The advantages of using leaflets to market your business

There are many different strategies you can employ to market your business, such as digital marketing, television broadcasting and print advertising. All marketing methods have pros and cons. It really depends on your resources and your business objectives as to which method is right for you, and this requires you to really weigh up each option and what each one could do for you vs what is realistic.

This article does not seek to disprove the effectiveness of more modern marketing methods but instead hopes to demonstrate the benefits of traditional marketing tools, such as door drop marketing, for those who might have written it off as a worthy solution to their modern-day marketing struggles.

Leaflet dropping as a marketing strategy can be used on its own or as part of a more targeted approach to advertising, and can provide a lot of value for certain businesses. To find out more about how door drop marketing could benefit your business, read on...

Leaflet dropping vs. digital marketing

Door-drop marketing is an ideal strategy for local businesses and services, as you will be advertising to relevant potential customers in the local area who are likely to use your services. You’re advertising to the people that are most likely to be part of your footfall, and local leaflet dropping can indicate a great sense of community involvement and trust for local businesses.

Digital marketing can be more of a broadcast medium and could be less effective in cases like this. However, if you are looking to expand, or you offer products or services for which you have an online presence/service, some level of digital marketing might work well on its own or alongside your leaflet dropping campaign. Digital marketing often implies a much larger operation, but it is much more competitive, so it really depends on what you are hoping to get out of your marketing campaign, as to which marketing method you should start with, or stick with.

The disadvantages of a digital marketing strategy for small businesses

There is no denying that digital marketing is a powerful medium, and it is worth having an online presence even if it is a tiny one. However for smaller businesses, sometimes the thought of planning a digital marketing strategy on top of daily business operations is overwhelming. Of course, there are companies that can help you to plan your digital marketing strategy, and those that will even carry it out for you, but these services are often expensive and generally cost far more than a standard SME can afford.

Digital marketing is a complicated, complex and fluid operation that requires dedication, time and a necessary level of skill that really depends on the outcome you want. So for the small business that needs the maximum response rate for minimal effort, leaflet dropping is an ideal marketing solution.

With leaflet dropping you don’t need to worry about navigating search engine algorithms that favour companies with a team of SEO experts, or spending days writing SEO friendly content that a digital marketing company could write in an hour. With Leafletdrop’s target leaflet dropping tool, you just select your target audience based on a variety of factors including location, demographic and income bracket.

The digital world is also fluid, meaning that any digital marketing requires regular upkeep. Search engines are regularly updating their algorithms and you need to keep up with web-related laws to ensure you’re being compliant with rules and regulations, such as GDPR.

It’s not all negative. Digital marketing is the method to use to get maximum exposure if your business does not depend on local customers, and it doesn’t have to be expensive if you do it yourself. But if you want to block out the noise from hundreds and thousands of your competitors, without the maintenance that a digital strategy requires, leaflet dropping is an effective alternative.

The Benefits of Leaflet Distribution

Whilst paper is still being produced, leaflet drop marketing will be a prominent figure in the marketing industry. Leaflets are still an effective marketing material for business across a range of industries and can hold some great long term benefits through physical presence in the homes of your target audience.

Leaflet dropping can be cheaper than other marketing methods
More cost-effective, more time effective, less skill needed. Leaflet dropping is one of the most effective marketing methods for a small business that doesn’t have the wallet to compete with large marketing budgets.

Leaflets have tangible value
The UK Royal Mail carried out research which concluded that receiving physical mail generates an emotional association with a brand, elaborating that ‘38% of respondents said that the physical properties of a mail piece will influence how they feel about the sender’. This implies that your audience will respond better to receiving tangible mail than seeing an ad online, which they cannot physically touch or associate value to.

Door drop marketing integrates well with other marketing strategies
The great thing about leaflet dropping, or door drop marketing, is you can integrate it with your other marketing efforts, or advertise your other marketing campaigns through your leaflets! Encourage users to go to your website or come to the event you are throwing, listen to the radio when you are due to give an interview or ask whether people have seen that local bench with your face on. Use leaflet dropping to get your business through the door!

Leaflets can continue selling long after your campaign
Because your leaflets are physical marketing material in the homes of your target audience, people don’t have to make a snap decision, as they might with an online ad. The Direct Marketing Association state that 79% of people keep or pass on leaflets delivered to their homes, 38% keep it in their home for a few days and 13% keep it for a week or more. Giving your business plenty of repeat chances for a sale without the repeated cost!

Leaflet drop response rates can still be measured
There are a lot of questions online about the response rate and effectiveness of leaflet dropping, but the truth is, it completely depends on the campaign. However, If you want to measure your leaflet drop response rate as accurately as possible, you could provide a discount code in your leaflet for users to use on your e-commerce site, over the phone, or even encourage users to bring their leaflets to your shop for a new customer perk.

Leaflets can include a lot of information.
There are no character limitations on a leaflet so you can include as much or as little content as you need. You also don’t have to worry about SEO, as your leaflet won’t be competing with search engine algorithms or keyword search volumes.

Leaflets are eye-catching
When they are well-designed. Leaflets are very effective at capturing the attention of your audience, with eye-catching colours, images and fonts, with plenty of flexibility in shape and style.

Leaflet dropping can target specific demographics and areas
Leaflets can be delivered specifically to the region you have defined from Leafletdrops targeting tool. Ensure that you give your campaign the best chance by hand selecting your target audience and having your business advertised right at their door. Sign up to use our free targeting tool before booking your campaign.

Long-term relationships
There’s more of a long-term benefit as leaflets are a physical item they are delivered to your home and often retained to be looked at a later date or shared. If they’re well-designed and easy to read then people will go back to them providing greater longevity than an email that is quickly deleted and never seen again.

Get started with Leafletdrop

Sign up to begin creating your own personalised campaigns. Simply fill in the form with a few contact details and your business sector to get your Leafletdrop campaign underway.