Marketing
Door hanger marketing: does it still work in 2026?
Door hangers feel old-fashioned but they remain one of the highest-ROI marketing tactics for specific use cases. Here is when they work and when they don't.
When door hangers work
**Geographic-specific service businesses.** Painters, roofers, lawn care, HVAC, landscapers, exterminators. Working a neighborhood after one install, dropping hangers on the 50-100 nearest houses, generates 3-8 callbacks per 100 hangers (3-8% conversion). The customer is comparable to their neighbor who just used you — that social proof is in the hanger by implication.
**Gym/fitness studios in residential apartment buildings.** Gyms targeting the 500-unit apartment complex across the street get 0.5-2% trial signups per door hanger when paired with a strong offer ("free first class").
**Restaurants for grand openings.** New restaurants hanger-bomb 1,000-2,000 hangers within walking distance in the 2 weeks before opening. Conversion isn't direct but it builds awareness for word-of-mouth.
When door hangers don't work
**E-commerce.** No geographic component, no walk-in. Door hangers are wasted on online businesses.
**B2B sales.** Door hangers go on residential doors. B2B targets work addresses where hangers aren't allowed in office buildings.
**Luxury services where prospects don't live in dense neighborhoods.** Real estate agents working $5M+ listings should mail instead — the target prospects live in homes with security gates, and hangers get removed by housekeepers before homeowners see them.
Door hanger cost math
Standard 4.25x11 hanger, 100lb gloss cover, full color, with die-cut hole at the top:
- 500 hangers: about $185 ($0.37 each)
- 1,000 hangers: about $245 ($0.245 each)
- 2,500 hangers: about $385 ($0.154 each)
- 5,000 hangers: about $590 ($0.118 each)
Add labor for distribution. Distribution rates: $0.10-0.25 per hanger if hiring through a flyer-distribution service, or "free" if doing it yourself (estimate 30-50 hangers per hour at a walking pace).
Door hanger ROI for home services
Typical roofer hangs 1,000 hangers in a neighborhood after one big install. Cost: $245 print + $200 distribution = $445.
Expected response: 3-5% callback rate = 30-50 phone leads.
Quote rate from phone leads: 40-60% = 12-30 quotes given.
Close rate from quotes: 25-40% = 3-12 new jobs.
Average roofing job value: $8,000-15,000.
Even at the low end (3 jobs at $8K = $24K revenue), ROI on the $445 campaign is ~5,400%.
Door hanger design rules
1. **One offer, big and clear.** "Roof Inspection — Free" not "Comprehensive roof inspection services with detailed reporting"
2. **Phone number is the largest text.** 50%+ of viewers won't visit a URL but will call a number
3. **Time-bounded offer.** "Free quote — this week only" outperforms "Free quote anytime"
4. **Trust signal.** License number, years in business, "Insured & Bonded", or a photo of you in uniform
5. **Bottom-third is the call to action.** People skim top-to-bottom and the CTA must be the last thing they read
Legal: HOA + apartment building rules
Some apartment complexes and HOAs prohibit door-hanger distribution. Check rules before bombing a building. Worst case: management calls your company to complain. Best case: a homeowner files an Anti-Solicitation report.
The safest method: leave hangers on doorknobs of single-family homes only, skip multi-family and any building with "No Soliciting" posted at the entry.