When it comes to leaflet distribution, there’s a lot more to it than meets the eye – including some pretty impressive stats.
Despite this, there are those who believe that this method of marketing is outdated and ineffectual, and we’re here to tell you that this simply isn’t the case. In this article, we’re busting some of the common myths about leaflet distribution and separating fact from fiction to allow you to decide for yourself.
People don’t like receiving leaflets
The fiction – Some marketers believe that most people are irritated by leaflets being posted through their letterboxes, which can make the recipient form a negative opinion about the company involved.
The facts – When surveyed, around 79% of consumers say they will hang onto a leaflet posted through their door or pass it on to somebody else who may be interested.
Leaflet distribution is less effective than digital methods
The fiction – When it comes to digital marketing, such as PPC and social media, a lot of marketers are seduced by the idea that they will reach a huge number of people with minimal effort or cost.
The facts – While digital methods may have a far reach, it won’t do you any good if much of that reach is irrelevant. Even with the use of targeting, digital marketing tends to be more scattergun than accurate. With leaflet distribution, on the other hand, targeting is laser-focused – delivered not just to particular areas but to particular streets and even specific homes, meaning there is little to no waste.
Leaflet distribution is expensive
The fiction – Many perceive digital advertising as cheap as you’re only paying a few pence whenever somebody clicks on your ad. In contrast, with leaflet advertising, you have to pay for distribution upfront.
The facts – While it’s true that leaflet distribution requires an initial investment – it is just that; an investment. In terms of ROI, it’s been proven time and time again that leaflet drops are a better financial option.
People don’t trust leaflets
The fiction – Many marketers feel that having a digital presence is the be all and end all of business and that the only way to build credibility with consumers is to be all over them with digital marketing.
The facts – Leaflets actually engender more trust in consumers – particularly in the case of a local company whereby the customer will recognise the company’s address and will have probably even visited it or at least walked past. In the age of cybercrime – particularly during and after the COVID-19 pandemic, studies have shown that consumers are increasingly leery of responding to random internet ads.
Leaflets are seen as old fashioned
The fiction – For marketers enamoured with all things digital, leaflets are often seen as draconian and unsophisticated, and they assume that customers are found to feel the same way.
The facts – To begin with, leaflets and digital are not mutually exclusive – in most cases, businesses which use leaflet drops for their marketing also have a shiny modern website, and they will often feature the website address along with a QR code on their leaflets. This means that, unlike internet ads that can be instantly scrolled past and forgotten, the customer can access the company’s website at any given time, as 13% of leaflet recipients keep these handy pieces of paper for a week or longer.
Leaflet marketing is ineffective
The fiction – Leaflet distribution is largely a waste of money as most of the leaflets just end up in the bin without even being looked at.
The facts – one of the most compelling facts in this entire article is that 48% of leaflet recipients will take direct action, such as visiting a shop or website after receiving a flyer – compared to 47% for hugely expensive television advertising.
Digital advertising is more versatile
The fiction – Digital marketing is super versatile as there are different options such as PPC, social media, advertising banners and more, whereas leaflet distribution is a one-trick pony.
The facts – When it comes to leaflet distribution, there are plenty of options to choose from to help you make the most of your advertising budget, and these are:
Solus Distribution
This type of distribution helps to laser focus the attention of your potential customers by ensuring that yours is the only leaflet they see during any given leaflet drop – something which simply doesn’t happen with digital distribution. Alternatively, you can stretch your budget even further by going with shared distribution, whereby your leaflets will be delivered along with other, non-competing ones from other businesses.
Hand-to-hand distribution
With leaflet distribution, you can add the human touch by opting for hand-to-hand distribution, which involves teams of marketers visiting highly populated areas such as shopping streets to deliver your message with a smile. However great your digital advertising might be, it can’t stand up to a proper human connection. Unlike digital marketing, this can be incredibly effective when advertising a local business – for example, the Dor2Dor street team can hand out leaflets with a ‘today only’ discount for your shop or restaurant – resulting in an immediate boost in visitors.
Samples
It’s a simple fact that the best way to advertise a product is to let consumers try it for themselves. With leaflet marketing, you can include sample products such as perfume testers and bubble packs to allow customers to try your products from the comfort of their own homes. It is, of course, possible to offer samples to customers through digital advertising. However, this involves the customer having to supply address details for a sample to be posted to them, and figures show that many consumers simply won’t bother. At a time when attention spans are shorter than ever before, this can mean some very real missed opportunities for businesses during tough times.
Cost-effective and customer-centric
At DOR-2-DOR, we know exactly what it takes to put together a killer leaflet distribution campaign. Our team combines experience and expertise to help our customers get the very best from their campaigns – from initial leaflet design to choosing target areas.
We’re proud to serve a large number of loyal customers, including Hugh Mathew of Hagley Business Association, who says, “Brand building and creating the right product set, incorporating meeting rooms, telephone answering and virtual offices has been part of our recipe for success. DOR-2-DOR was very professional in their approach, provided cost-effective service and gave us excellent feedback. When I use them, I am confident that our exact requirements will be met”.
Suppose digital isn’t doing it for your business, and you’re ready to go back to the future with your advertising. In that case, our friendly and professional support team is on hand to offer advice and a free, no-obligation quote.
This information was gathered by the DMA (Direct Marketing Association), of which we are full members.
