Door to door vs hand to hand leaflet distribution
Door to door leaflet distribution puts a leaflet through chosen residential letterboxes for reach and a low cost per thousand. Hand to hand leaflet distribution places it in a person's hand at a chosen place and time, for higher take up and exact timing. iDO runs both across 150,000 print points.
Sugandan Balaji
What is the difference between door to door and hand to hand leaflet distribution?
Door to door leaflet distribution is a delivery method that posts a leaflet through the letterbox of every chosen household on a round. Hand to hand leaflet distribution is a staffed method that places the same leaflet directly into the hand of a person at a chosen location and time.
The real difference is what each method lets you choose. Door to door leaflet distribution lets you choose the geography, down to a single postcode sector such as SW7 1, and nobody needs to be at home. Hand to hand leaflet distribution lets you choose the moment, such as an audience leaving a venue, and a person hands the leaflet over and can say one line about it.
Which method reaches more people, door to door or hand to hand?
Door to door leaflet distribution reaches far more people for the same budget. One residential round covers thousands of addresses in a day, and iDO (Info Display OOH Ltd) distributes more than 5 million brochures every month across 150,000 print points, the biggest print distribution network in the UK.
Hand to hand leaflet distribution reaches fewer people, but it reaches them awake. A team working a busy location places a few thousand leaflets in a session, and every one of those leaflets is accepted by a person rather than posted through a door. Take up is higher, wastage is lower, and the cost per thousand is higher because hand to hand is a staffed service.
How do door to door and hand to hand compare on cost, reach and targeting?
Door to door leaflet distribution wins on reach and on cost per thousand. Hand to hand leaflet distribution wins on take up, on timing and on the quality of the moment. The table compares the two methods on the measures that decide most briefs.
| Measure | Door to door | Hand to hand |
|---|---|---|
| Reach | High, thousands of addresses per round | Lower, limited by team hours |
| Cost per thousand | Lower, the cheapest staffed method | Higher, every leaflet is placed by a person |
| Targeting | Geographic, by postcode sector and street | Situational, by place, day and hour |
| Take up | Depends on the household opening the post | High, the leaflet is accepted by hand |
| Timing | Delivered across a window of days | Exact, to the hour |
| Format | A5 or DL, up to about 170gsm | DL, light enough to carry in volume |
| Proof | GPS tracked routes on geo located maps | Photographed proof of the team on site |
When should you choose door to door leaflet distribution?
Choose door to door leaflet distribution when the audience is defined by where it lives. It is the method for local catchments, membership drives, season programmes and anything a household decides together at home.
iDO ran solus door to door for the Royal Albert Hall to reach Christmas bookers, covering 6,600 addresses across SW7 1 to SW7 5 with 300 first class direct mail alongside it, and started within two days of the tier two announcement. For the Design Museum, iDO combined solus door to door in W8 6 with an ultra local blanket of Kensington High Street, Earls Court Road and Notting Hill Gate, which produced a spike in membership applications.
When should you choose hand to hand leaflet distribution?
Choose hand to hand leaflet distribution when the audience gathers somewhere at a known time. Hand to hand buys the moment rather than the map, so it suits launches, close deadlines and audiences already in the mood for what you are selling.
iDO distributed hand to hand for the Imperial War Museum and the Churchill War Rooms outside the Royal Albert Hall on the Last Night of the Proms, putting the leaflet into the hands of a cultural audience as it left. That is a crowd you cannot buy by postcode.
- Audiences leaving a venue, gallery or concert
- High street and station footfall at peak hours
- Queues at a festival, market or seasonal event
- Any campaign with a date on it that is close
How do you choose between the two methods?
Choose by what defines the audience. If the audience is defined by where it lives, use door to door leaflet distribution. If it is defined by where it will be on a given day, use hand to hand leaflet distribution. Most strong campaigns use both, with door to door building the base over weeks and hand to hand landing the deadline.
iDO runs both methods from 60+ distribution centres with teams local to their own areas, so one brief can cover a single postcode sector and three cities in the same week.
Frequently asked
- Is hand to hand leaflet distribution more expensive than door to door?
- Yes. Hand to hand leaflet distribution is a staffed service, so the cost per thousand is higher than door to door. Door to door covers more addresses for the same budget, while hand to hand buys a higher take up rate and exact control of the day and hour.
- What leaflet size works for both methods?
- DL works for both. DL is light to carry in volume for hand to hand and fits standard letterboxes and brochure racks for door to door. A5 gives more room for a map or an offer and is the usual door to door alternative. Keep stock at or under about 170gsm.
- How do you prove a distribution actually happened?
- Ask for GPS tracked distribution, photographed proof of display and a live dashboard with geo located maps. iDO has invested over 250,000 pounds in that reporting system, so door to door rounds and hand to hand sessions are both evidenced while the campaign is still running.