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What Is Door Hanger Marketing?

Dan Cavallari
Dan Cavallari

Door hanger marketing is the process of creating special flyers that will hang from door knobs and distributing those flyers throughout neighborhoods. The door hangers, as these flyers are known, will often advertise new businesses in the area, special deals offered by a local business, or simply contact information for a business. A door hanger marketing campaign has distinct advantages and disadvantages, and undertaking such a campaign should be considered carefully both in terms of effectiveness and implementation; it is important to remember that it may cost a business money to hire someone who will distribute the flyers, which may somewhat negate the potential benefits.

One significant benefit of a door hanger marketing campaign is the ability to keep the door hangers out of the junk mail and in front of the consumer. Many people who receive ads in the mail immediately throw them away without considering them at all; door hanger marketing flyers are more likely to attract a homeowner's attention, and he or she is likely to at least read the advertisement. It is often recommended that an advertiser do more than one door hanger marketing campaign to ensure the customer sees the business name more than once, though over-saturating with one's ads can become a nuisance for homeowners.

Businesswoman talking on a mobile phone
Businesswoman talking on a mobile phone

One of the biggest drawbacks to the door hanger marketing campaign is the likelihood that the door hangers will either blow away in the wind or become damaged from exposure to the elements before the flyer is seen by a resident. Business owners often try to avoid this problem by printing the flyers on high grade paper or card stock, and by purchasing specially designed door hangers that are meant to stay on the door knob, even in high winds. This will prevent litter — another side effect that can reflect poorly on the business — and it will prevent excess waste in spending, since every flyer that does not reach a customer is money lost.

Another disadvantage to the door hanger marketing campaign is the public perception. Many people will enjoy receiving offers for free or discounted goods, while others may find a door hanger to be a tacky nuisance. If the customer reacts as such, they are likely to associate that particular business with negative feelings, reducing the likelihood that the customer will visit the advertiser's business. The business should be sure to offer valuable services, discounts, or free promotional items to ensure the homeowner does not begin to think of the business in a negative light.

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Discussion Comments

anon339009

As a homeowner, I have to tell you that finding door hangers on my front door infuriates me. I never do business with any of the firms mentioned on them. They hang things on my door, which is a sign that nobody is home and is an open invitation to burglars.

whiteplane
I had a pretty bad experience with door hanger ads. I had an ad designed and printed and it looked great. I got a few guys to put them all over the neighborhood around the restaurant. I even checked to make sure they had actually done the work. We blanketed the area and I did not see any new business at all. Maybe a brief uptick but it was nothing significant.

Where do you think I went wrong? I have played it over and over in my mind because I really had high hopes that this ad campaign would work but it turned out to be a total dud.

tigers88

Does anyone have any experience with doing door hanger marketing? I have been considering it and I even have a batch of door hangers printed up but where I am running into obstacles is in trying to find people to distribute them.

Basically, how do I find people to do this boring task, especially considering the hot weather we have been having? And, how much do you normally pay them? I try to pay people above minimum wage but I have a pretty limited budget for this project. What is fair?

nextcorrea

Door hanger marketing can be very effective but not for all businesses. It is really only small and very local businesses that can benefit. Basically, you can't sell cars but you might be able to sell Chinese food or gutter cleaning.

Also, know the neighborhood that you are putting your door hangers in. If the dominant population in that neighborhood is a demographic that for whatever reason would not be interested in what you are selling, than it will be a waste of time and money to put out door hangers.

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      Businesswoman talking on a mobile phone