The Facts Behind Leaflet Distribution

A general perception of leaflet distribution – i.e. receiving advertising/promotional material through the door – is that most people find it to be an annoyance, and that a minority tend to act positively upon such literature. However, this may not be as close to reality as you may think.

In today's digital age, where e-commerce is a dominant force in every market, it seems that direct mail, or door to door leaflet distribution may be slightly outdated and largely ineffectual against the might of television and online advertising. Again, this perception is flawed.

The development of digital accessibility and the general improvement in our ability to operate in an online sphere has resulted in a greater exertion of control over all aspects of our lives. From banking and shopping to research and communication, the level of choice, control, and influence we have has been raised to unprecedented levels courtesy of the internet.

However, rather than wholly replacing previous means of communication or shopping, this new wave of digital activity has supplemented it. For example, visiting a shop online to check if they have a specific item in stock before visiting the shop in person to make the purchase is a common procedure. As is signing up for online bamnking but also making appointments in branch to discuss financial issues.

Advertising is the same. While we may spend moer and more of our time online, digital advertising has not completely usurped the position of offline marketing.

In a survey carried out by the DMA (Direct Marketing Association), the persitance of offline marketing is evident in the face of increasingly negative perceptions. Take the statistic for example that 72% of those receiving door drop items take some form of action in response to the promotional material they receive. Furthermore, 66% of 15-34 year olds claim to have positively acted as a result of receiving a leaflet through their doors. Such figures indicate that leaflet distribution still retains a powerful presence in society.

Further findings of the research show that 84% of survey respondents have taken action on receipt of a discount/money off voucher they have received through their letterboxes. Such a high statistic may be surprising to many, but in fact demonstrates the continued influence that direct marketing can have on consumer activity.

The research covered the UK as a whole, and so indicates that leaflet distribution in Scotland, England, Wales and Northern Ireland has undergone an encouraging period over the past few years, with a level of stability in the face of newer advertising channels.

So before you write off direct marketing, take some time to study the figures, and you may find that the perceptions people once had of the industry have been exaggerated. At the end of the day, while many may not like receiving leaflets through their door, who likes to watch adverts in between their favourite programmes, or be bombarded with ad messages online when trying to view a website? It is fundamentally a case of targeting the right people with the right message. If those two aspects are considered, the channel through which the message is delivered won't make all that much of a difference.