Back in the 1400’s it would have been common practise to go into the streets and cry out at the top of your voice if you had information to share to the locals. This would, however, work out to be rather ineffective and messages passed on in this way would change and twist as it was relayed on among people of the area.
People with an important message soon realised that if they wanted to get it out to people of the area, then they would need to write their message down and pass it on. Handwritten newsletters were handed out to relay important news of the area.
In 1450, Germany invented the printing press, and the handwritten newsletters soon became printed newspapers, and it was obvious to see that this had a far more reaching effect than your typical handwritten note. In the British civil war, printed leaflets were used to pass important information among troops and even spread bad information about the enemy.
The movement to abolish the slave trade, the women’s rights movement, and propaganda for the second world war were all printed and distributed as leaflets!
In 1950, after the war, printing evolved and became much more visual, selling goods to consumers – everything from fridges, to cards, to holidays.
In recent years leaflet distribution is still an extremely effective form of marketing, despite the invention of social media and pay per click advertising. This is because there is no other form of marketing that can advertise direct to the consumer. Online adverts have quickly become something to expect when scrolling through your news feed of Facebook or making a Google search, and you simply pass them, as if they were not even there.
Leaflets have a much more personal touch, including more information about the business. At the very least, an uninterested resident will not want to throw it out as it looks and feels important and will often put it on the side table with other letters where, someone of that household who may use it, comes across the flyer. Therefore, no matter how technology progresses, leaflet distribution, will always remain one of the best ways to advertise.
If your marketing campaign is completed correctly, then digital advertising as well as leaflet distribution can work well together. Having an effective website for a potential customer to go to following receipt of your flyer, can work out to be extremely useful. Therefore, it is important to get all aspects of your marketing campaign thought of when arranging a leaflet drop.