We find ourselves in strange times at the moment with this pandemic forcing us to reassess our lives and futures. From a work point of view many of us are having to adapt to survive in business. Many of you might be wondering whether you will still have a job by Christmas, or indeed have one next week.
It got me to thinking of how my life took a major turn in 2011 when I suddenly found myself with very little work as the Recession hit hard. After the initial shock I took a step back and assessed the situation. Had I been here before? Yes! The before was when I first decided to set up in my design and print business 10 years prior. I had one customer and a handful of potentials. But, I had a marketing background and could see the time was right. The Recession that followed later was no more than a new challenge. One thing I noticed back then was how many new businesses were setting up and how many entrepreneurs were going it alone, backed by their redundancy cheques. They, like me 10 years earlier, had decided the time was right and they now had the money to do it. Today is no different. My advice would always be view it as an opportunity to set up your own business. I have customers I have kept for 20 years, some were start ups that have grown and created employment. There are so many tools out there to make it work for you if you have the right product, service or particular talent, but above all determination. I offer a business starter pack to do just that... get you started. It includes designing and printing the key elements you will need to launch and bring in business. I always advise on making it all look professional from the beginning it gives both you and your customers confidence. I can advise on how to use Facebook, although there is no shortage of online help in that department. I can point you in the right direction to build your first website. like I say there is no shortage of help I can offer. From my part I can and regularly do, get you started with those key elements business cards, stationery, flyers, brochures, price lists, posters and other essentials. If you are ready to take the first step call me, even if it is for advice based on my experience... I remember the help I received when I first started out from kind and experienced contacts. I am a big believer in "giving back" and that's why I am offering this help to you.
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Leafleting is a popular marketing method for small businesses - and with good reason. Door-to-door marketing is simple and affordable and can bring in new customers and boost sales. Also known as door-drop marketing, leafleting involves delivering unaddressed flyers to homes in your area.
Why leafleting as a marketing tool... If you offer local services, such as takeaways, taxi services or gardening, then leaflet distribution is an ideal way to spread the word about your business. When it comes to launching a new ventures, such as a shop or restaurant, door drops are especially effective. Leafleting is essentially about mass marketing on a local scale. You are telling everyone in your area about your product or service. What's more, you can select delivery areas to ensure you are reaching your target market, such as families or affluent consumers. Flyers can be used to achieve a number of business goals: acquiring new customers, increasing sales, highlighting a special event or promotion and delivering money-off coupons. You can even distribute catalogues or samples of your products to boost sales. Leafleting is often seen as an affordable alternative to direct mail. The two marketing methods have their own pros and cons. Both techniques deliver your marketing message directly into the homes of potential customers. But direct mail, which is more personalised and targeted than leafleting, does get higher response rates. However, leaflet delivery is significantly cheaper and the actual cost per response for door drops is often lower, making leafleting more cost effective. Creating your leaflets - Avoiding "Junk Mail." Poor-quality door drops have given leafleting a bad name in the past. To make your flyer stand out, it must be well designed and professionally printed. The creative approach of your campaign will have a significant impact on response levels. Your marketing message should be clear, with a call to action. Offers and coupons work well as an incentive and are likely to be kept and used. On the doormat, your leaflet will be competing with other door drops, post and newspapers. Your challenge is to create a flyer that captures the attention of the recipient and does not go straight into the recycling box. The good news is that door drops offer a great deal of creative freedom. Your only restriction is the size of the letter box. Shape, weight and look are all up for grabs. You can use more than one creative design or have different versions of the same leaflet if you are targeting different groups of people. Delivering your leaflets Distribution is a vital part of the whole campaign, and there are several ways to deliver your flyers. Many small-business owners pound the pavements themselves or pay casual staff to do the delivery. Ensure you employ trustworthy people who will deliver every leaflet to every house in a way that reflects well on your business. If you are sending out large numbers of leaflets, there are specialist door-drop delivery companies that provide a professional service. The Royal Mail also offers a service whereby it delivers flyers with the post to specific postcode areas. Leafleting is generally seen as a blanket-marketing method. However, you can take a targeted approach to your door drops and improve response levels. Study your local area and assess which streets are most likely to have residents that fit your target market. Measuring response to your leaflet It's a good idea to use a promotion or coupon to help you track response to your leafleting activity. Give different campaigns or delivery areas unique promotional codes or coupons so you can compare and measure the results.Like other direct-marketing techniques, leafleting is a numbers game and the bottom line is cost per response. Once you have calculated this, you can roll out the most successful creative approaches to the most responsive areas. |
About the AuthorSimon Rigby is a respected marketeer specialising in design and print. In a 30 year career, he has produced catalogues, brochures, targeted mailings and in-store PoS for global brands as well as niche businesses and start-ups. ArchivesCategories |