Frequently Asked Questions

Please browse our list of Frequently Asked Questions.

If you have a question for Letterbox Direct please us the Enquiry Form and we will be glad to help.

Q: If my leaflet goes out with the free newspaper will it go to every house in the area?
A: The coverage of a free newspaper is decided by the Publisher and is usually based on a various criteria. It is extremely unlikely that the newspaper will be delivered to every single household within the area that a customer wishes to target. If in doubt ask what the coverage is compared to the total number of households within the area you wish to deliver to.

Q: Do I have to go to every house that the free newspaper goes to?
A: No. The coverage of a free newspaper is broken down by post code sector and a deliverable quantity for each sector will be available. Customers are able to choose which sectors they wish to cover thus reducing any obvious wastage.

Q: How can I get my leaflet delivered to the people that are most likely to shop at my store?
A: Various targeting methods are available to ensure that promotional material is delivered into homes that are likely to prompt the best levels of response. Firstly, it is important to identify the correct geographic catchment for the relevance of the promotional message e.g. by Drivetime or Radius. Once the catchment has been determined we can then target by using lifestyle data to reach the correct audience.

Q: Will my leaflet be delivered with other leaflets?
A: If you are using the free newspaper network to deliver your leaflet through the letterbox is possible and is generally referred to as a solus delivery. The solus method is more expensive than the ‘shared’ option.

Q: How far in advance should I plan my leaflet campaign?
A: Deadlines can vary and it is always best to check first. However, in general you should allow about a month from start to finish. This will enable you to consider various design options, plan the targeting, print the leaflets and then have them delivered. Obviously larger print runs of sophisticated designs can affect the lead times.

Q: What sort of response can I expect?
A: Response rates can fluctuate dramatically from leaflet to leaflet, week to week and business to business. As a result of this Letterbox Direct will never quote you or guarantee a level of response that you can expect.

Q: How do I know my leaflets are going to be delivered?
A: The majority of free newspapers that Letterbox Direct distribute with are members of Verified Free Distribution (VFD). VFD issue their members with official circulation figures. In order to meet VFD standards distribution controllers and backcheckers check the delivery of every newspaper round covered by a certain publication every 8 weeks. This is done by contacting householders (mainly by telephone) who should be receiving the free newspaper and associated leaflets. The aim of the call is to check:

1. they are receiving the free newspaper regularly and on the correct day
2. that they are receiving leaflets with the free newspaper VFD appoint independent auditors who visit our premises to audit the whole distribution process twice a year (every six months)

Q: How much does it cost to deliver leaflets?
A: The cost is dependent on four major factors:

• The method of distribution chosen. i.e. shared or solus.
• The size / pagination of your leaflet (A 48 page booklet will cost more than an A5 single sheet leaflet.
• The areas you wish to cover. (Some areas of the country are more expensive to deliver to than others. For example rural areas).
• The overall volume of leaflets to be delivered.

Q: Does Door Drop Marketing work?
A: Yes it certainly does. Recent research carried out by the Direct Marketing Association shows that:

1. 38% of door drop material is kept for at least a few days and 13% is kept for a week or more.
2. 48% of consumers had either visited a shop, sent for information or bought a product having received promotional material through the letterbox.