News

Door hangers that work

December 2, 2004

When it comes to print advertising for pizzerias, Tom Roach believes looks are everything — even for simple pieces like door hangers.

As co-owner of Best Choice Printing in Taylor, Mich., Roach advises a lot of his customers not to cut corners on door hangers.

"It's always important that you have a good looking piece," said Roach. "A little picture of your product on the door hanger catches the eye."

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Pretty pieces get customers' attention, Roach said, but coupons motivate them to buy.

"Those bring them to your store," said Roach, a former pizza operator himself. "Those need to be on there."

Kamron Karington agreed. A former owner of four pizzerias, Karington learned a lot about pizza marketing before becoming a full-time marketing consultant.

"The offers on a door hanger should be a little more aggressive than in other advertising," he said. "You need to put offers on there that make the phone ring ... things like a two-pizza deal with wings, or a pizza and a free 2-liter. Give them a free item if you can."

Former Domino's Pizza area manager Jim Moran likes coupons on door hangers, especially when they support a special already on TV or in print.

"I like to print four to six coupons on one side, along with the phone number and address of the establishment nearest to where you're door hanging," he said. "It's worth the extra expense to get them printed separately. It only takes a few people to say, 'Geez, which number is mine?' to lose any money you save on printing them with all the numbers."

Hang tight

Moran said thicker paper makes a quality statement, and he advises clients to use solid pieces.

"I don't like the ones with a starburst or a hole in it," he said. "If you put a hole in there, you are sacrificing a percentage of the space that could be used to put more of your message on there."

Moran also believes door hanging is best done by placing the door hanger itself in between the door and the frame, not on the door knob.

With a solid door hanger, you don't roll it, you just pinch a little and put it in there, he said. "As it tries to go back in to its natural shape, it stays in place. I'm sure your readers won't believe this unless I take them out and show them, but it really goes faster than hanging it on the knob."

Roach tells his clients to be careful about where they door hang and who they hire to do it.

"Make sure you deal with a reputable company that distributes them; there are a lot of jokers out there," said Roach. "And know the city ordinances, because there are a lot of communities that don't like people walking around and hanging stuff on their doors."