[dan paton]

i wouldn't know how to wynne . my e mail is  thecleaningbloke@live.co.uk

[Neil Jones]

I know what you mean about professional delivery companies Derek, I had 10,000 go out before xmas and 10,000 at the end of January. I won't tell you the response, it was pitiful! Fortunately I got one regular commercial cleaning contract off it, that if kept long enough will get me my money back.

I don't rely on leaflets for work either, I know it's not the same as it was 6 - 7- 8 -9 years ago, I remember when I first started the leaflets I sent out where done on word with clip art images (cringe just thinking about it), but thats where all my work came from, if i delivered 500 in an afternoon i'd get quite a few customers.

I'm going to hire someone, it's just for another avenue, plus I want to hit the pressure washing for a lad I have working for me. Two people have mentioned £30 per 1000 now. Isn't that over six hours work? Do people work for that? I'm also getting a GPS tracker.

Any one ever tried commision based?

[Paul Moss]

Neil, you will go through quite a few people as its boring to do and some try it and then dont like doing it, you will also get time wasters which you will end up sacking. Just put a few ads in news agents windows, its cheap and you will get local people responding, advertise 30 quid a thousand and go from there. if you find a good distributor that wants more and makes the phone ring then you can add incentives like commission etc.

[cannon]

Does anyone know the legalities of having your own leaflet distributors?

Can they be classed as self employed?

[Paul Moss]

Does anyone know the legalities of having your own leaflet distributors?

Can they be classed as self employed?

You decide

[jim mca]

How can you pay less than the NMW even if a employee agrees to work for £30 per thousand they could still report you and claim compensation

[Max Campbell]

We use Dor2Dor around Cambridge, and like dealing with a brand. We've used 1 man bands and had bad experiences. We used Royal Mail and had leaflets dumped.

Nothing gets the response of putting them out singly, though - we did about 50k ourselves, but just can't afford the time now.

[Ian Gourlay]

Regarding the £30 a thousand , in my opinion that is way below minmum wage. But often it is those who ignore the law who suceed, or maybe they employ youngsters .

When I enqired you also needs employees liability insurance , especially if you are using school kids etc

[Carpet Dawg]

youngsters or johnny forigners!  I presume if you put someone on a trial period of say 3 months, then sack then after 3 months then they cant complain?? (as its a "trial period") ?

[Allan Simmons]

Does anyone know the legalities of having your own leaflet distributors?

Can they be classed as self employed?

It can be a nightmare Karl.  The rules are quite complex and we do know someone who was pulled up for it.  We use both direct employed and self employed, the self employed is the tricky area and what qualifies them as self employed.

In a nutshell, if they ONLY work for you then THEY COULD claim that they are employed.  It is up to you to make sure that if they are classed as self employed that you can show you have checked they have a unique tax reference number and ideally you need to be receiving invoices from them, and they will take into account if the invoicing appears to be all to just your company.  If they claim they work for others as a job and for you as a distributor they again they could be classed as employed.  The rules are here... http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/employment-status/index.htm  As I said, we know of a firm who were investigated and potentially are facing having to pay the tax and NI that HMRC feel should have been collected/deducted.  Have a read to make sure you're comfortable.

In terms of rate, we've never found reliable people for less than £48/1000.

[Craigp]

My 30k leaflets go out with one or two other leaflets, I don't think my guy would do it otherwise as its too little money.

[Mike Halliday]

the minimum wage for some one over 21 is £6.19 so theoretically the cheapest you can get 1000 leaflets delivered is £43.21p on that if you knew another company who wanted leaflets delivered then you could share the cost and both of you pay £22/1000, thinking about it this would be a good idea as £22 to be one leaflet of two is a good price.

i bet you could find someone who would be willing to pay £30/1000 if you explained to them you pick up & drop off the deliverer and guarantee delivery as your own leaflet is delivered as well.... so its in your own interest to make sure they go out.

[Paul Clapham]

The problem is, if you pay for Solo delivery , is it really worth the extra money ?

I was out and about delivering my own flyers this week, pushing my flyers through the door I could see someone else had been delivering before me , so when the homeowner gets home all they have is a pile of flyers on their door mat.

 So I ask again is it worth paying for "solo" delivery ? when you cannot control who else is delivering in that area on that day. 
 

[Allan Simmons]

Usually we put one other out with ours, we pay £70 per 1000 for the two, so split it costs us £35 for ours but we're in control of where and when.  At £70 per 1000 you'll get much more reliable people.

[Ian Gourlay]

Big Al what size do you put out, A3, A4 or A5

[Allan Simmons]

A4, and sometime A3 folder to A4.

[Ian Gourlay]

I was wondering if you were doing A3 so the people you picky back with their leaflets get lost.

I have found it is best to try and give partners as much opportnity as yours then you are not constantly looking for new partners

[Allan Simmons]

Ha Ha, nesting, now there's an idea!  Where have I seen that before?

If we do the A3 to A4 we tend to do them on their own as I run those short run in house at short notice.

We're lucky we have three people that go out with ours at various times.  Max 3 but usually just two. One is most of the time, one is regularly, the other is as and when.  Been doing the joint venture with them for years now, everyone wins.

[Max Campbell]

Ha Ha, nesting, now there's an idea!  Where have I seen that before?

If we do the A3 to A4 we tend to do them on their own as I run those short run in house at short notice.

We're lucky we have three people that go out with ours at various times.  Max 3 but usually just two. One is most of the time, one is regularly, the other is as and when.  Been doing the joint venture with them for years now, everyone wins.

Want to team up w 1 other company to constantly leaflet a big area.

What businesses do you work with? Thought about garden centres - maybe too seasonal. Takeaways - too small an area. Furniture seller?

[Allan Simmons]

Hi Max, hope you're well.

Molly Miads general cleaners (who we recommend and they recommend us, works well.
A window repair guy who fixes steamed up glass panels or replaces just the glass in UPVC frames and does repairs etc
A local 'shabby sheik' Furniture shop Melody Maison.

Al.