Digital Marketing vs Leaflet Distribution

Digital Marketing vs Leaflet Distribution

Can they work together?

4 minutes read

 There is no doubt that we live in an era of digital communication and high-tech. Although digital marketing seems to lead as a prefered advertising media, it only seems so on the surface. Direct marketing and more specifically, leaflet distribution is still efficient, and many companies use it as part of their overall marketing strategy.

Let's take a look at the Pros and Cons of both media and how they can complement each other and work in your favour.

Digital Marketing PROs and CONs

Almost everyone is on the web and social media nowadays. So the PROs of Digital marketing are not surprising at all, and the possibilities it gives are endless. Here are some of them:

• It provides relevant and detailed data about your audience. Whether it is demographic data or information about their clothing taste and income - there is a lot you can learn by instaling a simple code on your website. People leave digital traces that can guide you towards their hearts. 
• It can be cost-effective, provided your strategy is highly tuned and your particular market is not highly competitive on keywords- with a relatively small budget you can reach an enormous number of people. 
• It can spread the word in a day to the other side of the word - there are multiple channels and ways to advertise on the web today. It only takes a decent budget and a well-thought strategy. Even if you do not know where on the internet your audience spends its time, it can take less than a month to come to conclusions.
• It allows for much testing in short terms - with digital marketing, you can test a lot without paying much. This way, you can gather insights that will help you offer better deals at a better time or improve your services and products.
• It helps to provide value - with the digital channels you can give an experience as an added value to your products and services without asking people to visit your location. No other media have had such possibilities so far.

You might now aks how would leaflets beat that? Well, leaflet distribution is the most effective direct marketing channel to date. Even digital marketing couldn't beat that and especially in the UK.

How is that possible? 

First and most of all - people are overwhelmed with information, pop-ups and online advertising. Even you probably. There are too many things online, and at some point, you can't even make the difference between one and the other. This online noise is also one of the biggest CONs of digital marketing - everybody is online. Having a website is not news anymore. People are already used to the online noise and approach new things more critically. If you can't offer something different or you get too annoying, they can now block you in a second.

Digital marketing is not tangible. Yes, people are getting overwhelmed by the information and advertising surrounding them on every digital platform daily. The physical and real things are becoming a desired exotic.

Here comes the power of the traditional leaflet distribution.

Consumers in the UK are used to receive leaflets. Even in the digital era, analyses show that 50% of the pre-purchase research of UK consumers happens offline. Whether through flyers, word of mouth or location visit.

Furthermore - 51% think leaflets are a great source of information for local services, 90% like receiving door drops, vouchers and offers in their letterboxes. 62% of the customers are researching brands in the convenience of their home, and 48% of the UK consumers respond to a door drop flyer they received.

PROs and CONs of Leaflet Distribution

Leaflets are tangible

As said before - people are overwhelmed by the online noise. They appreciate a flyer or brochure with beautiful pictures and smooth text that they can touch and read without a pop-up bumping in their face.

Leaflets are not annoying

If you organise a careful timing, people will be even happy to receive your flyers. They don't have to look at them every time they check when the bus is coming. Furthermore, if your design is beautiful many of them will hang it on the fridge just because of that.

Accurate reach and visibility

With a well-developed database and straightforward strategy, you can land literally in the hands of your customers. No need to fight the endless graphic online competition with high bids.

Cost-effective and efficient

Leaflet distribution is one of the cheapest ways to advertise your business in a wide area. It also brings pleasing results. For 1000 delivered leaflets you can expect 1-3% of ROI. Research shows that after receiving a leaflet through their letterbox 29 people bought, 20 went shopping, and 33 went online.

Some CONs of leaflet drops that you might want to consider:

Delivering less than 5000 items or booking just one leaflet distribution will hardly bring the results you want. More on the topic you can read in our article Numbers, Timing, Frequency of leaflet distribution. 

If you didn't do your research first, you might miss opportunities. You want to have a well-developed strategy and database to land in the right hands.

Conclusions:

Considering all of the above, you might think the same as us. Using both marketing channels will only help increase your sales. Overcome the CONs of digital marketing with the PORs of leaflet distribution and vice versa.

Surprise people with a well-designed leaflet or brochure, but don't forget to include your website. Add a unique discount code for online purchase or a QR code for a unique experience. 

Always strive to find the smart way to reach your customers on both fronts and give them value. They do want your offer.

 Still not convinced in the power of leaflet distribution? Read this additional SUPERPRO, PRO ARGUMENT for another insight. 

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