Collecting data is essential if you are running a business and very important if you are looking to increase your advertising ROI with a leaflet distribution campaign as part of your marketing strategy.
What is data?
In some people’s minds, the word “Data” means a mass of material that can only be interpreted by a scientist or a data analyst, but in most cases, this is not so.
The dictionary definition of Data is simple.
- A series of observations, measurements or facts.
- Information.
That is what data is, information that can be used to solve problems, help people make the right decisions, or to gain knowledge.
How do you collect data?
This is going to sound worryingly like stating the obvious; your CTA (Call to action) on your leaflet should be the starting point.
Depending on what you are selling your CTA should ask the prospect to take a course of action, and the result of that action will be you have the contact details of either a customer or a prospect. This contact information will be the basis of your data.
When you are collecting this data (communicating with the enquirier) you should ALWAYS ask them how they heard about you so you can monitor where the lead came from. This information can then be used in the future for your next advertising campaign. You may find that you get more leads in one area from leaflets and more leads in another area for something like Google Ads for example.
How do you use this data?
Once you have this data and you are planning your next leaflet campaign, you can analyse the information you have been collecting to find out how to make your next leaflet campaign even more successful and profitable.
To do this, using the information (data) you have collected, track the locations and demographic areas you have been getting the best enquiries from. Then, plan your next leaflet campaign to target these locations, omitting the areas you didn’t get the best response from. If you’re looking to expand your reach you can also use this data to target similar locations knowing that you will still get a good response there too.
You should also examine your sales over enquiries as this will reveal which areas are producing the best sales conversion rates.
Another way of utilising the data a leaflet distribution campaign has produced for you is to identify those prospects that made a serious enquiry but for some reason failed to purchase. These prospects could be followed up at a later date by a phone call, e-mail or good old fashion snail mail. You may then discover the reason why they failed to buy and change their mind or even convert them into a sale.
You can also use the information to keep in touch with existing customers to offer them an after-sales service or information about other products or services you may offer in the future.
Whatever product or service you are selling; properly keeping track of the data you collect will allow you to increase the profitability and effectiveness of your leaflet distribution campaigns in the future.
Always remember to keep your data GDPR compliant.
