Do flyers / leaflets still work?

[Darren Brock]

With the rise of social media everyone keeps telling me I should be advertising on Facebook and using Twitter. Never one to follow the herd, I have decided to use a traditional method to get our name out there. I have just had 10,000 flyers printed and will start doing mail drops early in the mornings.

So why do I think this method will work?

Well when you need something or a service you need to log on, search, check all the listings to find someone locally and you are comfortable using them. What I hope is the flyer will cause an immediate call to action or be kept for when our service is required thus negating the whole internet search. Will keep you posted on the success rate !

 

[AllUpHere]

Your success rate will very much depend on the leaflet, how you use it, and whether or not it was designed based on a sound marketing strategy. Leaflets do work, if done well.

 

[RBS]

IMO leaflets are long time dead. Because there are so much junk put in your letterbox, I never read anything, grab it and bin it even without looking at it. If I need something, I Google it or use Gumtree.

 

[Scott@KarmaContent]

I seem to get a lot less leaflets and marketing materials through the door theses days. I always have a glance at leaflets (you can't help it really can you) so like @AllUpHere here says, if they're done well and are well targeted there's no reason they won't bring some work in.

What sort of business are you advertising?

 

[domainguy]

Shouldnt you of posted before you had them printed?
I personally bin without reading whilst simultaneously swearing about spam mail.

 

[David G Rees]

Needs to be targeted to be successful, use in conjunction with social media i still think leaflets have there place.

 

[Darren Brock]

Thanks for the comments - my services are outsourced credit control and credit checking / risk analysis. I will not be delivering these to consumers just businesses on industrial estates etc. I would have posted a copy of the flyer but I can't because I don't have enough posts.

 

[Ian J]

i still think leaflets have there place.

I think that most of our Indian and Chinese takeaways will agree with you

 

[Mel D]

IMO leaflets are long time dead. Because there are so much junk put in your letterbox, I never read anything, grab it and bin it even without looking at it. If I need something, I Google it or use Gumtree.

I disagree. I live on a pretty busy street and I don't get much junk mail. When something comes through my door, it's usually a single leaflet on the doormat. I can't help but see it!

 

[Printing Deals]

Few of my clients who happened to be in building/construction industry, get leaflets done regularly. Their majority business comes from leaflet advertisement.

Although social media is taking over big time but there are many people (mostly elders) who don't use it, for them leaflet/newspaper add is still a best option.

 

[MBE1]

As with anything, done well they can work, trouble is most people send out poor leaflets and then say they do not work.

Some people have un-realistic expectations, expecting a huge return, if it was that easy you wouldn't get through your door for all the leaflets.

 

[ME Accountants]

I receive quite a few still, mostly to do with takeways. One thing that does work I believe is the local community published magazine as I quite often find myself having a look through.

 

[Ashley_Price]

As was said by @domainguy, it might have been better to ask the question before you got the leaflets printed.

And you've had 10,000 printed?! That's going to be a LOT of industrial estates to deliver to (are you planning on doing this nationally?) I would have thought even larger estates won't have that many businesses (the bigger the estate often the fewer the businesses, because bigger companies will move in and rent several of the buildings at a discount).

But I have to be honest and say for what you are wanting to promote, I really am not sure it will work. I wouldn't use someone for my "credit control and credit checking / risk analysis" based on a leaflet. This would take a lot of researching and checking other people's comments. Unless you are planning to do a cover letter with it, of course.

I guess there might be a business I would use based on just their leaflet, but I am struggling to think of the last time I used one.

 

[Darren Brock]

Thanks for the comments everyone.

If I am honest I am not expecting a massive response but it's really just to get my name out there. As I new start up I feel I have to do all I can to get traction as quickly as possible and explore all avenues of marketing. Yes I will be doing 1 or 2 hours of leafleting every morning.

 

[Ashley_Price]

Yes I will be doing 1 or 2 hours of leafleting every morning.

You will not get a lot done in a couple of hours. As I said above even large estates rarely have that many businesses. You are going to quickly run out of places to deliver to, finding yourself going further and further afield, taking more time out of your morning, possibly to the point where you give up.

It is exactly what happened to the previous owner of Pavilion. In the early days, like you, she was out at industrial estates at 7am, delivering leaflets through the doors. And considering she lived in Brighton, there are a lot of estates to target, but she quickly ran out of places to go - and got very little from it.

Now, I am doing the same thing - but different. I have got a cover letter, and our "Office Essentials" catalogue to drop into businesses (both on the high street and on industrial estates - there are three in Lewes), but I have addressed them properly and, where possible, got the name of the likely person responsible for buying stationery. So, it's not just a random leaflet stuck through every door.

I think the letter being hand-delivered is going to make a difference over yet another one coming through the post... but we'll wait and see. I've only started this in the last day, so haven't had enough time for results to come back in yet.

 

[Darren Brock]

Good luck with your approach , seems well thought out. Will be interested to see how you get on. I will post a" warts and all" update on here as it may help someone out considering taking this approach.

 

[Louisa Edith]

i think you should combine the flyers and media.

 

[Pet Nanny]

I still do flyers but like a previous poster I do a covering letter to post to vets & pet professionals.

Those of of establishments usually have notice boards, so it works well for us

 

[Chezchaz]

I receive a lot of things posted through the letterbox but even if I don't want anything, I always scan it to see what it's about.

 

[Paul Cardall]

IMO leaflets are long time dead. Because there are so much junk put in your letterbox, I never read anything, grab it and bin it even without looking at it. If I need something, I Google it or use Gumtree.

I'm going to be doing my own leaflet marketing through September so I'm hoping leaflets aren't dead ;-)

If you bin everything without looking at it, you're in the minority, because a well designed leaflet can still catch the eye, and that is the start of a conversation you're no longer a part of.

 

[columbo]

Ok, I'll let you in on a secret.

As a business we know how to "work" Facebook. We know how to do classy websites laden with relevant content. This brings in loads of business.

But, when I look through my lists, all the "long-term" customers. (Customers who have been with us for more than 5 years) The have all come via postcard marketing. There is something about print marketing that means quality customers will keep your flyer for 1month or even 2 years and then call you up. Whatever it is, these same customers (from print marketing) are intensely loyal. Customers from Google can be a promiscius lot ( something you never hear from an internet marketer).

On the downside, distribution of flyers is a right pain. Finding someone reliable to distribute them is a pain. Of course, you can distribute them yourself but is this really the best use of your precious time...Thankfully technology allows a simple smartphone to be come a tracking device which you can ask your your distributors to carry. Knowing they are being tracked keeps them on their toes.

Finally, as the other posters have said. Your flyer must have relevant and good copy. It must be well designed. My tip: test out your graphic + copy text using Facebook (paid) advertising first.

 

[gingerdad]

Well we distribute 26 million + leaflets per year and in the majority of our customers stats we are the number 1 way to deliver customers to them. But very industry specific and not door to door.

 

[Business News]

10,000 print run is way too many. I always had brochures printed at the next tier you get it a lot cheaper run and never got into the next tier before the next update was printed. We used to do leaflets, market tailored brochures and tons of business cards all updated regularly and then updated again if contact detail changed. Haven't had anything printed now for over 3 years and nothing in the pipeline. Leaflets still have a position but need to be something someone will feel compelled to pin up on a noticeboard to be any use.

 

[altwebdesign]

How will you be measuring the success?
Have you sent them to a specific URL or number to call so that you can track it?

Leaflets do have there place, but remember, Market, Message, Media... I believe that the approach by Ashley Price will have a better success rate than yours as its more hard hitting and personal.

Good luck with it and do post the results!

 

[Jon-Paul Holdsworth]

personally I feel it depends on your research of the client you would like to target. Before any marketing campaign I always feel its best to do the odd survey on whom you are looking to target so you can understand what makes them tick. I personally feel Facebook is more effective as you can drill down to a certain audience and receive stats and results which allows you to plan better in the future. But if you have a product that suits a certain demographic and after fact finding and you find leaflets is more effective run with it.

 

[SharronMarke]

I think there are people who still use the more "old school" way of searching for information - leaflets, ads in the newspapers, posters, etc. Others would simply google without hesitating.
So - depending on the profile of your audience (how old are they, what are their habits, how they are searching for info, etc) you should invest more in leaflet advertising or google/FB ads.

 

[Steve Alphabet]

The only way to really know is by testing. As someone else above said, you need a specific URL to test how many people have read the flyer, or offer a 10% discount with the leaflet or something else like that.

 

[Carl76]

I use leaflets and do well. As ever, it all depends on the copy and message on the leaflet.

 

[Ostrich2000]

What's on the leaflet? Does the leaflet emphasize your market dominating position? Does it follow the conversion equation? Is the message compelling? Is it distributed in the environment of your Target Market..?

 

[Ashley_Price]

I will post a" warts and all" update on here as it may help someone out considering taking this approach.

Has there been a warts-and-all update yet?

 

[MBE1]

Has there been a warts-and-all update yet?

OP doesn't seem to have posted for two months, so hopefully he is busy with orders, maybe he is still delivering the leaflets.

 

[FreebieBoy34]

With the rise of social media everyone keeps telling me I should be advertising on Facebook and using Twitter. Never one to follow the herd, I have decided to use a traditional method to get our name out there. I have just had 10,000 flyers printed and will start doing mail drops early in the mornings.

So why do I think this method will work?

Well when you need something or a service you need to log on, search, check all the listings to find someone locally and you are comfortable using them. What I hope is the flyer will cause an immediate call to action or be kept for when our service is required thus negating the whole internet search. Will keep you posted on the success rate !

Hi there! My take on this matter is yes. Flyers are still effective. Although, I also have to say that advertising through social media has a huge advantage considering you are able promote your business in areas you can't actually reach by traditional means.

Still, I still have faith in flyers since there are still people who prefer this method of advertising rather than spending their time looking for ads online. In my country, this method of advertising is still used by big companies (as in, BIG. Those who are already established in their industries). And I guess that's one of the reasons why they continue to be successful in business...

 

[Ashley_Price]

OP doesn't seem to have posted for two months, so hopefully he is busy with orders, maybe he is still delivering the leaflets.

I do wonder if he realised he had a) bitten off more than he could chew, trying to deliver that number of leaflets himself; and b) hasn't had anything from them and so feeling embarrassed and doesn't want to return to admit many of us were right.

 

[sjones]

Hello Darren

Leaflets are still one of the best ways to sell your products and services. This method still triumphs over radio and TV advertising.