Shoving stuff through letterboxes?
Shoving stuff through letterboxes?
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Discussion

wd*

Original Poster:

4,045 posts

274 months

Monday 8th May 2006
quotequote all
What are the legalities about leaflet dropping houses?

Enough people seem to stick stuff through our door - takeaway companies, Kleeneze, a big wodge of leaflets every wednesday, special offers 'hand delivered' by Royal Mail.

I have just started out on a new venture working for Usborne Books and also a company called Busy Fingers and am wanting to do some advertising locally, but don't know if there are any regulations affecting this kind of practice - what about the people on the mail preference thing? I'm sure as heck that Baba Alf's authentic chinese takeaway or whatever it is hasn't consulted that before shoving a menu through every letterbox within 40 miles, but you can guaranteee if anyone is going to get complained about, it will be me!

The Londoner

3,964 posts

261 months

Monday 8th May 2006
quotequote all
Doesn't answer your question, but are you sure that's the best way to market what you're selling? Pretty sure that in this household at least 99 items out of every 100 that come through the letterbox like this go straight in to the recycling bin

thepeoplespal

1,690 posts

300 months

Monday 8th May 2006
quotequote all
I'd beg to differ on a small point. We have a "look local" A5 size advertising mag that drops through the door every month which has details of local businesses and what they do. It certainly doesn't go in the bin, it normally gets kept for a few months especially if there is a business we might be interested in.

The one thing I would say is that the leaflets that come with it do get chucked. I think this magazine only works because it is about local businesses, I want to give custom to local businesses in my area, the adverts from businesses with non-local roots I go out of my way to ignore.

Just my 2p.

Skoda_Rob

189 posts

269 months

Monday 8th May 2006
quotequote all
AFAIK, there aren't any legalities concerning it, though doing leaflets during "sociable" hours is probably advisable!
From my experience, it was a lot of work for not a lot of return - some people get seriously miffed, and will open their door and stand outside loudly tearing up the leaflet to make the point. It also seriously hurts if a dog bites you also.
Distributed about 500 leaflets, got 1 sale, maybe about 3 calls - not a great return on effort.
Probably would've been more cost-effective to place an ad in the paper...

After this experience I now tend to read all the leaflets which come through my door, though I only really bother keeping the takeaway ones...


Rob.

fieldl

1,320 posts

254 months

Monday 8th May 2006
quotequote all
I guess it depends on what you are selling too.
If you are selling high value/high margin product/service.
Then one job off the back of it may make it worth your while to spend a day distributing 1000 odd leaflets.
Or get some kids you trust to do it

Smartie

2,623 posts

296 months

Monday 8th May 2006
quotequote all
if you ask the local newsagent they may agree to post them with their paper deliveries? (for a fee, obviously!)