Direct marketing methods
Door-to-door marketing is a category, not a single technique. It includes:
- Unaddressed leaflet distribution (solus and shared).
- Addressed mail through Royal Mail and alternatives.
- Hand-delivered samples and product trials.
- Door-knocking canvassers (rare in retail, common in political campaigns).
Local awareness
The shared purpose is local awareness — reaching households inside a defined geographic catchment with a physical message that survives in the home for longer than a digital impression survives in a feed.
Campaign planning
Effective campaigns answer four questions before going to print: who is the audience, where do they live, what action do we want, and how will we measure it? Without all four, the campaign can run but cannot be optimised.
Modern leaflet distribution
Modern leaflet distribution combines postcode targeting with GPS-tracked supervised delivery. The verification side is what distinguishes a credible provider from a low-cost operator with no accountability. See GPS tracked distribution.
Targeting strategies
Common targeting layers include postcode sector, demographic profile (age, income, family stage), property type (semi, terraced, flat) and proximity to a business location. The right mix depends on the offer and the catchment.