Event creators chase three outcomes. Attendance, a clear call to action, and proof that spend was worth it. Social posts carry the story, yet a paper flyer near the venue still moves people from “maybe” to “I will go.” U.S. out of home advertising revenue passed 9.1 billion dollars in 2024, which shows steady demand for physical media next to digital ads.
Why flyers still work for events
Paper is simple. People can pocket a date and a QR. It puts the decision in the same place the event happens, like a campus, club, market, or fairground. Social reach helps discovery, but a large share of adults still spend time on a few big platforms, which means a flyer can mirror the look they know.
In 2024, 68 percent of U.S. adults used Facebook and 47 percent used Instagram. TikTok, LinkedIn, WhatsApp, Pinterest, and Snapchat each reached roughly a third.
QR codes now bridge paper and mobile quickly. Forecasts suggest about 97.8 million U.S. consumers scanned QR codes in 2024 and 102.5 million will do so in 2025. That scale makes a code on a flyer a practical path to a signup page or running order.
What counts as distribution
Hand to hand reaches people near door times. Door to door builds awareness around the venue radius. Shared mail lowers unit cost when you need homes to see a date window. USPS Every Door Direct Mail lets you blanket carrier routes filtered by census data such as age, income, and household size.
How event planners compare providers
Coverage
Ask for exact corners, campuses, and transit nodes. For mail, review route maps before print.
Proof
Set a minimum of timestamped photos plus GPS trails. For mail, keep the postal paperwork.
Compliance
Use permitted zones, avoid private property and no-soliciting areas. Follow USPS size rules for any mailed piece.
Cost structure
Know whether you are paying per thousand placements, per crew hour, or per route. Clarify weather moves and event cancellations.
Data control
Keep your QR, short URL, and UTM links so you can compare shows and cities over time.
Creative that helps the door count
One flyer should do one job. Name, date, place, price. One action. Match the art to your pinned post so people recognise it. Put the QR above the fold and make the landing page fast, single purpose, and mobile first.
Software makes street work measurable
Event teams want simple dashboards, city rollups, and photo evidence. Many vendors now blend on-street crews with app check-ins to log where and when handouts happened. For readers who want a short vendor list, tools such as Oppizi offer GPS trails, photo proof, and city level reporting. In that context, a planner comparing options can start with testing out the flyer marketing software in the US to manage multi-city drops and track scans against sales without adding new staff.
Quick setup for a budget test
Pick two neighbourhoods and one control. Use the same creative, but swap a headline in one area. Hand to hand before door time, then a light door to door in the afternoon. Track scans, calls, and redemptions for a week.
Takeaways for thrifty organisers
OOH budgets are flowing back. QR use is broad. USPS tools make blanket coverage simple. For small teams, the best results come from tight targeting, clear proof of work, and a landing page that matches the flyer.