Common flyer campaign mistakes

Most underperforming campaigns aren't bad ideas — they're good ideas with one or two avoidable mistakes. Here are the seven most common ones we see businesses make, and the fix for each.

1. Fuzzy distribution zones

Selecting “within 5 miles of downtown” instead of drawing a real polygon. The result: workers can't tell where coverage starts and stops, and proof gets rejected for being “outside the zone”. Fix: always draw the zone manually.

2. Vague briefs

“Distribute these flyers in the area” isn't a brief. Workers skip anything they can't mentally walk through. Fix: write the brief like you're explaining it to a friend who's never done it before.

3. Underpriced payouts

Setting a rate below the suggested local market price. The result: zero applications for hours, then only the lowest-rated workers. Fix: use the suggested rate as a floor, not a ceiling.

4. No example proof photo

Without a sample, every worker has a slightly different idea of what acceptable proof looks like. Rejection rates spike. Fix: upload one example photo showing exactly what a good placement looks like.

5. Slow approvals

Letting submitted proof sit for three days before approving. Workers stop trusting you, and the platform deprioritizes your future campaigns. Fix: review proof within 24 hours, every time.

6. Ghosting on messages

Not replying when workers ask clarifying questions. They assume the brief is shaky and move on. Fix: enable notifications and reply within a few hours during the campaign.

7. One giant campaign instead of several focused ones

A 1000-flyer campaign across half the city is harder to staff than five 200-flyer campaigns each in a focused neighborhood. Fix: split big areas into smaller campaigns so different workers can focus on each.