WRITTEN ON June 1st, 2010 BY chris AND STORED IN Leaflet Distribution

From next Monday, there will be some significant changes to the Royal Mail’s Door to Door service.

Delivery will now be 52 weeks a year; Saturday will be opened up as a delivery day; and the items-per-household weekly cap will be raised from three to four, with further rises on the horizon once Royal Mail has assessed the impact of the change.

All this is the result of an agreement thrashed out in March between Royal Mail and the Communication Workers Union.

What does this mean in practice?

Well, if you believe some - even the supposedly even-handed BBC - this news will see us all drowning in a sea of “junk mail”.

The truth is somewhat different.

I firmly believe the changes amount to a very positive move, especially for businesses, who do not need unhelpful and fairly pointless restrictions placed upon them at the best of times, nevermind the kind of economic climate we are still in.

New clients will also be brought into the market, which will be good for the long term future of the industry and all its practitioners.

As for householders “being notoriously hostile to junk mail”, as suggested in the BBC article above, I would argue the evidence suggests otherwise.

Indisputably, door-drops work. Used smartly, they will bring a business more sales and more website visits, result in more donations for a charity, or save the householder money.

It’s worth remembering too that door drop in 2010 is a very different beast to door drop in, say, 1990.

Technological innovation has led to more sophisticated campaigns, improving ROI and dramatically cutting wastage. The industry as a whole is far more concerned with recycling.

It’s disappointing when some instantly dismiss a form of advertising that remains the lifeblood for many, many businesses. They are the people who will be cheered by Royal Mail’s Door to Door changes.