What to Put on an Event Flyer: A Simple Planning Guide

Have an event coming up, but no idea what to send your designer? Start with the details. A clear flyer tells people what’s happening, why they might enjoy it and how to take part.

Whether you’re planning a pop-up market, a church fundraiser or a workshop, you don’t need to arrive with finished artwork. This guide will help you put together a brief your designer can work with.

Start with three questions

1. Who is this for? A family looking for a weekend activity needs different information from a vendor considering a market stall.
2. Why should they care? Name the experience or benefit: meet local makers, learn a skill or celebrate a milestone.
3. What should they do next? Choose one primary action, such as register, buy a ticket or contact the organizer.

Compare “Join us for our event” with “Meet local makers and shop handmade gifts.” The second line helps someone picture the afternoon. You don’t need a clever slogan; you need a reason they’ll understand.

The information your flyer needs

• Event name and short description: make the type of event understandable without relying on a logo.
• Date and time: include the year when useful, start and finish times, and the time zone for online events.
• Location: use the venue name and full public address. For online events, explain how registered guests receive access.
• Host and featured guests: check names, titles and spelling. Only list people whose participation is confirmed.
• Highlights: select a few meaningful features instead of listing everything on the programme.
• Admission: state the price, whether registration is required and any relevant conditions. Only say “free” when attendance is actually free.
• One next step: a registration link, ticket link or clear contact instruction.
• Public contact information: provide a monitored business email, phone number or website.

Think about the questions a guest would ask before leaving home. Is the venue accessible? Do they need to register? Where can they park? You may not have room for every answer on the flyer, so give them a clear link to the rest.

Arrange the information in the order people need it

Make the event name easy to spot, then give the date, time and location room to breathe. If you have to make the address tiny to fit another photo, leave the photo out. People need to know where to go.

Copy and fill in this brief

No supporting image? That’s okay—tell us what you have and we can discuss the design approach. If you do have a photo or logo, send the original file where possible rather than a screenshot. Only supply materials you own or have permission to use.

Check the proof before approving print

It’s easy to admire the design and miss a wrong digit in the phone number. Read the proof once for the overall message, then again just for names, dates, prices and contact details. Open the registration link yourself. If there’s a QR code, scan a printed test at the intended size. A second pair of eyes helps too.

At Sharpe Prints, you’ll review your proof before printing. Take that step seriously: once you approve it, those are the details the production team will use.

Carry the same message into your social posts

You’ll probably want to share the event online as well. Keep the same name, details and message, but let the layout change. The small print that works on a letter-size flyer may be difficult to read on a phone.

Read next: One Promotion, Three Formats: Your Flyer, Social Post and Story.

Need help turning your information into a design? Tell us about your project and request a planning session. You can begin with a brief; finished artwork is not required.