YOU'VE GOT MAIL

MONEY interviews RYAN GALEA, chief executive officer at Mailbox Distribution Services, on the effectiveness of door-to-door distribution and how his company is tackling the long-standing issue of junk mail.

Give us a brief of how you started, and about your company?

I started off Mailbox Distribution around 15 years ago when businesses in Malta were still rather sceptical about the effectiveness of door-to-door and direct mail distribution. I made the move to branch out in this field after having gained experience as a head of another distribution company.

Today I am proud that Mailbox evolved to a major player in the industry and is widely recognised as a leading door-todoor distribution company on the island, with a prestigious portfolio of businesses who entrust us with their various direct marketing campaigns.

With the influx of all the latest digital technologies, the biggest challenge we face today is keeping up with all current innovations to be in the best possible position to serve our clients.

Ryan Galea

What’s in the offing to mark the company’s 15th year of operation?

During the last few months, our portal underwent a revamp; our website is a very important tool as it gives existing and prospective clients a snapshot of our services along with information on our operations and the areas we deliver to.

We have also boosted our social media presence with targeted campaigns in a bid to highlight our various direct marketing services.

ON A LIGHTER NOTE, WE HAVE COME ACROSS CASES OF HOME OWNERS RUMMAGING THROUGH THE LETTERBOXES OF NEIGHBOURS TO RETRIEVE SOME EXTRA REDEEMABLE COUPONS AND VOUCHERS.

We have also focused our attention on upgrading and improving our service and standards and we are also implementing new systems to be able to constantly enhance the service to our clients. These measures will enable us to maintain our position as the leading distribution company in the years to come.

Your services include door-to-door marketing. Is it still effective these days when there’s online social media or does this method reach an audience that is not normally reached through social media?

Yes, door-to-door marketing is to this day still regarded as one of the most cost-effective mediums available. This is confirmed by the increasing number of requests from new clients year after year. Despite the exponential growth of Facebook and Instagram, there is still a large part of the population who still want to receive seasonal and special offers and promotions in print format.

Have you any statistics to show whether catalogues, flyers or magazines delivered door-to-door are mostly read and not placed in the trash?

We are constantly conducting perception surveys which give us an overview of what is being done with flyers, magazines and other printed promotional material as soon as they are retrieved from the letter box.

Naturally, results vary according to the market and sector type. Another important variant is the location, but invariably statistics are showing us that in the main, distributed material is read rather than immediately thrown away.

Many people feel that door-to-door is contributing to junk mail and is unwanted while others cannot do without it as it gives them opportunities to pinpoint good offers on products and services. What is your take on this?

We believe that the number of people who are environmentally conscious are on the rise. In this regard, Mailbox fully respects any 'No Junk Mail' notices to the extent that any such addresses are struck off from our distribution list and database.

However, we can confirm that the majority are willing to receive promotional printed material as it provides information on a range of offers, discounts and promotions from various outlets. On a lighter note, we have come across cases of home owners rummaging through letterboxes of neighbours to retrieve some extra redeemable coupons and vouchers!

Going back to the “No Junk Mail” issue, I can confirm that Mailbox is presently working on a new scheme whereby clients with this request can opt to receive promotional messages in an alternative format. More details on this initiative will be revealed in the coming months.

You are a one-stop shop solution when it comes to direct marketing since you offer different services. Do you support clients in choosing who to target in door-to-door distribution, just as an advert on Facebook does demographically?

Although distribution will always remain our core business, you can call us a one-stopshop solution as through our various partners we offer a range of diverse services such as production, printing, and hand-enclosing services.

All Mailbox sales team are highly trained to support and assist each client in choosing the best locations and areas for a targeted promotional campaign and business activity.

MAILBOX IS PRESENTLY WORKING ON A NEW SCHEME WHEREBY CLIENTS WITH THE NO JUNK MAIL REQUEST CAN OPT TO RECEIVE PROMOTIONAL MESSAGES IN AN ALTERNATIVE FORMAT.

We understand that clients’ requirements vary from one sector to another – this is why all our plans are fully customisable as per the necessities of any particular campaign.

Have you seen any new trends in recent years in the bookings you receive?

As already outlined, we have experienced increases in the number of bookings for door-to-door distribution year after year. In recent years there has been a surge in flyers and catalogues promoting FMCG products and supermarkets. Other notable increases are in the home products, furniture and appliances industries and food and hospitality (takeaway menus and so on). The fashion and clothing industries, which up to a few years ago hardly engaged in distribution marketing, are now actively looking at this medium as an integral part of their marketing mix.

Any future plans and any new services are being added to your list?

The company is going through a restructuring process – some changes and upgrades have already been executed while some others will be actuated in the coming months.

Moving forward, the company’s focus will continue to be that of giving more quality than quantity to our existing and prospective client portfolio. M