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AIBU?

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Original poster

Door to door Leafletting

95 replies

manicinsomniac · 27/10/2018 20:22

I regularly deliver large numbers of leaflets through people's letterboxes - either advertising amateur dramatic productions or political canvassing.

I hate it. As I approach someone's drive I can feel my chest getting tight and my breathing getting faster. My hands shake pushing the leaflets through and I have to restrain myself from running away from the door as quickly as possible when the letterbox rattles. Gravel driveways are a particular nightmare and I find myself trying to tiptoe without looking obvious. If there's someone in their garden, car or garage that house gets missed out straightaway.

The reason for the anxiety is that I feel people see the leafletting as an invasion of their privacy. That I have no right to be walking onto someone's property and up to their door without being invited. That lots of people have firm or even aggressive signs about cold callers and junk mail. I am scared of annoying people and even more scared of the door flying open and someone shouting at me.

But everyone else who I leaflet with thinks I'm crazy to worry like this and that we aren't bothering anyone, have a right to put whatever we like through the doors etc. There's one person who's nervous of dogs behind letterboxes but nobody else is scared of the process itself.

So I want to know how crazy (or in fact, reasonable!) I am being. Do you think it's unreasonable to use private letterboxes for advertising or campaigning? And does it annoy you?

OP posts:
redsummershoes · 27/10/2018 20:26

I hate leaflets. such a waste of paper.
they go in the bin without even reading them.
we get loads, even though we have a 'no leaflets' sign on the letter box.

JellyBears · 27/10/2018 20:28

Tbh it’s a waste of paper because the rubbish you post will go straight in the bin. It’s really Annoying and it’s intrusive to have people coming to your house and posting rubbish all the time.

terfing · 27/10/2018 20:28

I'm sorry to hear that, op. Are you looking for another job?

PeoniesandPretties · 27/10/2018 20:36

I have a new born and an excellent guard dog who let's us know when the fifth bit of junk mail has come through the door... Thus waking up the baby.
I have a sign on the door refusing the leaflets and I've even considered moving somewhere remote as it drives me bonkers, such a waste of paper! And yes you are right, it is an invasion of privacy.

Original poster
manicinsomniac · 27/10/2018 20:37

terfing - it's not my job! Just an unfortunate side responsibility of my hobbies/interests - ie we need to sell tickets to have the money to do productions (hobby) and I feel duty bound to be at least a bit politically active (interest).

I'm actually a teacher. I don't post leaflets about that!

OP posts:
Original poster
manicinsomniac · 27/10/2018 20:44

uh-oh, this is backfiring! Grin As I haven't actually come across anyone who has legitimised my fear in real life I strongly suspected I was being totally paranoid and weird. But it seems like I'm right to panic Blush

Statistically, it isn't a waste of paper though, to be fair. Around 30-40% of our ticket sales for the smaller drama group come from postal returns of leaflets posted through doors (you can tell because the order form is on the back of the leaflet) - so some people must read them, I guess. That can mean £500+ pounds of added revenue and not performing to a half empty audience. But that isn't going to stop me freaking out about all of you who don't want to be receiving them!

OP posts:
MakeAHouseAHome · 27/10/2018 20:48

Sorry but i hate people who post crap through my door. It IS an invasion of my privacy as it IS tresspassing.

HoneyWheeler · 27/10/2018 20:48

If it's for something local I don't mind so much but I hate the menus - that seems like a total waste of paper. I think it's a pretty socially acceptable form of advertising, even if technically it is a bit of an invasion of privacy.

I would counsel you to future proof your hobby though, and start collecting emails etc and look in future to sending out digital advertising- you will save money on paper and on your time, and I personally don't think it'd be long before leafleting is phased out.

MysteryNameChange · 27/10/2018 20:51

I do it too for my business and feel exactly the same way about it OP. Although it's my most successful form of marketing - and so cheap - so I do it anyway. Some people obviously don't mind!

DopeyDazy · 27/10/2018 20:51

it's only a leaflet, if its of no interest its a bin job but sometimes it's useful. It's no biggie either way

Original poster
manicinsomniac · 27/10/2018 20:51

Is it really trespassing to go to someone's front door, MakeaHouse ?! Shock As in, is it technically a crime? I hadn't thought of it as quite as bad as that.

Interesting point about digitizing Honey - but I can't imagine people would want to give out their email if they don't even want a leaflet?

OP posts:
DopeyDazy · 27/10/2018 20:55

This reply has been deleted

Message deleted by MNHQ. Here's a link to our Talk Guidelines.

Whitecurrants · 27/10/2018 20:57

I tend to throw all leaflets straight into the recycling and I would prefer not to receive them. Don't you have a mailing list of people who want to support the drama group?

minniebow · 27/10/2018 20:59

I hate the waste and my ‘no junk mail’ sign always gets ignored. I’d would be nervous if I had to do that job as I don’t think many people really enjoy getting them

Biancadelriosback · 27/10/2018 21:01

So 30-40% of your ticket sales of via leaflets, how many leaflets do you hand out? If you hand out 100 and you get 25 tickets in total that is still one hell of a waste

mildshock · 27/10/2018 21:02

I don't mind local stuff like newsletters, one off events, vouchers for local shops and cafes etc. I hate leaflets from big businesses, and ones advertising things like windows or boilers or similar.

strumpetblowingatrumpet · 27/10/2018 21:03

I don't mind getting leaflets through the door too much- sometimes they're even useful. What I do mind is - like what happened this morning - I was breast feeding ds on the sofa and a leaflet dropper cut through between my living room window and the bush outside to get to next doors garden. The gap is literally about 15 inches so he was squeezed right up to the bloody window and had a good old look on his way past. I was furious but ds was still feeding and I didn't want to put him down to go and have a row with him about it.

Original poster
manicinsomniac · 27/10/2018 21:07

Whitecurrants - yes, there's a mailing list and social media groups etc. But it takes more than one avenue of advertising to fill a theatre for amdram productions. I suppose the idea is that people come and see a show for the first time and might enjoy it enough to join the mailing list. And, if they don't enjoy it enough or don't want to give out contact details, they've at least been to one show and we can get more first timers next time via the leafletting route.

The big, well known (locally!) group I perform with believes that the majority of their sales are friends/family/word of mouth followed by social media then posters in public places then mailing list then leafletting then local radio. The smaller group (which analyses its sales) is usually something like 40% friends and family, 30-40% leafletting, 20% social media, 0-10% other)

OP posts:
MetalMidget · 27/10/2018 21:09

As long as you don't ignore any signs about no junk mail, it's fine.

We put up a sign a couple of months ago, and it may sound ridiculous, but it did massively improve our quality of life. Before we'd get a massive pile up of takeaway menus, estate agent leaflets, charity bags, etc in less than a week. We'd have some days where we could barely open the door for all of the stuff that had been pushed though. No issues now though, most people are respectful. I'm guessing any aggressive signs are down to places where people persist in spamming regardless of firm/polite signs.

LoftyLou · 27/10/2018 21:09

Hate getting these too, unless it’s about something hyper-local. Sorry!

On my first maternity leave my baby was a very bad sleeper/napper and the sound of the letter box would wake him or me.

I used to hear the gate swinging and run like a mad woman to the front door, sometimes I even ran out to hand the leaflet back (I was severely sleep deprived!)

Original poster
manicinsomniac · 27/10/2018 21:11

So 30-40% of your ticket sales of via leaflets, how many leaflets do you hand out? If you hand out 100 and you get 25 tickets in total that is still one hell of a waste

I suppose it depends on how you're defining 'waste' - financially or environmentally. 25 tickets is £150 - £350 depending on the ticket cost. 75 leaflets probably costs about 75p (I have no idea, I'm not the publicity officer so I've never bought any). So it's an excellent return financially but yes, 75 sheets of paper have been wasted.

OP posts:
LaurieFairyCake · 27/10/2018 21:11

Love the local ones. It's how I found my yoga teacher, my plumber, and my church group.

Ellisandra · 27/10/2018 21:12

I don’t want leaflets and I might think “more bloody leaflets!” as I recycle-bin what I can. But I have never felt annoyed at the company and even less so at the person delivering!

CantWaitToRetire · 27/10/2018 21:13

No it’s not trespassing. The whole idea of having a letterbox is to allow mail nd sometimes leaflets to be posted through. I get your fears OP. I recently had to deliver some leaflets for a club I attend and I too missed out any property where the homeowner was in front of their house. It just felt awkward. The other thing I hated was all the ‘hostile’ letterboxes. With draft excluders and tight hinges it was really difficult to post leaflets through many of them. I really wouldn’t want to be a mail person for my job.

SputnikBear · 27/10/2018 21:14

Leaflets are a total waste. They go in the bin without even being read.

In terms of an dram bookings, are the leaflets that are returned with bookings the same ones that you’ve posted through doors? Or are they leaflets that people have taken home and handed to family and friends? (I suspect the latter)

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