My business is still very small, with me being the only employee. I recently invested in a bike figuring I would hand out postcards to save $$ on postage. I know that it's not ok to put them inside of mailboxes, but I'm wondering if anybody knows if its ok to prop them next to the mailbox crevices, or prop them up via the red flag-things on the mailboxes.

With postage so high these days it's harder to get a good return on your $$ sending them all by direct mail. If anyone else distributes flyers by hand I'd appreciate any comments.

Thanks. -Grant

I paid my kids to pass 1000 out this spring. They were door hangers in 3-$600,000 house neighborhood. And it was an awesome doorhanger and I got 1 call and she didn't book it yet.

People don't like things hanging on the mail box or door when they come home. But it has been a long time since I did it and wanted to see if it works now, but it didn't.

A flyer on the side of a mail box is ok as far as I know. As long as it it not in the box itself.

Maybe a local paper would work.

I am going to put up a few flyers at my schools BB in the teachers lounge. We all know how much teachers like to spend money.

Hey Darwin, I just purchased a Vento from Rick. I will call you when I am ready to sell it in a month or so.

LOL, your not getting this one. My wife said if I don't make a go of it at least part time she is leaving me. Hey I just got an idea! LOL

You can send out what you think is the best flier or post card but if you're not following the rules of direct marketing it's a waist. Trust me I know(hard way)

nothing goes out without an offer
nothing goes out without a reason to respond right NOW
nothing ---------------- clear instructions on how to respond

this is just a few do's that should be on you flier or post card.

Was any of them missing on your's?

Greg Loe
Chico,Ca
www.gregs-ucs.com

are you focusing on residential or commercial or some of both? Do you have someone who could market with you such as wife, significant other or friend?

Thanks

Wayne

Thanks for the responses. I believe I have a very good postcard and have had a good response to in on the ones I've send via mail, but I was hoping to save $$ by handing them out on my bike. A lady called and claimed that it was illegal for me to have them even touching the outside of the mailbox in any way and that she was "turning me in". I'm hoping that this is just one lady with nothing better to do, but I'm wondering if anyone has tried this and maybe I should change my distribution method...

Thanks. -Grant

Last year i put some out on a series of mailboxes, hung em on the flag, got a call from the post office and they were pissed, absolutly rude about it. Now i just do door hangers for my air duct cleaning business. Have 3 adds in the dex and no calls and it been out for 4 months, tried to work with them on the payments and they would not flex at all. I explained it must be more seasonal than i thought and would like to be put on the seasonal payment plan they have and they refused. Wont be using them anymore. Tried adds in local papers and nothing. Have had my best luck with door hangers. Also i buy magnets for my business cards and every time i go to the store i place them on the drive side door, also any big function going on in town i hit and put out the cards. The free way seems to pay off for me.

Its illegal to put anything on the mailbox in the U.S. This includes the flag, outside of the box, etc. Once the box is erected it is considered an official US postal repository and is governed by federal regulations.

If the customer has chosen to put a hook or nail on the post, it is legal to hang something from this. Customers are also allowed to add newspaper boxes to the post. I think you can put a flyer or coupon into the newspaper box, not sure if postal regulations apply to that also.

Most of our marketing consist of handing out flyers. We put them around mail boxes, in paper boxes, anywhere except in the mail box. Have never had a problem with the post office. Now we always target mid to upper scale homes $150,000 and up. We put the flyer in a white envelope, you can also walk around neighborhoods and drop these envelopes on the front porch or step. The customer will always open the envelope to see whats inside. In your flyer you must have what Greg said, most important is a cut off date, usually two weeks or so to get what ever you are offering.
You must use easy to read text, contrasted good (like wht paper with black writing.
We hand out 400 to 500 once or twice a week, we always get 3 to 6 calls with each handout, and occasionally as high as 10.
We print the flyer on our computer then take it to Staples or Office Max and have them run the copies and tri fold them. Total cost for 500 is under $50. Most jobs we get are around $200 to $500, not bad for a $50 investimate and 2 hours or less handing them out. If you do this twice a week until you are to busy then keep doing it once a week, you will stay busy and the referrals will just keep adding to your business.
Hope this helps Jim England

Jim E

Thanks all again for the helpful advice. I went out today again and avoided anything touching the mailboxes. Where possible I put them on porches or the newspaper slots. Many homes I skipped due to time it would have taken to get off my bike and walk to the porch. I was able to deliver about 100 in 1 1/2 hours. Yesterday was 150 in 1 hour, but at least this way I'm not upsetting anybody. Unfortunately I wasn't in good enough shape to stay out on my bike any longer. Lots of hills here and I'm no Lance Armstrong!

I like the idea about making a one page black and white flyer. I've been doing full color postcards up until now, but even though I do it myself the toner is still expensive, and it takes forever to print out flyers on postcard stock as they keep getting jammed.

Bottom line is I need to get more jobs scheduled to make some $$! I need to start marketing to commercial accounts too...