how to approach a garbage ad in Yellow pages...?
 

there are tons of them, yet they wont be able to change them until the cycle is over..

we know they are spending stupid money on ads, but how would someone approach them?

as a guy who can cut expenses and rake in the cash?

what's your idea?

I can site there and write a better ad, but they won't be able to test it... Maybe they've got others in the papers... Not sure

Re: how to approach a garbage ad in Yellow pages...?
 

Well in the UK you can tell when the Ad needs to be paid for, so you could just get hold of a load of them and stick post it notes on top of them with a date 2 months in advance.

Can you do that in the US?

Dan

Re: how to approach a garbage ad in Yellow pages...?
 

ahh, I see... thanks for the input

Re: how to approach a garbage ad in Yellow pages...?
 

Why not approach the company regardless?

Chances are they're probably running ads elsewhere.

warmly

Mark

Re: how to approach a garbage ad in Yellow pages...?
 

yeah, that's what I was thinking... If they've got ads running there - chances are they have other items which need dramatic help.

Indeed - thanks

Re: how to approach a garbage ad in Yellow pages...?
 

How do you know you can write a better ad? Have you studied the beast in depth?

About 8 years (or so) ago the Yellow Pages industry published an ad study. It was an extensive study covering the results of almost 90,000 yellow pages ads over a number of years with each ad having a metered line. The results of what makes for a successful (YP) ad were revealed in it.

Please don't tell me your "better ad" is a yellow pages "advertorial".

Re: how to approach a garbage ad in Yellow pages...?
 

you're right I don't know if I could because I haven't done so..

you are the master

Re: how to approach a garbage ad in Yellow pages...?
 

Holy let your fingers do the walking, this is gold. Not sure if this is the right one but it has a lot of data:

2011 Yellow Pages Metered Ad Study | YPM, Inc.

Here's an excerpt:

"What does the 2011 Metered Ad Study teach us?

--Calls to Yellow Pages ads increased in 2010 by 10%, following a 3% increase in 2009.

--At current amounts paid by advertisers for ads, all ad types deliver strong value in terms of sales and return-on-investment.

--Additional local lines in ads are the most consistent drivers of additional calls.

--Local lines receive significantly more calls than 800 lines when used singly in the ad.

--National ads receive more calls than local ads because they typically have more lines per ad. There is no discernable "brand effect" on call volumes, however.

--Calls typically increase about 30-35% when ad size is doubled. Content is the biggest single driver of calls.

--About 93% of display ads receive enough calls to at least breakeven at 50% rates.

--Awareness ads deliver reasonable call volumes, but typically at a cost per call 50-100% higher than in-heading display ads."

Re: how to approach a garbage ad in Yellow pages...?
 

You are the best Joe. Thanks for posting that link.

Re: how to approach a garbage ad in Yellow pages...?
 

The whitepaper I'm talking about sold for either $20,000 or $25,000 (it has been so long I've forgotten the exact amount) to YP association members.

Re: how to approach a garbage ad in Yellow pages...?
 

I know a YP rep I used to place a lot of ads with back in the '90's in the Philly/ S. Jerzy area and he worked for the YP for years, even retired with them.

But the commissions to the reps are based on getting businesses to increase sizes of the ad, so naturally the study Joe mentioned above is slanted to ad size.

Personally, I can't tell you the last time I picked up a yellow pages and the client in the Philly area did not successfully move to online advertising and has seen his company continually decline.

I do understand the YP has more tools that integrate with today's technology, but I don't know what they are.

BTW- the client I speak about had bought lots of smaller competitors over the years and kept their listing in the YP so he would get more total calls as people shopped one company after another.

One day I was doing market research and took the YP calls the entire day.

One lady called like 5 times, calling the different company names that all rang back to the same business.

On one call we would offer the service presented one way, on another call we presented differently - all to test different offers.

So when I speak to the same lady a 5th time, I finally asked her what business was she in and she said she was a psychic and I replied, no you are not.