When you’re trying to advertise an upcoming sale, promote a theater performance, recruit volunteers for a charity event or offer music lessons, there’s no need to spend money on a design company to make your materials. Create your own free fliers on your computer. They are usually a one-page handout on a standard piece of paper, and can be made through a variety of programs.
Instructions
Publisher
1. Open Publisher or download a free trial . Click "Publications for Print." Click the "Flyers" link and review the preset flier designs. Double-click a flier, which opens in the Publisher workspace.
2. Click your cursor inside the flier headline box, which becomes highlighted. Type directly over it with your new headline, such as "Band performance Saturday," "First clarinet lesson free" or "Cupcake sale, buy one get one free."
3. Click into the other placeholder text boxes on the flier and replace the information with your own, including contact details, dates and times of the performance, or a description of what you’re selling.
4. Right-click the placeholder image on the flier. Select "Change Picture" and choose "From File." Browse to a digital image stored on your computer and double-click the file name, which appears in place on the flier.
5. Click the "Color Schemes" link on the "Flyer Options" pane on the left side of the screen. Scroll through the color groups and double-click a set; the flier automatically updates to the new colors in the Publisher workspace.
Paint
6. Open Paint. Pull down the "Image" menu and click "Attributes." Set the page dimensions as 8.5 inches by 11 inches and click the "OK" button.
7. Click the "Text" tool, which looks like an "A." Position your cursor at the top of the flier and click. Type the flier headline.
8. Move your cursor down toward the bottom of the flier and click again, adding more text such as directions to the event, dress code, pricing and other details.
9. Click the "Paintbrush" tool. Select the small round brush head and choose a color from the "Color Picker" at the bottom of the screen. Draw the outline of an item that goes along with what you’re advertising, such as a bicycle, beach ball, ice cream cone or pumpkin.
10. Click the "Paint Bucket" tool and click inside the outline, which fills with color. Switch to the "Pencil" tool. Choose a new paint color and add designs to the drawing.
Word
11. Open Word or download a free trial as part of the Microsoft Office Suite. Pull down the "File" menu and click "New." When the "New Document" pane opens, type "flier" or "flyer" into the "Search online for" box and click "Go." You can type something more specific, such as "club flier" or "sales flier," but you may get fewer results.
12. Scroll through the list of flier template results, click a link to preview an example and click the "Download" button to open the flier in Word.
13. Highlight the flier headline and text with your cursor, then type directly over the top of the placeholder words with your own. Highlight the text again, then use the text toolbar at the top of the page to change the text’s font, size, position and color.
14. Click once on the placeholder graphic on the flier to give it focus, then press the "Delete" key to remove it from the flier.
15. Add your own custom graphic by pulling down the "Insert" menu. Click "Picture" and select "From File." Navigate to a digital photo or picture on your computer and double-click the file name. The image appears on the flier. Repeat to add more pictures as desired.
