While we live in a digitally savvy world, there’s still a place for offline marketing. And top of the list for cost-effective promotion for many businesses are leaflets.
Designed well and focused on your target market, a high-quality leaflet can put all your business information right at a potential customer’s fingertips. But the key to leaflet marketing is an effective distribution plan.
To help boost your marketing, here are our top tips for distributing your leaflets for maximum impact.
Know your target audience
While it may seem a little “old school,” a leaflet marketing campaign can generate excellent results, especially if you are on a budget. But to ensure your message hits home, you need to know your target audience.
First, consider whether your target audience is likely to respond to a leaflet positively or whether they are of the demographic that is more likely to access a digital marketing campaign.
Suppose your target audiences fit with the leaflet marketing model. In that case, you need to understand them more in relation to your business, including their location, general profile, and other consumer touch points. This gives you a plan for what your leaflet needs to say to capture their attention and how you will get it into their hands!
Focus on the leaflet design
The main downside to a leaflet marketing campaign is the ‘drop rate’ – the percentage of leaflets that will be dropped or thrown away without being read. To counter this, you need to ensure that you have a high-quality leaflet design with your core information and that the content is relevant and enticing to its target reader. The call to action must be clear, and to the point, so the reader understands, even at first glance.
You also want the leaflet to be taken away with them, so convenience in the design is essential too. A good idea is to make sure it is no larger than A5 and printed on paper that is not too thick.
Get your distribution timings right
Leaflets inevitably have a short shelf life, so ensure your information is relevant. A leaflet intends to offer information in real-time and invite the reader to act. So, whether that’s an up-and-coming event, a sales event, or a new product launch, the distribution timings for your leaflet campaign need to be just right.
Match your distribution to your target audience
Once you know your audiences, you can match the most appropriate distribution method to reach them directly.
For local communities or focused events or shows, direct, personal distribution works well, whether door-to-door, passer-by hand-outs or from your trade stand. It may seem labor intensive, but what gives this method the edge is that you are engaging potential customers personally and directly.
Mail Outs or inserting leaflets in packaging is another good option for existing customers. Working with local high street businesses such as cafes can also give your leaflets more profile. Or, if you want a more comprehensive distribution or issue circulars in volume, you could consider engaging a distribution agency or pay for your flyer to be inserted in a local newspaper, regional, or trade magazine.
Stock control
Our final tip is both a budget saver and good for the planet – avoid the temptation to over-order. Yes, you should account for any drop rates, but you should also avoid having surplus leaflets languishing on your shelves.
Many online printers not only offer bulk orders at cost-effective prices, but you can also take advantage of their fast print services, such as Bizay’s 48-hour leaflet turnaround. The trick is to estimate how many leaflets you really need in the short term and bundle them for targeted distribution, confident that you can quickly replenish your stock if required!
