Promoting an event starts with a well-designed flyer. It helps grab attention, share key details, and build excitement without costing you a fortune. In fact, you can create a flyer for free in just a few simple steps – no design skills needed.
Let me show you how…
8 Steps to Create a Flyer For Free
- Choose a Tool
- Write the Text
- Find High-Quality Images
- Browse Some Templates
- Consider Fonts & Colors
- Bring it All Together
- Optimize for Print
- Download & Share
Below, you’ll find a detailed explanation of each of these steps.
1. Choose a Tool
The first and perhaps most important step to creating a flyer for free is choosing the right tool. Ideally, you would want something that’s easy to use and comes with all the essential functionalities. Here are our top picks:
Canva
This is a go-to platform for beginners and professionals alike. You can find thousands of free templates, making it easy to create a flyer that matches your event’s theme. It even has a drag-and-drop interface that can be used to customize fonts, colors, and images – all without any design experience.
Adobe Express
Another close competitor to Canva is Adobe Express. It has a similar interface, but you can explore it for a unique selection of templates that cater to different styles and industries. While some are paid, many are free and fully customizable.
Bonus: Digifloat
This is a shameless pitch, but if you want professional-quality designs, there’s no better option than Digifloat. Our unlimited graphic design subscription can help you handle high-volume creative demand without compromising the quality.
Our team of in-house designers will deliver custom flyer designs that align perfectly with your brand identity. You won’t have to rely on templates ever! Just sign up and let us create stunning designs while you focus on core business operations.
2. Write the Text
Before we jump into the design, you should draft all the text for your flyer. We recommend using Google Docs as it will help you organize your content and collaborate with others before finalizing the information. You can also easily copy and paste the text from here into your design tool.
3. Find High-Quality Images
Now comes the fun part – selecting images for the flyer. It doesn’t matter what is the intent of your flyer; you need good-quality images to communicate your message effectively. If you prefer stock images like these:
Source: Digifloat’s Portfolio
Or maybe like these:
Source: Digifloat’s Portfolio
You should check out websites like Unsplash, Pexels, and Pixabay. They have a wide collection of graphics ranging from nature shots to business, event photography, and lifestyle images featuring people in various settings.
Alternatively, you can also use illustrations in your flyer, like this:
This particular design is from Freepik, but you can find a variety of illustrations from websites such as Illustration.so and Blush.Design. In fact, you can check out this list of top 11 royalty-free illustrations websites to get started.
4. Browse Some Templates
Now it’s time to get back to our design tool and browse some flyer templates. This will be a great starting point because you’ll get a pre-designed layout, which saves time and effort.
If you opted for Canva, here’s what the template library will look like:
Take your time to explore different templates and shortlist the ones that best match your event’s theme and branding. You don’t have to find something that aligns perfectly with your vision because a lot of elements are customizable.
5. Consider Fonts & Colors
These are two crucial aspects of flyer design. In a lot of cases, it’s advised to stick to your brand’s fonts and colors to reinforce brand identity. However, we are talking about print design, which might require some adjustments.
For example, colors that look vibrant on a screen can appear dull in print, and certain fonts may not be as legible at smaller sizes. If your brand colors also don’t translate well to print, we recommend tweaking the shades while maintaining brand consistency. Similarly, you can opt for alternative fonts that preserve your brand’s look and feel while being readable.
6. Bring it All Together
We have finalized everything, and now it’s time to bring it all together. You can start by opening the template in the design tool. You’ll have to make changes to the layout, but it will be easy because of the drag-and-drop feature.
You can also use the left sidebar to change color and font size. For example, if you chose Canva, this is how the interface will look like:
You can also upload your images and place them strategically within the template to enhance its visual appeal. Once everything is in place – we can move on to downloading the design in your preferred format.
7. Optimize for Print
But but but, before we download the design, you need to make sure it’s optimized for print media. Here’s what to check:
CMYK color mode
Digital screens use RGB, but printers work with CMYK. Your designs should be converted accordingly to ensure accurate color reproduction.
300 DPI resolution
The designs you want to print should be at least 300 DPI (dots per inch) to ensure sharp, high-quality prints without any pixelation or blurriness.
Bleed margins
You’ll have to leave some extra space around the edges (typically 0.125 inches) to prevent unwanted white borders after trimming.
High-quality PDF
Always save your final designs in PDF to preserve clarity and ensure compatibility with professional printing services.
8. Download & Share
We are all set; you just need to download the images and start sharing. As we said, the best formats are PDF for high-quality printing and PNG/JPEG for digital sharing. Also, remember to double-check the bleed margins and resolution to ensure crisp results.
Once printed, you can start distributing them in high-traffic areas like coffee shops, community boards, and local businesses. If you’re targeting a specific audience, you can consider handing them out at events or including them in mail campaigns.
Summing Up: How to Create a Flyer for Free
Creating a flyer for free is easier than ever with the right tools and approach. The steps we discussed above will give you a professional-looking design in no time! But if you need a hands-free approach – sign up for our unlimited graphic design services.
We have a team of in-house designers who can help you create a variety of promotional materials for your brand. You won’t ever have to worry about design quality, consistency, or meeting tight deadlines – we’ve got it all covered! Go sign up here.
