Common Flyer Mistakes Small Businesses Make — And How to Fix Them

Flyers are one of the most affordable and effective marketing tools for small businesses — but only when they’re done correctly. Unfortunately, many flyers miss the mark because of avoidable design and strategy mistakes. If you’re investing money into printed marketing, you want every piece to work hard for you.

Here are the most common mistakes small businesses make on flyers, how to fix them, and why working with a professional designer can save you money long-term.

1. No Clear Call-to-Action (CTA)

A flyer without a CTA is just a piece of paper.

Many small businesses list information but forget to tell people what to do next. Without direction, customers skim and move on.

A strong flyer MUST tell the reader:

Clear CTAs improve response rates and give customers a reason to take immediate action.

2. Not Enough Color or Visual Contrast

One of the biggest flyer mistakes is using designs that look washed out, flat, or unnoticeable.

Your flyer should stand out instantly — not blend into everything else on a community board or countertop.

Common color mistakes include:

When you invest in print, use color strategically to catch attention and guide the eye.

3. Choosing the Wrong Size

This is one of the most overlooked issues in small-business marketing.

If your flyer is too big, it becomes expensive. If it’s too small, people ignore it.Most flyers are made to be handed to the masses, not placed carefully one at a time — so size matters.

At MPR Designs, we typically recommend: 5×7 flyers

Why?

A 5×7 flyer gives you the perfect balance between visibility and affordability.

4. Printing In-House (and Paying Much More for It)

A lot of businesses try to save money by printing flyers on their office printer — but it almost always costs more.

Hidden costs include:

Full-color printing is extremely expensive when done in-house. Most office printers charge the equivalent of $0.35 to $0.65 per page in ink alone.

Meanwhile, professional printing through MPR Designs is significantly more affordable:

✔ 5×7 Flyers Starting Around: $0.07 per flyer at 1,000 quantity

(Prices subject to change depending on paper type, finish, and volume.)

This means you can get 1,000 premium-quality flyers for around the same cost many people spend printing 200 at home.

5. Too Much Text — Not Enough Focus

Flyers aren’t brochures. Your message should be simple, bold, and easy to scan.

People decide whether they’ll read a flyer in three seconds — so make those seconds count.

6. No Strategy Behind the Design

Flyers shouldn’t be “pretty.” They should be purposeful.

Before printing, you should be able to answer:

Without strategy, even the best-looking flyer won’t perform.

At MPR Designs, every flyer is built with:

Make Every Flyer Count With MPR Designs

Your marketing should move people — not waste money. Flyers are one of the simplest tools a small business can use, but only when designed with purpose, clarity, and professional-quality print.

If you want help creating effective, affordable flyers that get results, reach out to Makayla at MPR Designs. We’ll design, print, and deliver flyers that fit your marketing goals and maximize your budget.

Email: makayla@mprdesigns.com
Flyer Design Services: www.mprdesigns.com/services/flyer/