Starting a Flyer Distribution Service – Part 1

Here’s a great business that you can start right away with little or no money. Not only that, but there is a tremendous need for this service by other small businesses in your community. That business is a flyer delivery service.

When it comes to getting their message out to the community, most small businesses will choose a flyer over everything else. One of the main reasons for this is that they can distribute a lot of information (not to mention nice graphics) about their company and the services they offer. In a sense, it’s really just like a nicely crafted sales letter. To have the same amount of information printed in a newspaper would be cost prohibitive for most small businesses.

Another reason for the popularity of flyers is the cost. A small company can design, print, and distribute their own flyers at a very reasonable cost. They can also target certain neighborhoods and change the look of the flyer on the fly if they find that they’re getting a low response.

Many small service businesses, such as lawn cutting, landscaping, window cleaning, and carpet cleaning, will use flyers almost exclusively.

By far, the biggest expense is distributing the flyers and getting their message right to their customer’s front door. This is where the real labor costs add up. Most large print shops can knock off 10,000 prints in no time, at a reasonable price. However, there is no easy, cheap, or efficient way to distribute 10,000 fliers.

I can tell you from personal experience that flyer distribution for most companies is a major pain. I’ve had a few businesses where I delivered my own fliers (I couldn’t afford to send them in the local newspaper or the mail) and it’s a lot tougher than it looks. If you’re flyering in an upscale neighborhood, be prepared to do more stair climbing than walking. Most of these residences have very grand entrances. After a few hours of working in a neighborhood like this, you’re going to start to feel it.

So, when it comes to flyers, a small-business can either distribute themselves, pay the local newspaper to include them in their flyer pack, or pay the post office to distribute your flyer with the regular mail. The problem with the newspaper service is that your flyer will be included along with dozens of others, and most people dispose of all the flyers in the paper at once. The post office distribution is a good idea, except for the fact that it costs a fortune and many people are in the habit of discarding their junk mail without even looking at it. The third option for these companies is to deliver it themselves. Of course, you’ve got to put a price on your time and if you can justify spending the day delivering flyers, then, by all means,do it.

The bottom line is that a flyer inserted in a homeowner’s door has the advantage of being exclusive. It’s not mixed up with dozens of other papers and is much more likely to grab the homeowner’s attention. Small business owners are very aware of this and that’s why flyer marketing will always be preferred by most.

Next, setting up your flyer distribution service and getting customers!