To think most people don’t look at flyers posted in their doors?

[Afternooninthepark]

I’ve been a SAHM for 10 years and am really struggling to get back in the workplace. I have been applying for jobs for sometime but I’m not having much luck and desperate to start earning again. I have been doing a spot of very part time dog walking for a while now and have decided to focus on expanding that and also offering a pet pop in/sitting service and home help service for older people etc.
I have had some flyers printed off but not sure how to get them circulated in my area?
I want to put the ad in our local magazine which is circulated to residents in a 4-5 mile radius from where I live. A four month long, small ad will cost £90.
However, dh reckons it’s cheaper and most effective if I purchase around 5000 flyers at a cost of £50 and spend some time popping them in letterboxes all around our area.
However, I’m not so sure this would generate much interest. We get lots of leaflets/flyers through the door and tbh half the time I don’t even look at them, just plonk them in the recycling bin but I do browse through the local magazines each month.
Apart from Facebook, I can’t really think of other cheap(ish) ways to get the word around.
Which one do you think is likely to generate the most interest?

I don’t look at the farmfood style flyers but I will have a look at the sort of flyer you would post. If it’s of no interest I’ll pop it in the bin.

Thanks horace

Can't say between the leaflets or local magazine, but I found my cat sitter, who also does dog walking, from a card in the vets, so maybe ask local vets, groomers, pet shops etc if you can put a flyer up there? Maybe also on noticeboards at local parks? Facebook?

I look at them in the way to the bin and if it's something that interests me I keep it. I'd be more likely to notice a flyer than a small ad in a magazine.

Think about your target market; people who want pet-sitting will probably be younger people who work so possibly not the type to read the local mag. However, older people are more likely to read the mag and see the home help services.

Therefore, flyers might be best to cover all bases.

I'd also post a free ad on a Gumtree type website.

Local facebook groups are the first place I look for this sort of thing

I'd go for flyers, but don't over-design them, and get them printed on slightly thicker paper, definitely not with a gloss finish.

Make them feel and look like something local. Although you want things to look smart, making them 'too professional' can backfire a bit for hyper-local services.

Put the name of your area & the service in the biggest size you can, e.g.

Upper Wibblesthwaite
Pet Sitting

People are more likely to look at something that is clearly local to them. Good luck!

I do if it’s something I may need - keep them on the kitchen noticeboard.

I am much more likely to look at an individual flyer than an ad in a magazine.

To be honest it depends if I'm in need of the service or likely to be. If it's of no interest it goes in the bin but if it's for something useful I'll keep it.

Agree with poster above that I'm more likely to look at thicker, unglossy flyers as they stand out as small local businesses.

So yes, flyers are definitely worthwhile. see if you can pop one up in small cheaper places - corner shops, village halls, churches

Never. It’s always food shops/new windows/taxis and take always. My toddler puts them straight in the bin for me and brings me the actual post. She loves getting the post. An advert on the vets wall/pet shop wall or even the local news agents in more likely to look at. I also don’t buy magazines.

I'd look at a flyer that didn't come with the normal post (so I'd put them through doors in the evening if possible), would throw it away if not relevent to me though.
Don't read local magazines.

Try a card in the local vets/pet store
Facebook local groups
Flyers in local shops/cafes if possible
"Window adverts" in newsagents or similar?

I'll glance at them as I head towards the recycling bin.

Leafletting is a well under 1% response rate form of advertising, which is why it's cheap. You have to be lucky.

Put that ad in the local mag. And put ads up at local shops with ad boards.

Worth checking nextdoor.com if there's a local active community, Facebook obv as you've said.

I always look at leaflets before I put them in the recycling and I subscribe to the parish magazine because local trades advertise in it - have use a heating engineer and a builder from that source. I'm surprised at the number of people who don't get the local mag though - either the paid for one or the freebie from the next town which drops through our door.

I have seen ads for dog walking/boarding on local FB pages - in fact I passed details on to a friend of one advertiser offering a home from home dog service - I remembered the ad and we don't even have a dog.

A single flyer on it's own on the doormat will attract my attention and I may keep it if relevant.

Those that come with others (bulk delivered by Royal Mail) just get dumped.

So best to deliver at a time where they're be nothing else on the doormat, i.e. evenings, Sundays, etc to give maximum chance of them being noticed.

Just a random thought most primary school will be doing the Christmas fares soon. What about donating a couple of free walks as prizes. It’s advertising even If the winner doesn’t use it. I’ve won Chinese food and all sorts on those raffles and seen anything from hair cuts to holidays offered as prizes from small local family’s who have those services.

I read them, as PP said not glossy looks local I'll have a read and keep if I need the service.

I look at them then bin if no interest.

I always scan the flyers in case there is something I might need. For example we were looking for someone to clear our gutters and a leaflet came for exactly that, so we did use them.

I think leaflet drops have a low response rate of less than 1%. But on 5000 leaflets thats up to 50 people so may be worth while. How many clients would you need to obtain for it to be worth spending £50?
You would probably get a better response rate if you target your leaflets. E.g. aim for larger houses where people are more likely to have a dog, work and have additional income to pay for a sitter. It's probably not worth going around a council estate of small houses, or any areas which are predominantly students, for example.

I think leaflets are better than newspaper because someone has to pick it up (even just to throw it out). You could also try putting up posters or flyers in parks or dog walling areas, or in the local shop/post office if they have a noticeboard.

We get all the usual flyers which I gather up and keep until I have a full envelope worth. Then I send them back, unstamped, usually to a local estate agent who keeps bombarding us with annoying litter being stuffed through our letterbox.

Don't stamp them and the receiver needs to pay.

I probably would notice however a "different" one such as yours.

Still hate having litter chucked through into my private property mind you.

My DGM still looks at the boards in the supermarket. I would look at advertising there, in shops and at vet practices if you can.

I immediately recycle flyers without glancing.

If you can I'd use the flyers in targeted locations - could you offer a discount and an incentive to your local vets say? As others have said flyers have a very low response rate traditionally. Our local schools offer advertising on info sheets to raise some funds as do the local church's. They might be cheaper and more targeted use of any money you have. My husband was interesting in advertising in our local magazine and so spoke to some of the people who advertised in there as we knew some of them - my daughters ex nursery for instance. None reported getting any business from it. For us having a Facebook page and going on the various groups worked. It's also to be fair where I start looking for recommendations. You could ask people to write recommendations who have been happy with your service. Good luck!

MrsGollach - why waste your time being passive aggressive when you could just put a sign up saying No Junk Mail?

I would look at flyers and also in local facebook groups. If I was starting a business I'd also use facebook to look for people wanting my service.

some people must read them
I made flyers when my cat disappeared, but didn't do posters/FB. The flyers generated several text messages with sightings, and eventually someone kept her in their house for me overnight.

Glossy, professional ones I don’t look at because I assume they are just the company junk mail ones. Ones that look home printed or from local businesses I will look at. Just make sure it is really obvious at first glance what you are advertising!