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 really look at much that comes through the door.

On the flip side though, I have done the wandering from door to door putting flyers through letterboxes. It takes absolutely AGES. 5000 flyers is a hell of a lot to trawl round so you may want to look into a local company doing it...

@PattiStanger - according to my neighbours their signs saying "no junk mail" don't work. Also, I have a very expensive new wood front door and I wouldn't want to deface it.

I think it's dreadful that people think they have a "right" to chuck rubbish through letterboxes in to private property.

We found our dog walker/sitter on the Tailster app! That and DogBuddy are really useful.
If I needed a service, I would usually look online rather than waiting for a flyer/ad.
Good luck!

In our area the most effective local marketing seems to be:

Get your friends to share your business fb page
Get the community fb to share your fb page
Pay for an advert in the local glossy “what’s on” magazine

Advertising livery on your car/van

I do glance at everything that comes through my door. If it's new or of interest I will read it properly, and have several of them pinned to my noticeboard for future ref.

But I found my cleaner by asking for recs on a local FB page, which was free (for her and me!)

Thanks everyone for your useful feedback, always good to get others opinions. I will definitely start putting the business up on Facebook and Gumtree to start with. I’ll have a look where I can pop the flyers locally (shop windows, vets, village halls etc). Going to give some thought to the magazine or flyers through door (I don’t really relish posting 5,OOO of them but will if it gets me some business!). Will look into a magnetic poster for the car, they aren’t too expensive but not sure if that would generate any interest!?

I do. Always. We got some gardening work done via a flyer through the door, AND found a cool new Chinese takeaway when our other one closed.

I am sure most people look at them.

@chillpizza

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.

WOW. Amazing how a toddler knows the difference between important mail and 'junk mail!'

@MrsGollach

According to my neighbours their signs saying "no junk mail" don't work. Also, I have a very expensive new wood front door and I wouldn't want to deface it.

I think it's dreadful that people think they have a "right" to chuck rubbish through letterboxes in to private property.

PMSL, over dramatic much?!

If it’s not in an envelope it’s rubbish

Personally, I don't like flyers and I file them straight into the recycling bin, as do a lot of people I know.

Put them up on noticeboards in shop windows, or in local vets' waiting rooms where they might be seen by people interested in such a service. Some supermarkets have community noticeboards too.

The loose flyers I do look at when picking up for recycling, rarely bother unfolding pile that come with post.

I've just looked for a new walker recently. I googled for local dogwalkers, asked for recommendations on local dog Facebook group and checked the pet store board which was plastered with Dogwalkers cards/flyers. I was looking for DBS checked, insured & animal first aid as a minimum requirement so should make those prominent. If your able to do evenings/ weekends then that's also selling point as i found many only worked school hours & no weekends.

Do you have poo bins in the local area? I’ve noticed a groomer and a walker both have taped small flyers to the bins in the local area.

I haven't bothered with written advertising for our dog-walking business for some years now. Facebook generates enough leads.

If you're using a vehicle having something sign-written on it can be useful, although the vehicle needs to look fairly professional - obviously properly kitted out for carrying dogs safely. I wouldn't be impressed by an old hatchback sketchily equipped with a dog guard and a couple of blankets in the boot.

I look at them to see if they are of interest.
On thought about you doing help for the elderly. Are you dbs checked?
You will need to be if you are doing that sort of work for vulnerable people. My daughter does cleaning for elderly in their homes and had to be dbs checked

I did the leafleting when I started out teaching, we printed them ourselves no where near as many as you, prob only 100. I got 3 from there but most happened through word of mouth and our local parish mag (which is cheaper than the 5000 flier cost you mentioned) I now have no ads except the ISM one and still they keep on comin' I have a healthy waiting list. It took about 3 years to build up to this point.

Sorry, I bin them immediately.

I look at recommendations/ads on my local fb pages, though because they will almost always have a lot of people recommending them.

Again, thanks all for your input.
Gemme the poo bins idea is a good one.
Dobie yes, I’m DBS checked and have also included that on my add.

I look at them on the way to the recycling and would notice if I was looking for a dog walker. I only consider using anyone on a flyer if it has a bricks and mortar address and a land-line though.

I think the best way for these kinds of business to reach people is through the local Facebook group though. Especially if you have a few existing customers who can pop up and recommend you.

Would never use a company that was doing flyers, it makes me think of scams or those that can't get good reviews online. How about listing on pawshake? They take a cut but provide PayPal payment and insurance. I use them for all my cat sitters.

Good. One thing you might like to do is contact age concern in your area and see if they know anybody that needs help.
Also our area has a neighbourhood volunteer for people to phone if they need help. Might be worth you finding out if there is one in your area that would know people that needed anything

Would people expect a home help to be dbs checked? And for animal services, insurance? Just wondering, and do hope things go well for you.

I am in the same position as you-I decided to do Cleaning.
I bought some flyers and posted them around my Village-Got two phone calls out of hundreds of flyers posted.
I am also slowly putting them in local shops.
I cleaned before I had my youngest and the best way to get custom is word of mouth,however you need to start somewhere!!!
Good Luck

I would prefer to have a business card that I could stick on the fridge with a magnet for reference. Round here, all services are advertised like that in vets, pet shops, local shops, post offices etc.

I wouldn’t look at them, sorry. I don’t even allow them in the house. I’ve got a bin right by the letterbox and it’s emptied straight into the recycling bin outside.

The different responses are interesting. I bin mine after a read, BUT I’ve found gutter cleaners and the company that replaced my garage roof from the leaflets - you never know!