It’s been over a year since COVID-19 brought the world to a standstill. It single-handedly put a halt on almost everything globally. One of the sectors severely hit by the pandemic is the economy. Countless businesses were forced to shut down, left with no assurance of recovery.
Some were lucky enough to continue operations but struggled to survive. Several businesses have resorted to different advertising methods in hopes of getting traction. One of the commonly used methods is through paper flyers. With the help of modern flyer maker, it’s easier to create printed ads, even for those with no prior experience.
The Fate of Flyers Amid COVID-19
But even these traditional forms of advertisement are on the brink of being discontinued. Flyers and pamphlets are deemed risky, particularly in spreading coronavirus.
Sure, paper flyers have seen a significant decline since digital ads started gaining popularity. But the pandemic hits a bigger blow to printed promotional materials, putting them at risk of a wider phase-out.
Nowadays, the number of brands relying on pamphlets and print ads has been spiraling down. Many of these ventures opted to make a more modern and safer approach in promoting their businesses.
Some decided to stop using it because of the decline in potential customers, especially in places still in lockdown.
Others have concerns about the safety of distributing printed materials to the public, be it to disseminate information or promote a particular product. One study suggests that SARS-CoV-2 can survive on surfaces, including paper. It is believed that the virus can last up to three hours on a printed paper. This information definitely scared many people.
Pic credit: Polina Zimmerman/Pexels
How to Maintain Safety
When Making and Distributing Printed Materials?
With the continuous increase of COVID-19 cases worldwide, it’s better to be safe than sorry. So before you distribute printed advertising, ask yourself, is it worth the risk? Are there other alternatives you can try for the time being?
Today, there are still some businesses that prefer traditional printed advertising—restaurants, grocery stores, beauty salons, to name a few.
If you think it’s essential to promote your business through print, consider these factors to ensure safety as much as possible.
- Ensure that people in charge of printing and distributing flyers, pamphlets, brochures, and more are not COVID-19 positive or show no symptoms of the virus.
- Observe health protocols before, during, and after producing the paper ads. Wash hands thoroughly, wear a face mask and other protective gear.
- Ensure that the equipment you will use is disinfected before and after production. It will help stop the spread of the virus.
- Decontaminate the printed materials before distribution. To do this, leave them in a clean, sealed space, untouched for the next 24 hours.
- If possible, give each staff a set of printed materials sealed in a bag. Instruct them to reseal it in between distribution. Only those assigned to the particular bag should have access to it.
- Staff must wear appropriate protective gear when going around the street to distribute printed materials. Social distancing is best observed as well.
- Minimize physical contact with people as much as possible. If you’re delivering it, better to leave it at their doorsteps. Advise them not to touch it for a few hours, explaining the reason for it.
- Do not feel bad if you or your staff couldn’t distribute all your flyers in one go. Remember, not everyone’s comfortable interacting with other people yet, especially with the pandemic and all.
Pic credit: Gerd Altmann/Pixabay
Should You Go Digital?
If you’re worried about the potential risks of giving out paper flyers, you can always try other safer and more accessible alternatives.
Flyers and other advertising materials can now be done with just a few clicks through an online flyer maker. Apps like Venngage give users the freedom to customize their flyers based on their needs.
It has a vast collection of templates that you can use in creating professional-looking flyers, infographics, banners, posters, and more. It’s also straightforward to do.
For instance, you can create an engaging flyer using Venngage’s flyer maker. Just pick your template, personalize its content with your images, texts, and font colors with ease. You’re sure to get the same, if not better results, than the traditional paper ads.
Digital advertisements have existed for quite a long time. A lot of businesses and individuals have already embraced the trend, and the results were impressive.
The COVID-19 situation still shows no signs of getting better anytime soon. As unfortunate as it may sound, it’ll be part of our day-to-day lives, at least for now. That being said, we must learn to adjust accordingly.
Many businesses are still struggling these days. But with the help of technology, their chances of survival will increase dramatically. Don’t hesitate to try new things, especially those that have proven successful in the past.
