slightly different versions. Continual refinement is critical.

With a thoughtful goals-driven approach, savvy design skills, compelling content, and intelligent distribution – your real estate flyer is well on its way to driving meaningful results for your business and bottom line.

Now it's time to get creative! The more tailored and consistent you can make your marketing flyers, the more memorable and effective they'll be.

Frequently Asked Questions