How to Get Flyers Printed: A Simple Guide to Ordering Flyers Online

If you've designed a flyer for your business, event or promotion and are wondering how to get your flyers printed, the process is probably easier than you think. You don't need specialist printing knowledge, and you don't need to visit a print shop in person.

In this guide, we'll take you through the main decisions you need to make, from choosing a flyer size and paper finish to preparing your artwork, uploading your file and placing your printing order online.

Quick answer: Choose the flyer size, paper and print options you need, prepare your artwork at the correct size with bleed, upload your file, check the preview and place your order. Your finished flyers can then be printed and delivered to you.

What Do I Need Before I Can Get Flyers Printed?

To order professionally printed flyers, you will normally need two things: an idea of the type of flyer you want and the artwork you would like printed.

You don't necessarily need to know all of the printing terminology beforehand. Decisions such as the size, paper finish and whether to print one or both sides can be made when choosing your product.

Your artwork can be created using professional design software or applications such as Canva, provided the finished file is prepared at the correct size and suitable for printing.

1. Decide What Size Flyers You Need

The first decision is the finished size of your flyer. There isn't one standard flyer size that is right for every job, so think about how much information your design contains and how the flyers will be distributed.

Common flyer sizes include:

• A7 – 74 × 105 mm: very compact and useful for simple messages or small handouts.
• A6 – 105 × 148 mm: postcard-sized and suitable for concise promotions and handouts.
• A5 – 148 × 210 mm: a versatile size with plenty of room for most promotional messages.
• A4 – 210 × 297 mm: useful when you have more information, larger images or detailed content.
• A3 – 297 × 420 mm: a much larger format where greater visibility is required.
• DL – 99 × 210 mm: a narrow format suitable for price lists, menus, offers and inserts.
• Square: a distinctive alternative to traditional rectangular flyer sizes.

If you're unsure, A5 or A6 are useful starting points for many general promotional flyers. A5 gives you more room for information, while A6 produces a smaller flyer that is easy to hand out or include with other items.

2. Choose Your Paper Finish

The paper you choose affects the look and feel of your finished flyers. At Short Run Print, our paper options include gloss, silk and uncoated finishes.

Gloss paper has a smooth surface with more shine and works particularly well with colourful photographs and graphics.

Silk paper is also smooth but has a softer, lower-sheen finish. It is a versatile option for designs containing a mixture of photographs, graphics and text.

Uncoated paper has a smooth but non-shiny surface and is especially useful if somebody may need to write on the flyer after it has been printed.

There is no single paper finish that is right for every flyer. Choose the option that best suits your design and how the finished flyer will be used.

3. Decide Whether to Print One Side or Both Sides

Next, decide whether your flyer needs to be printed on one side or both sides.

A single-sided flyer can work well when you have one clear message, such as an offer, event announcement or simple advertisement.

Double-sided printing gives you more room without increasing the physical size of the flyer. You might use the front for the main headline, offer or photograph and the reverse for additional information, prices, contact details or directions.

4. Prepare Your Flyer Artwork for Printing

Once you've chosen your flyer specification, make sure your artwork has been prepared at the correct finished size.

If your background colour, photograph or design runs all the way to the edge of the flyer, it also needs to extend beyond the finished edge into the bleed area.

Short Run Print requires 2 mm bleed around artwork that prints to the edge. This extra artwork allows the flyer to be trimmed without leaving an unwanted white edge.

We also recommend keeping important text, logos, telephone numbers and other essential information at least 3 mm inside the finished edge. This is known as the safe area.

The Artwork Guide on each product page shows the finished dimensions, bleed and recommended safe area for that particular flyer size.

5. Check Your Images and Text

Before sending your flyer to print, take a few minutes to check the design carefully.

Photographs and graphics should be good enough quality for the size at which they will be printed. For photographic images, approximately 300 dpi at the final printed size is a useful target.

Also check all of the information contained in your flyer, particularly:

• Spelling and punctuation
• Telephone numbers
• Addresses
• Prices and offers
• Dates and opening times
• Website addresses
• QR codes

It is much easier to correct a mistake in the artwork before the flyers are printed than afterwards.

6. Save Your Artwork as a Print-Ready File

When your flyer design is finished, save or export it in a format suitable for professional printing.

A high-quality PDF is generally the most convenient format because it can keep your page layout, text and graphics together in a single file.

Before uploading the PDF, open it yourself and check every page. Make sure nothing has moved, all images are present and the correct sides have been included if the flyer is double-sided.

7. Choose Your Quantity

Think about how many flyers you realistically need. You may be handing them out, delivering them locally, adding them to customer orders or displaying them at a counter or reception area.

You don't always need thousands of copies. Short-run flyer printing is useful when you only need a smaller quantity, want to test a promotion or regularly change your prices, dates or offers.

At Short Run Print, flyer quantities start from small runs, allowing you to order the number that suits the job rather than automatically committing to a very large print run.

8. Upload Your Flyer Artwork

Once you've selected your flyer size, quantity and print options, click Add to Basket and Upload to supply your artwork.

After the file has uploaded, you'll be shown a low-resolution preview. This gives you an opportunity to check the content and positioning of your artwork before continuing.

You can also adjust the scale of your artwork using the online preview if required.

If something doesn't look right, amend your artwork and upload the corrected version before placing the order.

9. Check Your Basket and Place Your Order

When you're happy with the uploaded artwork, continue to your basket. Your artwork preview will be shown again so you have another opportunity to check it.

You can then proceed to checkout, enter your delivery details and choose from the delivery services available for your order.

Once the order has been placed, your flyers can be printed, finished and dispatched to the delivery address you provided.

Getting flyers printed is straightforward: choose your size, paper, printed sides and quantity, upload your artwork, check the preview and complete your order.

Common Questions About Getting Flyers Printed

Where can I get flyers printed?

You can order flyers from an online commercial printer such as Short Run Print. Choose the flyer specification you need, upload your artwork and complete the order online, with the finished printing delivered to you.

Can I get a small number of flyers printed?

Yes. Short-run printing is particularly useful when you don't need thousands of flyers. Smaller quantities can suit local businesses, events, temporary promotions, test campaigns and designs that are likely to change regularly.

What size should I make my flyer?

It depends on the amount of information and how the flyer will be used. A6 is compact, while A5 gives you more room and is a versatile choice for many promotions. A4 works well when you need considerably more space, while DL provides a narrower format.

What paper should I choose for flyers?

Gloss works well for colourful and photographic designs, silk provides a smooth lower-sheen finish, and uncoated paper is a good choice when you prefer a natural appearance or need people to write on the finished flyer.

Should flyers be single-sided or double-sided?

Use single-sided printing when all of the information fits comfortably on one side. Double-sided flyers provide additional space and can help you keep the main design uncluttered by moving supporting information to the reverse.

What file should I send to a flyer printer?

A high-quality print-ready PDF is a good choice for most flyer artwork. The file should be created at the correct finished size, include bleed where artwork reaches the edge and contain good-quality images.

Do flyers need bleed?

If colours, photographs or graphics run to the finished edge, bleed is required. Short Run Print asks for 2 mm bleed around the relevant edges so the flyer can be trimmed cleanly without leaving unwanted white lines.

Can I design my own flyers?

Yes. You can create your own flyer artwork using suitable design software or an online design application such as Canva. Just make sure the document is set to the correct size and prepared for professional printing before uploading it.

How long does flyer printing take?

Turnaround and delivery can depend on the particular product and delivery service selected. The relevant delivery dates are shown when ordering, so you can see the available options before completing your purchase.