Place Ad in Yellowpages

by 31 replies
37
I will place an ad in a telephone directory to target small/mid businesses.
i am looking few text ideas to place in this yearly directory similar to yellowpages.
i will buy half page.

one idea that is poping my mind is this

have a small business?
Need more customers?
Need a website?

call 1800
www.
email
#offline marketing #place #yellowpages
  • What a waste of money...
    • [1] reply
    • well it's a small community phone book where i know many of the businesses are looking for webdesigner.
      • [2] replies
  • Hey baronig

    Spend the MONEY.

    BUT not on YP.

    Create a local site, do a Google Places listing and promote like the "dickens".

    Let them come to you - that way you have control of the situation.

    Also, if you want to go and talk to people give them your website details.

    Regards

    Bronwyn and Keith
  • [DELETED]
    • [1] reply
    • Nothing wrong with a YP ad if you think your prospects are going to go looking there.

      You know your community, so only you know the answer to that.

      If it makes you good money then you do the YPA as well as other forms. If it returns you 5x it's cost of course you'd do it.

      Don't go light on the copy. Despite what YP people tell you, make it copy intensive. Get as much in there as possible. At the end of the day it's a space ad. Get testimonials in there, a strong call to action, killer headline.

      Two great headlines are '7 Reasons To Call xyz Before Anyone Else' or 'WARNING:...'
      • [1] reply
  • Do a product release and invite a number of local businesses and the local newspapers.

    A few niblies and some drinks and a quick chat about what you offer and you will get more visibility and advertising than any YP.

    Plus then you can say as seen in whatever the paper is.

    Q
  • I ran a couple of yp ads. (goes with being solo lawyer) my experience concurs with hugh - the more copy the better response
  • Yeah, if you are going to spend the money on the ad, make sure it's direct response so you can track the results.


    For example: Visit this webpage and fill out the form.

    You set up a landing page just for the yellowpage ad.

    I ran some ads doing this and I got no leads, so I don't run the ads anymore
  • Yeah guys, Hugh Thyer is so right and I totally agree with him, because of the fact that all of these things are of high value and are to be kept in mind while doing YPA.
  • Who uses YP these days? you would have more of a chance sticking leaflets on cars
  • its really waste of time & money
  • It's horses for courses. Why would a prospect look in YP for a webdesigner?

    The cost of print advertising far out weighs the orders it attracts.

    YP is your call list.
    • [1] reply

    • If your Ad costs a thousand dollars per month, and you get one customer who is worth $5,000 , then you profited $4,000

      I think its about ROI... It would take a hell of alot of emailing and internet marketing to produce a $5k customer. If you can spend $1,000, and walk away, and attract ONE such customer per month effortlessly by paying for a YP ad, then Do it.

      People who think YP is dead spend too much time talking to IM'rs and they are out of touch with the mindset of 98% of the small business people out there.

      To the IM'rs , they want to create an "Us or Them" perspective, but that general view doesnt extend very far beyond online marketing forums.

      Real business people still use the yellow pages AND they use online marketing, and they use their web addresses in their Yellow page ads... Their perspective isnt jaded by the need to prove a "point" about the internet being better...They can objectively look at their "Total" advertising strategy, and you lose credibility when you tell them something doesnt work, that historically has been their number one source of new customers, and probably still is at the point when you are talking to them.

      The internet works, and so do yellow pages, and no matter how much internet advertising a guy has, he still isnt letting go of his YP ads.
  • its entirely waste of money and time . Promote on advertise your site through classifeds and you will get better results
    • [1] reply
    • Well the jury's in. Looks like the yellow pages is a no go.

      Sorry. But then of course you have to listen to everyone who's told you it's a terrible idea.

      I mean, they've actually had experience of people who advertise web design services in the YP, or at least known people who have, haven't they?

      And of course they know your local market better than you, and how likely they are to use the YP too.

      Naturally, they've offered their unquestionable advice in full knowledge of how much it will cost you to advertise, haven't they? After all, it IS a numbers game.

      And they've certainly considered the advantages of being quite possibly the ONLY advertiser in the category in there too (unlike the internet where there are about a million web designers you can find in under a second).

      Great, well thought out constructive advice folks. Keep it coming.
      • [ 1 ] Thanks
      • [2] replies
  • Coming from someone that sold yellowpage ads for a long time, I'd say don't bother unless you get a screaming deal on the ad.

    If you're in one of the top 10 categories (which you're not) then it's worth it... nearly everyone else has a really hard time getting a break even ROI on their placements.



    EDIT: nevermind... didn't read the whole thread. See you decided against it.
  • Over the last two years we have moved some clients (home repair etc.) into a trackable Yellow Page program. Trackable phone numbers and URls etc.

    We offer every form of online marketing but would never walk into any client and suggest that they simply "pull" their YP budget without knowing what we are talking about.

    Surprisingly YP still generates a very significant number of leads and those who claim that it's a waste of time really have no idea if that is true or not. Not unless they have actually tracked the YP effectiveness at lead gen.

    In many industries and regions YP is still a big factor. Telling clients to dump YP could be a very big mistake for them... and for you (legal problems).
    • [ 1 ] Thanks
    • [1] reply


    • You are COMPLETELY CORRECT, which you already know. Anyone who says YP are a waste as a general statement, quite obviously has no idea what they are talking about. I have debated this for quite a while now and unfortunately, many more who do not know are posting responses which leads some posters to think they are being told by someone who is smarter than them......not always the case here on WF.

      I promise you that YP ( the book, not the website ) is a viable and in some cases REQUIRED form of advertising some small businessventures.

      I have reduced my ads to what they are now and am paying $ 379. monthly for my very basic YP listing. If you offer a service rather than a product ( some products also ) you should have a listing in the book. I will never eliminate my listing as it would be about the dumbest thing I ever did and would impact my company in a bad way.

      You can certainly listen to whom ever you wish but, I own a very successful service business and I am speaking from what I know first hand, not what I think or have read in a WSO.

      Enterpryzman

      http://www.warriorforum.com/offline-...9-monthly.html
  • I doubt anybody sees the ads in yellow pages, specifically when it is related to online.
    Did you find any advantage or ROI ?
  • Spend the money on direct mail...saturation mailers are only 15 cents postage and you hit everybody....and all for near the same money your going to spend to sit in that yellowpages...which will be closed 99% of the time.

    So you have to ask yourself...do you want to sit around with your thumbs tied and wait for people to go looking for you in a book or on google?

    ..or do you want to get right in front of their face and let them know you exist...show them how you make life better for them, educating them....creating customers now that otherwise will take 5 years to get around to you when they finally figure out on their own that they need you?

    I live by a simple rule....Never let your prospect move at his own pace. Motivate him, or your competition will do it for you.

    Good Luck
  • Yellow Pages might have changed dramatically, but they aren't dead yet - I'm still getting significant response for clients who do advertise there!

    As has already been said in this thread, if your target customers look in YP, then it should be considered as an option to get your message in front of them.

    John's right, it's about ROI NOT response numbers.

    How many new clients would it take to make a profit? Is it feasible to get that many new customers? If it's a handful, then it might be worth considering - if it's a few thousand, then you may be better looking at other options.

    Two important things:

    1) As Hugh says - build the copy, even though you are likely to get shouted down by the YP Rep.
    2) Track and measure your response - this depends on the method of contact your prospective customers prefer - but you can use unique webpages, phone numbers and email addresses.

    If you are getting response and the Ad is making you money, keep doing it. If you get poor or no response, maybe look at alternative places you can get your offer in front of the right audience.
  • Might consider a yellow page ad that tells a story as it will add impact.

    Something like

    Are You Frustrated and Intimidated by all the BS That Salespeople are shouting at You?

    Want to deal with someone who can speak your language and make recommendations and have ideas that you can relate to?

    We at ____ have the experience, knowledge, and passion to create the website you want with the results you desire.

    Our 5 years of experience listening to our clients needs has been the key to your success.

    Call us at ____ for a free consultation and let us help you.

    I saw an ad like this years ago in a newspaper. It had me picking up the phone and calling the business mostly because it wasn't like all the look- a- like -ads that were in the newspaper or in the yellow pages.

    Think of telling a story about the problems your customers are having and how you solved that problem.

    It will add impact.

    Bob
    • [ 1 ] Thanks
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    Place Ad in Yellowpages

    I will place an ad in a telephone directory to target small/mid businesses. i am looking few text ideas to place in this yearly directory similar to yellowpages. i will buy half page.