DOR-2-DOR Franchise: What’s Involved?

In this digital age, you'd be forgiven for thinking that the days of printed advertising are over. But you'd be wrong. The door drop market is worth almost £1 billion with 80% of top advertisers using this more traditional type of marketing to complement other methods.

Jeff Frankling started a direct mail service in 1987 called Zone Marketing. This was a huge success, but due to the increasing demand from clients for a print and delivery service, DOR-2-DOR was born.

DOR-2-DOR was developed throughout the 1990's with the first franchised business opening in Bristol in 2001. Now 68 franchisees are operating all over the UK with ambitions to continue growing.

DOR-2-DOR clients include big brand names such as the NHS, Domino’s, BT and Kumon and in 2017 alone, nearly 127 million leaflets were delivered to people’s homes all over the country. So, if you’re interested in becoming a franchisee with the largest leaflet print and distribution franchise in the UK, here is what you need to know.

What’s required?

The flexibility of the DOR-2-DOR business model means that you can run your franchise from the comfort of your own home, so no expensive business premises are required. As your business grows, you can decide if you need to have a base somewhere other than your home office.

You don’t need any previous experience of leaflet distribution either, but there are skills which will help you to operate a successful and profitable business. These include:

• Communication skills • Organisational skills • Willingness to offer a quality, reliable service • Team player • Self-motivated • Work well under pressure • Build and maintain relationships

As long as you possess these qualities, you’ll be taught everything else you need to know to run your DOR-2-DOR franchise. The training programme consists of a two-day course at the Head Office of DOR-2-DOR in Harpenden.

To help get your business off to the best possible start, you’ll receive pre-printed marketing brochures and leaflets after you’ve completed your training. This saves you both time and money as you don’t have to produce your own local marketing material to build up your client base.

Once your business is up and running, you can choose as and when you require further training as you grow your franchise. However, if you have any questions or concerns at any time, the support team at DOR-2-DOR Head Office are always available to help.

Benefits of becoming a DOR-2-DOR franchisee

Firstly, investing in a DOR-2-DOR franchise makes financial sense. Unlike many franchises that need a significant investment to purchase equipment, vans, tools or premises, DOR-2-DOR has low start-up costs. Everything you need is included in your franchise package so other than the initial franchise fee, no other upfront costs are necessary.

You’ll also be allocated an exclusive territory based on postcodes when you start your business. This means that you’ll be the business that has the right to use the DOR-2-DOR brand in your area. The typical size of a territory is between 50,000 and 100,000 households, so there is plenty of scope for you to develop and grow your business and provide a substantial income for years to come.

Of course, as well as helping your clients to promote their businesses, you’ll want to get the word out about the services you offer too. To help you to build your client base, DOR-2-DOR have created an extensive range of effective leaflets and brochures so that you can inform and educate prospective clients about how you can help them.

Finally, as this is a home-based business, you can benefit from the freedom and flexibility that this offers. No lengthy commute or expensive rental charges, you can work your business around any other commitments that you may have. This results in a healthy work/life balance being achieved which is good news for you and your franchise.

Case study

Hayley Widlake started her DOR-2-DOR franchise in Swansea in 2001. In the beginning, Hayley took a hands-on approach to her business by delivering leaflets herself, as well as roping in family and friends, while she was growing her workforce. But after the first two years, Hayley had recruited adequate employees and was able to concentrate on expanding her franchise.

In the early days, Hayley also chose to work from home. Very little space is needed to start a DOR-2-DOR franchise, and Hayley managed to run her business from her bedroom. During this time Hayley spent most of her time getting out and about to promote her franchise. She would visit potential clients and leave her business card, and her hard work soon paid off.

Now the business turnovers £500,000 a year, delivering to between 50,000 and 90,000 houses on a weekly basis. The business hasn't grown much in recent years, but this is because Hayley has chosen to work her franchise around the changes happening in her family life. Hayley had a daughter a few years ago and is currently expecting her second child. When she returns from maternity leave, Hayley plans to grow by acquiring new business in addition to her current clients.

Being a DOR-2-DOR franchisee helped Hayley avoid a lot of the pitfalls that she may have encountered if she’d gone into business on her own when she was just starting out. Now that she is established, the ongoing updates that take place within the are invaluable. They keep Hayley ahead of the game and helps to secure her business’ reputation as the expert in their field.

Financial information

The DOR-2-DOR franchise starts at £8,000 plus VAT. There is an opportunity to purchase larger territories which are available on a pro rata basis.

This is an excellent opportunity to make a low-cost investment and become the boss of a business in a lucrative and growing market.