Today’s modern era has a real ageism problem. Any marketing campaign that’s pre-digital is seen as irrelevant, antiquated and, worst of all, useless.
But nothing is further from the truth.
Traditional marketing methods are still incredibly effective today, no matter what digital marketing companies tell you. The thing is, it’s not an either/or question. You can use both to increase your revenue. Here’s how leaflets fit into the bigger picture.
Leaflets Still Work
When it comes to leaflets, you may have found the secret weapon of traditional marketing. In 2023, they’re just as effective as they’ve ever been. They are part of the old-school marketing tricks that still work today. They’re far from extinct; if you use them in the right way, they can boost sales and improve brand visibility.
Instead of going the traditional route and telling you why leaflets work, let’s explore the objections people tend to have:
Objection #1: Leaflets Are Too Expensive
We tend to think that anything to do with physical items is expensive, whereas digital is a dirt cheap alternative. This was often true in the past, but now? Not so much.
This is especially true when you start crunching the numbers to analyze lead generation. Consider these stats: traditional direct mail is opened 92% of the time. For email marketing campaigns, you’re lucky if the email isn’t directly sent to spam (for the retail market, for example, the open rates average just 17.1%).
Sure, emails may be cheaper, but if no one is opening them, does that matter?
Objection #2: Leaflets Are Thrown Away
Yes, people throw away leaflets, that can’t be denied. But here’s the kicker: they tend to do so only if A) they’re poor quality and/or B) they don’t have any long-term use.
You want to have the kind of leaflet that would feel right at home in a 1980s Hollywood movie. You know, the one that is right next to the pizza delivery leaflet on the average fridge.
Your leaflet shouldn’t just be an obvious sales spiel, but should also include essential information and something with utility. For example, a quick-access QR code for your sales page. Or a set of coupons that can only be used alongside the leaflet.
Objection #3: Leaflets Don’t Leverage Metrics
When you send out an email campaign using a service like MailChimp, you can track pretty much everything. For example, click tracking allows you to see which links are clicked to measure engagement. You can then completely track what happens on your landing pages, further allowing the chance to optimize. And that’s just the tip of the iceberg.
But it would be a misconception to say that leaflets don’t allow you to take advantage of modern tech. For example, you can use live GPS monitoring to see which roads perform better than others. You can use QR codes and landing pages to optimize your conversions. Coupon codes can also be used in this way.
In short, there are plenty of ways you can use leaflets to optimize your lead generation. You’re not flying blind, not at all.
Put the Effort In
Of course, there’s a huge difference between a low-quality leaflet that uses cheap graphics and even cheaper paper. People will think less of your business, if they even bother to have a closer look.
No, you want to make sure you put the correct effort into the project. If you don’t have the budget to hire a designer, use a paid (but inexpensive) service like Canvas’ design leaflet tool. Here are some of the basics you should include:
- Essential details. Your contact information (e.g. web address and phone number), logo, company colours, and make your message clear.
- Avoid generic or your audience will ignore it. Look at what other companies are doing in your target area and be better.
- Focus on your target audience and create a leaflet campaign that exclusively targets that demographic. There is no one-size-fits-all when it comes to leaflet design.
- Use high-quality images. Free is good, unless it’s bad. If you can’t find a decent image for your designs, don’t be afraid to fork out for paid assets. They’re not prohibitively expensive.
Leaflets are still relevant, as long as you do your research and put the right investment into the overall marketing campaign. Remember, it’s only the bad workman who always blames their tools.
