| Article Overview | | | | Unlike most door to door campaigns, the timing of |
| Every day, I assist a wide range of business owners, | | | | your hand to hand leafleting can be precisely timed to |
| marketing managers and advertising planners to | | | | maximise impact. If you are handing out a leaflet for |
| devise successful leaflet distribution campaigns. Over | | | | a new office area eatery, you should be reaching |
| the past ten years, I have helped to develop, project | | | | potential customers on their way into work, or |
| manage and deliver literally thousands of leafleting | | | | before they make their purchases during lunch times. |
| campaigns. A large part of my job role as MD of Link | | | | If you are promoting a high street fashion store, you |
| Communication is to work with the client, finding out | | | | might reach customers while they are already in the |
| a little about their aims and objectives, educate them | | | | city centre, browsing for clothes on a busy weekend. |
| to the possibilities and identify the best strategy | | | | For lower price tag or impulse buy items this can |
| which will generate results for each business which | | | | have a massive impact on the take up of your |
| we work with. | | | | campaigns, by negating the need for the potential |
| | | | customer to have made a premeditated decision or |
| This article is a whistle stop tour of the key factors | | | | to take the leaflet with them. For some higher value |
| you should consider before you finalise your leaflet | | | | items or you might consider giving it to recipients |
| distribution activity. | | | | before they get on a train, or as they make their |
| 1. Leaflet Distribution Method | | | | way home from work so it is taken back home for a |
| The first consideration I always try to determine is | | | | lengthier review. |
| what type of leaflet distribution is going to yield the | | | | 2. Customer Incentivisation |
| highest results. There are two main methods which I | | | | Potential customers are exposed to hundreds of |
| will review in this article; door to door and hand to | | | | adverts across a wide array of media every day. |
| hand. | | | | Leaflets have a slight advantage over most other |
| 1.1 Door to Door Leaflet Distribution | | | | types of media as they are tangible. You can hold it, |
| Door to door leaflet distribution is one of the most | | | | read it, absorb the information and put it either in the |
| popular methods of delivery. So many of our | | | | bin, or keep it in your pocket for when you need it. |
| customers have only ever considered door to door | | | | The chances of a potential customer putting it in |
| leafleting before they speak to us. For some | | | | their pocket and keeping it for when they actually do |
| businesses which rely on residential houses within a | | | | need it are multiplied massively if they have an |
| designated area (e.g: take-aways), this is a valid | | | | incentivised reason to do so, such as a voucher. |
| method if done correctly, but for almost all other | | | | Adding a voucher suddenly transforms a simple piece |
| businesses, there are far more targeted, higher | | | | of paper into a potentially valuable piece of paper! If |
| impact methods which can be executed for a similar | | | | the recipient who has been reached does not have |
| budget which I will review later in this article. | | | | an immediate and active need for the products and |
| If you are geographically bound by targeting | | | | services being offered, then a proportion of the print |
| residential accommodation and are planning a door to | | | | will not make it beyond the first available bin. A |
| door leafleting campaign, the first question you need | | | | voucher should make a potential customer think that |
| to answer is shared or solus distribution? Shared | | | | the leaflet might come in handy in the future and |
| means your leaflet is delivered at the same time as a | | | | that they have a financially worthwhile reason to |
| number of others, solus means your leaflet is | | | | keep the leaflet, until it is needed. Please note that |
| delivered by itself. In terms of impact and measuring | | | | offering a £5 discount when spending |
| results, solus will generally generate a multiple of | | | | £1,000 does not do this! That said, a voucher |
| about ten to one in comparison with the cheaper | | | | doesn't have to directly cost you a large proportion |
| shared distribution. | | | | of your profit margin. You need to identify the range |
| As such, I would recommend that you should only | | | | of low cost offerings you can provide which sound |
| ever consider solus distribution, even if you are | | | | very generous to the customer, but are actually very |
| working with miniscule budgets. Shared door to door | | | | low cost for yourself. |
| leaflet distribution is a false economy, as the | | | | An additional free bonus for yourself when providing |
| campaign impact is reduced by a multiple of how | | | | a voucher is that it provides you with an accurate |
| many other pieces of print are received by the | | | | measurement mechanic to gauge the success of |
| potential customer at the same time. News share | | | | your campaign. You can count up the amount of |
| goes one worse than shared leaflet distribution, as it | | | | vouchers which have been redeemed through each |
| hides the leaflet inside a copy of a free newspaper; | | | | of the distribution locations and methods to see what |
| an item in itself which is already regarded as junk mail. | | | | works best for you, which should help refine your |
| The leaflet does not even get an airing until the small | | | | strategy for future leaflet distribution campaigns. Our |
| percentage of customers who actually manage to | | | | most regular customers are the ones who know that |
| receive the paper, then bother to read it, then | | | | the leafleting campaign that cost £5,000 last |
| actually find the page where it is hiding, then find it to | | | | month has actually generated a total of |
| be the most interesting thing on the page amongst all | | | | £100,000 worth of business! |
| of the local news articles, before it even has the first | | | | 3. Print Design |
| glimpse of opportunity of being absorbed as a piece | | | | I recommend a general two second rule, that if your |
| of promotional collateral by the recipient, who given | | | | potential customers are not interested in your leaflet |
| the random nature of the paper's distribution is most | | | | within the first two seconds of looking at it, the |
| likely to be completely inappropriate for the products | | | | chances are it will end up in the bin. Ask yourself, |
| or services being offered! Cheap it maybe, but | | | | roughly how many poorly designed leaflets from all |
| throwing your money straight into a bin is cheaper | | | | types of businesses have you taken one glance at |
| still. | | | | before throwing it straight in the bin!? |
| So how much should you pay for solus door to door | | | | I would suggest that take-away menus are often |
| distribution? As little as possible seems like it should | | | | amongst the worst designed types of marketing |
| be the obvious answer, until that if you take a look | | | | material which are distributed. Most fall into the trap |
| at the math. Those of you who have attempted to | | | | of being made as cheaply as possible, without any |
| take any of the leg work on yourselves will know | | | | consideration for company individuality, eye catching |
| that to properly deliver one thousand leaflets into an | | | | design or attractive headline offers. In an extremely |
| average suburban residential housing area, it takes a | | | | crowded, competitive market place this means that |
| full day of about eight hours. When you do the math, | | | | the majority of actually what makes it into potential |
| that works out to be one house every 30 seconds. | | | | customers' hands is just wasted. |
| So you need to ask yourself, if I am being charged | | | | When I pick a restaurant or a take-away, I must |
| just £30 per thousand for solus distribution, | | | | have complete confidence in the quality of |
| does that mean that some diligent, reliable hard | | | | ingredients, the authenticity of the cooking and ability |
| working person is undertaking all of the hard work, | | | | of the chefs. If the print fails to do this in the first |
| for just £3.75 per hour!? While an amazing | | | | few seconds, I am unlikely to become a customer. |
| amount of customers kid themselves into thinking | | | | Similarly, when customers pick any product or service |
| they have found a real bargain, the actual reality is | | | | from any industry, they need to be persuaded to |
| not as pretty. Like anything in life, you get what you | | | | become your customer. |
| pay for. It will generally mean that you are only | | | | An eye catching headline which informs the recipient |
| getting a small proportion of your print delivered. If | | | | of why they should become a customer is a good |
| you are not paying for an appropriate amount of | | | | starting point. This should be followed by some |
| man hours, location mapping, team management, | | | | summary info detailing why they should buy from |
| print logistics and activity reporting, the chances are, | | | | you. What makes you so good at what you do? |
| you are not going to get it! Again, if saving money is | | | | Convince me; and do it quickly, before I get bored of |
| what you are after, it is cheaper to either throw | | | | reading it! |
| your money straight into the bin, or just not to do | | | | 4. Staff Uniforms |
| anything at all! | | | | "First impressions count" is a very well known |
| Costs do vary massively from company to company, | | | | expression because it is so true. Credibility is critical, |
| so do shop around looking not only for fair price | | | | and a low cost branded uniform can make a massive |
| which allows the distribution company to do a proper | | | | difference to the acceptance rates of both your |
| job, but for a professional approach, which offers | | | | print material and the success of your overall |
| proper team management, activity reporting, full | | | | promotion. This is especially true if your target |
| accountability and flexibility in terms of targeting. If | | | | audience can be found in busy high footfall locations |
| the above hasn't scared you off door to door | | | | such as outside of train stations, on high streets, |
| completely and you are going to run a door to door | | | | sport stadiums, or anywhere where stand out and |
| campaign you should give yourself the best possible | | | | impact is important. |
| opportunity to make it pay, by finding a distribution | | | | A smart jacket with full colour logos can be made |
| company who are able to map the areas to identify | | | | from as little as £25, and a T shirt (suitable for |
| the most suitable locations in terms of average | | | | warmer times of year) can be half that cost. If you |
| income levels, age ranges, ethnicity or even housing | | | | can allow yourself to get a little creative, you can |
| type (terraces, semis, detached, with or without | | | | also think about themeing the uniforms to match in |
| gardens, driveways or whatever else is relevant for | | | | with your product offering. Fancy dress costumes |
| what you do). | | | | can be hired at very low cost locally, or even added |
| It's amazing how many customers come to us after | | | | to with banded garments, both of which provide real |
| being burnt by the temptation of finding the very | | | | stand out and often extend the opportunity for |
| cheapest option but have come away very | | | | customer dialogue by breaking down any barriers and |
| dissatisfied. Expect to pay anything between | | | | making the leafleting activity light hearted and fun. |
| £50 to £79 per thousand and upwards, | | | | 5. Legal Requirements |
| depending on the volume, the size and format of | | | | Since the introduction of the Clean Neighbourhoods |
| your print material for a decent job to be done. | | | | and Environment Act in 2006, you run the risk of |
| 1.2 Hand to Hand Leaflet Distribution | | | | receiving fines upwards for £1,500 for |
| Hand to hand leaflet distribution allows you to select | | | | leafleting without the appropriate permits in most |
| the exact activity locations which have the highest | | | | major cities across the UK. Permits can be purchased |
| yield of your target audience, the most opportune | | | | in advance, but will can cost anywhere from |
| timing for the leaflet delivery and a well presented | | | | £50 each to over £250 per permit |
| introduction to the nature of the promotion. As such, | | | | (depending on which city) and you'll need one for |
| distributing your print material directly into the hands | | | | each member of staff in every location! The more |
| of your customer is generally the most targeted | | | | professional leaflet distribution companies will advise |
| method of delivery which will produce the greatest | | | | you of which locations you will need them for and will |
| results for the majority of businesses, products or | | | | already own them for their leaflet distribution teams. |
| services; so is often the method of leaflet distribution | | | | Part of the reasoning behind the permit schemes is |
| I will generally ask you to consider first. | | | | to ensure that leafleting doesn't result in littering. This |
| Hand to hand leaflet distribution has a range of | | | | is best achieved by following the guidance above; |
| advantages over door to door, which you should | | | | pick your target audience, match in your activity |
| consider before finalising your distribution plans: | | | | locations, design your print well, add in an incentivised |
| 1.2.1 Location Selection | | | | offer, present the print well using high calibre |
| The locations for your leaflet distribution can be | | | | promotion teams in branded uniforms - and straight |
| matched to suit your target audience. In simple | | | | away, you'll find that you won't generally have any |
| terms, you do not have to wait for them to come | | | | litter! For the little that may still occur, it is absolutely |
| to you, but you can deploy leafleting teams | | | | essential that the leafleting teams are constantly on |
| wherever is going to be most beneficial for who you | | | | top of it, taking it as their responsibility to pick up |
| are trying to reach. You can target professionals in | | | | any dropped leaflets within a few hundred meters of |
| busy office area walkways, outside commuter | | | | where they have been working. Failure to do so |
| stations during rush hours or at lunch times. Shoppers | | | | results in your brand being trodden on by passers-by |
| can be reached on the high streets or close to the | | | | and the possibility of heavy fines. Make sure the |
| stores which attract similar customer base as the | | | | company you chose to distribute your leaflets have a |
| one you are trying to reach. Students on their | | | | policy in place to ensure this does not happen and |
| university campuses, drinkers in city centre pubs, | | | | that it is properly enforced. |
| theatre goers outside of the theatres, football fans | | | | 6. Conclusion |
| outside of their local stadiums on match days, etc, | | | | Some businesses think that if you don't have big |
| etc. If you can identify who your target demographic | | | | marketing budgets, you just have to make do with |
| approximately is, you should be able to identify a | | | | second rate leaflet distribution being done as cheaply |
| number of leaflet distribution locations which will | | | | as possible. I would suggest that if you are starting |
| benefit you the most. | | | | small, it is more important than ever to give yourself |
| The extent of your coverage is then only really | | | | the best possible opportunity in order to grow. |
| limited by your budgets and the extent of your | | | | Similarly, when you are working with larger budgets, |
| service delivery. Most cities are able to offer a similar | | | | there is far more financially at stake if it is not done |
| mix of targeted locations, from train stations, office | | | | correctly. In either situation, it is absolutely vital that |
| areas, high streets, universities, sports grounds, | | | | leaflet distribution is planned intelligently and executed |
| concert halls, ethnic suburbs, farmers markets, etc - | | | | effectively, or you might as well not do it at all. With |
| so your distribution can be carried out simultaneously | | | | all of the above taken into account, your leaflet |
| in multiple cities at the same time multiplying your | | | | distribution campaigns can and should be a very |
| potential audience reach proportionately. | | | | powerful marketing tool, which can be utilised by |
| 1.2.2 Activity Timing | | | | almost any type of business. |