Employing a Leaflet Distributor

[PaddyPawsPetServices]

( posted twice, cos im an eejit )

Im in the middle of revamping by business ( ie kicking my own butt into action ) as part of that im looking to flier drop private properties in my area.

I have considered using a leaflet distribution service, but am also considering employing someone to do this for me.

Is there anyone else here who has employed someone or used a professional service to do something like this?

What would I have to do to employ someone to do this type of work?

 

[Zeno]

My understanding is that you get what you pay for. If you use a professional firm then you get the results although at a higher cost.

If you employ someone then you will most likely have to hire another person to make sure that the first one didn't just chuck the lot under a hedge.

 

[PaddyPawsPetServices]

I was thinking of employing a Mum needing some extra cash or an active pensioner...I know that a pro firm is likely to be better, but funds are very limited for this

 

[Ashley_Price]

Why not check what rates the Royal Mail do? They get the postmen to do it.

If you're looking to get one person to do this then, depending on the area they are to cover (for instance, walks up long drives in well-off areas), there can be a significant difference on how long they take to get round. (I used to deliver the local Green Party's "Greenleaf" newsletter to 250 houses in my area, this took me around 3-4 hours, because there are lots of houses with a several steps up/down to the front door).

You also need to make sure they are trustworthy. You don't want to be paying someone who will then just throw them in a bin. Maybe find two or three people in the area that you want covered to phone you to confirm they got the leaflet and make sure the person you are using knows this, but obviously not where those people are (you don't want them delivering to those roads only)

Remember, if you're "employing" them you're going to need to set up PAYE, NI, etc as well. In the end will it really be that much more expensive to hire a professional firm?

 

[Protocol UK]

The Royal Mail will charge you a price per thousand for this but the minimum order value is £500.

On top of that they are very strict with booking in slots, i.e. you need to have what ever you want delivering with them in a set window at their dispatch point which could be at any of their distribution centres so you could have a large delivery cost in getting it to them.

If the goods aren't with them in that window, you lose your slot and your money !!

It's very effective but as a result it's quite expensive.
It tends to get used for regular larger campaigns.

Good luck

 

[carriemc]

How about an insert in your local paper? Worth a call to check their rates.

Caroline

 

[FelixSilver]

Hi PaddyPawsPetServices,

Using the services of a leaflet delivery person may be more cost effective then the other available options.

Recruitment: A few ideas: postcards in newsagents or other shops with high footfall: "Leaflet Delivery Person Required". Advertise on gumtree.
Offer incentives in your postcard 'copy', e.g. bonus for each sale, etc. Keep an eye out for a delivery person (active retired peron, mum, etc.) who seem to be dilligent and delivery to 'every' house. Ask them if they would like to earn sme extra cash...

When you receive a call from an applicant, send them an application form (which will state the terms, e.g. they will be self-employed - saves you dealing with payroll, etc) to complete, sign and return. Obviously let them know what is expected of them, i.e. if leaflets are dumped, then there will be consequences, etc.

After a drop, you may need to do checks. Simply knock on a few random doors and ask the householder if leaflets been received (offering a fiver sometimes helps!)

I have done leaflet delivery myself: my record was 220 an hour (terraced houses), slightly slower for semi's. Reason was I needed to know what the job entailed and get a feel for my target area before employing anyone to do this, and helps you get fit!

Leaflet Distribution Companies: Can be a bit hit and miss; some may be good, but I know many that are rubbish; they will claim to have checks on delivery, but none in reality exist.

Royal Mail: Delivery is guaranteed, but they are strict in terms of how leaflets are bundled & labelled, have a minimum order quanitity (£500), and cannot deliver to specific streets, only down to postcode sector level. You need to pre-book and not all areas may be available, as may be booked by someone else. Only really effective if for example delivering by bulk, of say 100,000 pieces.
http://www.royalmail.com/portal/rm/jump2?catId=400092&mediaId=400049

Good luck whatever you decide.

 

[faststaff]

Leaflet Distribution Companies: Can be a bit hit and miss; some may be good, but I know many that are rubbish; they will claim to have checks on delivery, but none in reality exist.

A bit harsh! There are a number of ways to do back-checking, and although there are tons of bad companies out there, I'm sure that the ones on here - myself included, are more than reputable!

Rich

 

[FelixSilver]

A bit harsh! There are a number of ways to do back-checking, and although there are tons of bad companies out there, I'm sure that the ones on here - myself included, are more than reputable!
Rich

Not harsh, its reality - the above was a balanced view based on feedback from many of my colleagues who have used leaflet distribution for many years.

Back to the topic: The OP has limited funds and wants advice on "Employing a Leaflet Distibutor" - if you can add to the advice above (without promoting/selling a service) please do so.

There may be reputable companies offering these services, who of course will not hesitate in offering contact details of many satisfied customers (with their permission of course) to new clients.

 

[faststaff]

The bit that is harsh and even factually incorrect -

they will claim to have checks on delivery, but none in reality exist.

This is based from practical experience over many years as a user, and less experience as an operator.

if you can add to the advice above (without promoting/selling a service) please do so.

Hardly selling a service when the OP is in Kent, and I'm in Yorkshire.

As for practical advice, I would on the whole agree with your other post. The Royal Mail are the most guaranteed method, but IMO the least cost effective. The timings may not fit in with your campaign, and there is a relatively high minimum spend. I personally also believe that items left with the post or in Newspapers are less effective than separate drops.

The best option for the OP, given the lack of budget, would be to deliver these items himself. You can usually do a couple of hours after work, and you know the job has been done correctly.

If you were to employ an outside company - of course you want to make sure that you are choosing a decent one. Work the costs out yourself, and then decide if you are best going for a company that is charging out at very close to this cost, or one that is allowing for a bit of contingency, and profit.

We have a local competitor around this area who is less than half of our price, and does one of the large taxi firms. Needless to say, their response rate is horrendously low. Indeed, I live well within their target area, and have not received a leaflet for "some time". There are a LOT of cowboys out there who are quite happy to take your money (up front) and then do absolutely nothing for it.

Make sure that they can provide you with a full campaign report on areas covered including individual addresses where they were unable to deliver. You also want to see the results of their backchecking.

So, my suggestions in order of priority, based on low budget are;

1 Do it yourself
2 Outsource to a reputable local company who you have done due diligence on
3 Newshare / Royal Mail

Richard

 

[FelixSilver]

"they will claim to have checks on delivery, but none in reality exist." The bit that is harsh and even factually incorrect - This is based from practical experience over many years as a user, and less experience as an operator.

I know quite a few people who have used leaflet delivery companies. The companies claimed to have delvered X,000 leaflets and produced delivery reports for each drop. One particular company's (cannot be named as legal action by unhappy ex-clients is ongoing) Terms & Conditions, actually stated that they woiuld only deliver Z% in a drop. So, if hiring a delivery company use due dilligence and only go on recommendation of more than one person.

Options are:

• If you have a limited budget then I agree self delivery is the best option.
• If you have a limited budget and limited time, then recruit a delivery person. There are many active/retired people who would be grateful to work part time, flexible hours for some extra cash.

 

[mowerman]

New here today.(Garden maintenance based in Surrey)
We have used a leaflet distributing company in previous years but our flyer is one of at least four delivered at the same time and I think this virtually guaranties they all go straight in the bin. Solus distribution by the company is prohibitivly expensive. Employing my own operators is also expensive but should produce more enquiries per thousand.
Here are my rough costings;

Distributing company £25 per 1000
Disadvantage, delivered with at least four others, difficult to verify.
Advantage, Cheap.

Distributing company £85 per 1000
Disadvantage, difficult to verify,expensive.
Advantage, solus distribution.

Own distribution £75 per 1000*
Disadvantage, three times the price of using a specialist company.
Advantage, can be verified, solus distribution, operator who is fully conversant with the business can engage potential customers on the spot.
* Based on max 100 per hour at £7.50 per hour. (This hourly rate can be reduced by offering a bonus for each new client)

A note on verification. The distribution company we use and doubtless all the others include in their t&c's that they will only refund against proveable non delivery per house. So if in a given road say a dozen households say they didn't receive your flyer thus indicating the entire road was missed (and assuming you can persuade them to put that statement in writing!) you'll be credited 30p !!!

 

[Scott-Copywriter]

Yup unfortunately a few leaflet distribution businesses tarnish the reputation of the industry as a whole. There are certainly reliable and respectable leaflet distributors, but there are ones which are quite the opposite.

This is what baffles me though. Vusinesses like these will naturally want extra business and repeat business to continue growing their profits. If they take the leaflets, dump most of them and claim to have delivered them, then the client won't get an increase in sales, they won't be impressed and they won't order again or refer leaflet distribution to others. So by trying to cheat the system and do as little work as possible, they're just drastically reducing the amount of clients and profit they could have.

We make sure all our leaflets are distributed, our clients see the increase in sales and they order another campaign from us or refer us to friends. It's mutually beneficial to do the right thing.

 

[Onehourpa]

I'd be careful about employing someone you don't know to do this. It's not very well paid work so in some cases the people you find to do it aren't that motivated and you don't have any of the trust element that you have with a long term employee. I've had a couple of clients who went down that route and ended up finding a) that a load of their flyers had been left on car windscreens even though person had been told specifically not to do this and b) a load of flyers dumped in a side street in the local area.

At least with a leaflet distribution company they have some accountability - so if you do find that the job hasn't been done properly you can take it up with them.

What about getting friends or family to help you do it yourself? It might take you a bit longer but at least you'd know it had been done.

Let us know what you decide in the end.

 

[SenditOver]

I've lost count of the amount of business i have received due to potential clients disregarding my services as being too expensive.. going elsewhere, and then a few weeks later comming back due to poor results with their ultra cheap option ( were talking prices like £15 per x,000 here )

I hate to see people turned off from using services like www.wmediadirect.co.uk due to the cowboy actions of some firms out there.

i will just repeat what others have said, GET RECCOMENDATIONS!

a good start would be to ask many of your local fast food firms who they use, or just try several differant companys with a controll ammount in differant areas, then measuer the responces from each area, and that will give yo a good idea of who can cut the mustard, and who is just in it for a quick buck.


Leigh

 

[Rapid Dave]

We do our own (2 of us) when we get a quiet day. Advantages: we know for sure that they've been delivered, we can target individual streets or areas, and as already mentioned, there are exercise benefits. Disadvantages: can be 'hit & miss' with the time, ie you have a quiet day one week so deliver leaflets, then you get busy again so the next couple of weeks get missed.

 

[SenditOver]

We do our own (2 of us) when we get a quiet day. Advantages: we know for sure that they've been delivered, we can target individual streets or areas, and as already mentioned, there are exercise benefits. Disadvantages: can be 'hit & miss' with the time, ie you have a quiet day one week so deliver leaflets, then you get busy again so the next couple of weeks get missed.

thats great that you do it yourself for the piece of mind..

but alot oh homes have front areas in very bad states of repair..

would it effect your main source of income in you got tetanus from cutting yourself on a gate, or lost a finger to a stealth dog, or just fallen over badly on ice?

this is why we do what we do.. we take all those variable risks, leaving you free to run your business, and removing you, the client from potential injury that WILL happen at some point.

 

[sally wilton]

There are 2 sorts of leaflet distribution.

1: to deliver randomly to any house or business which you may as well give to a free newspaper to deliver as long as they can be trusted not to dump them.

2: Giving out leaflets in the street targeting the type of person you think would be interested in your product. The second method can be very productive but requires a person with a great personality to do it. If the leaflet distributer knows what they are about they will speak to people and encourage them to use your services. If the person is dull and just hands them out most will go straight into the bin. To be honest the best person to give out leaflets is the business owner or someone very interested in building up the business, it is a great way to get the contacts you want.

 

[SmilePrint]

I have experienced both aspects of what you ask.

1; employ a company - I found this to be a challenge to say the least. Even companies who provided back checks, which I checked and found MASSIVE holes in, cannot be fully trusted. Only agree to pay when YOU are satisfied that the delivery has happened; this is a good way to weed out the charlatans and crooks- and yes there are people like this in the world.
Personal opinion:- always go with letterbox over newspaper inserts. Ask yourself, what do you do with leaflets which fall out of newspaper? Only exception is where the newspaper covers a wide area and hits a demographic profile you are targetting. For a blitz to a local area (assuming your business is typical and deals with clients within a 10-20mile radius) always go with letterboxes.

2; employ people yourself - This can work, but takes more effort. Engage individuals, give them a map, give them 1/10 maximum if your total leaflet print run, tell them to come back when they're finished, then (within a reasonable time) you do the back checks, and when YOU are satisfied that area is done, pay them.

Price isn't always that relvant, only relevant when its in conjunction with the penetration of an area. i.e you could pay £30 per 1000 with a company who "deliver" half your leaflets in a skip, or you could pay £50 per thousand for a trustworthy company to deliver a 95% penetration.

Which is better value?

The £50 per 1000 company , every time.

You are also more likely to get a SOLUS delivery at £50 per 1000, much more valuable than your leaflet among 6 others to pay £30 per 1000.

Engaging people directly, you can pay them £30-£50 per 1000 in cash. You get your leaflet in the area YOU decide, and you control it.

Typically 1 person can deliver to 800-1000 letterboxes in an 8 hour day, so work it out for yourself what someone would need to do this properly.

Hope this helps, even in your dealing with leaflet co's.

Best Wishes

 

[SenditOver]

2: Giving out leaflets in the street targeting the type of person you think would be interested in your product. The second method can be very productive but requires a person with a great personality to do it. If the leaflet distributer knows what they are about they will speak to people and encourage them to use your services. If the person is dull and just hands them out most will go straight into the bin. To be honest the best person to give out leaflets is the business owner or someone very interested in building up the business, it is a great way to get the contacts you want.

We Do this, and i usually make sure im out there doing it as well, its such a blast!

makes me feel like im on a fruit and veg market stall, getting the banter going with completely random strangers!

wish i could get more of this static work tho

 

[SmilePrint]

We do our own (2 of us) when we get a quiet day. Advantages: we know for sure that they've been delivered, we can target individual streets or areas, and as already mentioned, there are exercise benefits. Disadvantages: can be 'hit & miss' with the time, ie you have a quiet day one week so deliver leaflets, then you get busy again so the next couple of weeks get missed.

This sounds good and certainly can make you feel good because you're doing something, BUT, a business owner must ask

"Is this the best use of MY time"

given you can get someone to do this well for minimum wage rates!!

Consider!

 

[gingerdad]

There are 2 sorts of leaflet distribution.

1: to deliver randomly to any house or business which you may as well give to a free newspaper to deliver as long as they can be trusted not to dump them.

2: Giving out leaflets in the street targeting the type of person you think would be interested in your product. The second method can be very productive but requires a person with a great personality to do it. If the leaflet distributer knows what they are about they will speak to people and encourage them to use your services. If the person is dull and just hands them out most will go straight into the bin. To be honest the best person to give out leaflets is the business owner or someone very interested in building up the business, it is a great way to get the contacts you want.

there is a 3rd type of leaflet distribution mainly used by tourist attractions.... www.npdnorth.co.uk

the more targeting you can do the better, if its just ramdonly going through doors the hit rate will be quite low.

GD