Planning your first leaflet campaign, step by step

A first leaflet campaign should be designed to teach you something, not just to spend a budget. That means picking a small, readable test and building in a way to measure it before a single leaflet is printed.

Step one: define who you want to reach

Start from your existing customers. Where do they live, what type of property, what distance from you. Postcode-level targeting works because it follows real behaviour rather than a hopeful radius drawn on a map.

Step two: set a test volume you can read

Too small and the result is noise. Too large and you have spent the budget before learning anything. A 2,500 to 5,000 drop into one or two sectors is usually the right first commitment.

Step three: build the tracking before you print

Decide now how a response will be identified: a dedicated number, a code word, a short URL or a specific landing page. Retrofitting tracking after the drop leaves you guessing about which channel produced the calls.

  • Dedicated phone number or call tracking
  • A code word for phone and in-person enquiries
  • A memorable short URL for the campaign
  • A staff briefing so everyone asks the same question

Step four: time the drop around your demand

Deliver ahead of the decision, not during it. Home services often land best midweek; food businesses do better close to the weekend. Whatever you choose, keep the timing consistent between tests so you are comparing like with like.

Step five: decide the rule for round two before you start

Write down in advance what result justifies repeating, expanding or changing the leaflet. Deciding the threshold in the cold light of planning stops the result being reinterpreted afterwards.

Frequently asked

How long before responses come in?

Immediate enquiries usually arrive in the first few days, but leaflets are often kept. Allow several weeks before you close the book on a campaign.

Should I repeat the same area?

Repetition into a chosen area generally outperforms one drop across a much wider area, because recognition builds with each exposure.

What should the leaflet actually say?

One clear offer, proof that you are local and real, and an obvious way to respond. Anything that does not serve those three jobs is competing with them.

Plan your first drop with us

We will help you pick the test area and volume, then print and deliver it with GPS proof.