There are so many ways to market and so many ways to do it right, the wrong ways and no one cares about them. There are two traditional approaches for connecting with new customers: leaflet distribution and cold calling. But there are plenty of reasons leaflet distribution ticks several boxes compared to cold calling. In this post we examine why leaflet distribution is the better option for businesses looking to reach out to their audience the right way and without being too costly.
1. Non-Intrusive Approach
Cold calling is one of the major drawbacks. Unsolicited phone calls can mess up a person’s work, meal or relaxation time. It can also cause frustration and a negative view of your brand.
Leaflet distribution is non intrusive. The leaflets are distributed directly to people’s homes or, in the case of public spaces, they are handed out so the recipients can read the material whenever they want. It respects the audience’s time while still getting your message out.
2. Higher Acceptance Rates
It’s common cold calling resistance. However, with calls from unknown numbers, the answer is not usually forthcoming and those that do answer tend to cut short the conversation. Cold calling itself has traditionally been of little use outside of big blue chip consortiums, and modern tools such as call blockers and Do Not Call lists reduce it further still.
Tangible and visually engaging, leaflets are easily made and understood. They provide a physical cord connection to focus interest and to increase the acceptance rate. While not acted on immediately, a well designed leaflet will be better remembered than a phone call ever will.
3. Cost-Effectiveness
Cold calling usually needs a proper team, lots of contact databases, and a good phone system. This can add up quickly, especially if the return on investment isn’t particularly quick due to high rejection rates.
It’s a cost effective way. Prediction and scaling of printing and distribution costs help keep your budget in control. This way you can aim the message precisely to certain areas or demography and don't spend your money for something that you don't need.
4. Customisable and Visual Appeal
Verbal communication is the only thing at your disposal for a phone call — it’s great for generating a quick digestible point, but if you have a lot to say or want to leave a strong impression, it’s not going to work. Also, cold calls don’t have the visual component, which for a lot of times often drives people to engage with the idea more.
But leaflets give your brand a chance to show off with visuals. Eye catching designs, vibrant colours, fascinating images can help your message become more effective. Also leaflets can have in it detailed information, QR code, special offers or whatever you put in, there, increasing the value.
5. Local Targeting
Cold calling absolutely can get to a broad group of people, yet it tends to be challenging to ensure that those you are calling are really part of your target demographic. Wasted time and effort can come from blindly dialing numbers.
Leaflet distribution does so well at local targeting. You are able to dictate where you need your message to go whether you are addressing certain neighbourhoods, streets or even households. The level of precision is particularly useful for small businesses as well as local services.
6. No Risk of Negative Reactions
The fear with cold calling is it alienates potential customers. Unsolicited calls can tarnish your brand’s reputation because many see them as intrusive or demanding.
Leaflet distribution does not allow this difficulty. The material is offered and recipients are able to engage with it or to push it aside without any sense of pressure. By doing this, you promote a more pleasant and neutral interaction, and allow you to leave a dominant impression in the minds of consumers without annoying them.
7. Longer Shelf Life
The power of a cold call is done the second you hang up. But unless the recipient acts on the message immediately, it will be forgotten.
However, leaflets have a longer shelf life. They can be pinned to a bulletin board, sit on top of a countertop or passed towards others. The longer you have this extended presence, the higher will be your chances of your message to be seen and acted upon.
8. Scalable and Flexible
It’s expensive and hard to manage to scale a cold calling campaign – requiring more staff, phone lines and data. Leaflet distribution is so much more scalable and flexible. Whether it’s only a few hundred leaflets in a local area or several thousand in different geographic areas, it’s all still relatively straightforward to manage.
Final Thoughts
Leaflet distribution can be a more respectful, more effective, and more visually interesting way to get in contact with your audience while cold calling may have its place in certain industries. Through the use of targeted, cost effective and non-intrusive marketing, a business can develop more robust links to potential customers and eliminate the fear of missing out on profitable advertising. If you’re looking to run your next marketing campaign then you need to consider leaflet distribution as a winning strategy.
