Any of you fellow warriors pay to be on (yellowpages) YP.COM?? Worth it??

12 years ago

In my opinion, not worth it. The sites they build are c**p and they don't offer anything you can't do yourself or have done for less then they want.

In my experience people go to Google and click on the first few links. They don;t go to YP to do a search.

Put that money into a good quality site & SEO

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Jason Kanigan

12 years ago

Holy freakin' crap. Go to your previous triple posts (2 of 'em) and Edit, Go Advanced, and Delete.

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jstarx

12 years ago

Sorry about the triple posting of tihis, not sure what happened and I cant find the delete button even after I hit go advanced..

Also I'm not talking about getting a YP website. I know those are crappy. What I would be paying 100 a month for is to show up as a sponsered result at the top, whenever anyone searches webdesign on YP.com which he says gets over 200 searches a month (on YP.com)..... I' m not choosing between this or SEO,.... I just think with the number of searches on YP and showing up at the top for that search could possibly get some phone calls. So I thought I'd see is or has paid to be listed on YP.com

Thanks

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SlowlyMan

12 years ago

Ok, I understand better now what your asking. But my opinion is still the same. There are so many options available for you to get traffic (calls). I think your money could be better spent.

I guess I'm negative because I did the YP thing last year got a big goose egg in calls. The rep called for me to renew and couldn't understand why I wouldn't give it a try for another year. Sheesh......... because I didn't get any work that's why.

Thanks

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ryanmckinney

12 years ago

Lol. When is the last time YOU used yellow pages? Ask 10 people you know "When was the last time you used yellow pages" -

No one uses yellow pages, and the business owners get raped by yellow pages, this is exactly something I address when I talk to them.

YP is just a way to qualify that business owners are spending $$$ on advertising, and nothing more.

Keep an eye out for my letter -

Ryan

Thanks

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John Durham

12 years ago

100 BUCKS PER MONTH....?

I WOULD DO IT. Small price to pay for 17 calls per month or even 10

If those stats are accurate its a no brainer.

You would pay a salesman 100 bucks to $1,000 commission on a sale... why not pay ten bucks per interested call in?

You should close at least 30% on those terms.

Thanks
3 replies

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sam m 12 years ago

At first I was going to say no then I saw
that you said that he showed you the proof
that you got 200 searches in your city alone

If you were just to close a few of those your
Roi will be thru the roof

Go with your gut on this one.
- Thanks
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kenmichaels

12 years ago

Originally Posted by John Durham

100 BUCKS PER MONTH....?

I WOULD DO IT. Small price to pay for 17 calls per month or even 10

If those stats are accurate its a no brainer.

You would pay a salesman 100 bucks to $1,000 commission on a sale... why not pay ten bucks per interested call in?

You should close at least 30% on those terms.

The question is where did the sales guy get the stats from?

Did he pull them out of his *ss like some people do? or are they real?

if they are real, i would do it, leads that call you are a LOT easier to close
they are half way sold before you even talk to them.

[ 2 ] Thanks
1 reply

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jstarx 12 years ago

Thanks guys.

The bottom line, at least for my thinking after talking to him is this ( i don't search on YP.com for what I need and I'm sure people I know personally dont either)..... but.... apparently there are businesses that do use it, even though people use the search engines more...... ( i constantly bash yellowpages when trying to get new clients) ...... so I understant the whole SEO.vs. Yellowpages... trust me

But if there are 200 plus searches for my services in my city on YP.com. And I am paying to be at the top of the results. If this is true, I can't imagine how I can't turn the calls into conversions, and only 1 or 2 conversions would pay for a whole year.

So, I pay 100 a month...... There are over 200 searches a month made on the YP.com for web design....... so i get only 10 calls a month from those searches because I am at the very top of the results. I convert 2 of the 10 into actual clients. I have way more than paid for the 100 dollars it cost me. ( I'm trying to be very conservative here)

I do marketing and seo for my clients and I understand Yellowpages are my competition, and SEO is more valuable....... trust me....... but I almost thing that the return on investment could still be well worth it......

Please let me know if you have any experience using YP.com to get business or if it didn't get you any business........
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- kenmichaels 12 years ago
  
  Originally Posted by jstarx
  
  Thanks guys.
  
  ( i constantly bash yellowpages when trying to get new clients) ...... so I understant the whole SEO.vs. Yellowpages...
  
  Its none of my business, but do you really "constantly bash yellowpages when trying to get new clients" ?
  
  If so why? and does your potential clients respond well to that?
  
  ( i don't mean "why" as in why is your service better then yp, i mean
  "why" as in why do you feel its a good strategy to put yp down, instead of approaching the sale another way )
  
  Thanks
  
  1 reply
  
  Signature
  
  Selling Ain't for Sissies!
  
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  jstarx 12 years ago
  
  Ok, it is apparent that not many Offline warriors have used yellowpages as a way to get business and have no experience on whether it is worth it or not. ( at least that are seeing my post)
  
  I dont necessarily bash yellowpages with every client. But when businesses rely on yellowpages alone for their internet marketing, they make crappy websites, and do no seo for the websites....... so...... there are many potential clients who are in a contract with yellowpages, and think that everything "internet" related is being taken care of by yellowpages and dont want to hear the benefits of seo and organic rankings. And I have to show them the benefits of SEO opposed to the money they are spending on YP. This is what I mean by bashing.
  
  But..........
  
  the bottom line here is that if it costs me 100 a month to be at the top of the results for web design in my city for people searching on YP.com. And there are over 200 searches a month for that on YP.com. I can't help but think I can get a positive investment. Again I understand that ranking organically on google is more valuable , that is not what I am trying to figure out here. There are a few thousand searches a month for web design in my city on google, but it is going to take time to get the rankings on google. (im working on it). But why ignore being at the top for searches made on Yp.com , if i can get a large enought % if the over 200 monthly searches made.... again ..... i only need 1 or 2 leads to pay for the whole year.... then its all profit....
  
  Any yellowpages contract is for at least a year..... so its 100 a month for a minimum of 12 months....... but again ..... one converted lead a month for 12 months will be way more than worth it..... i would make at least a bare minimum of 6000 over a years time , and the investment would be 1200.....the stats he gave are believable, but I should have him send me hard proof of that many searches, but I actually think it is accurate. He was looking up stats as I was asking questions.
  
  Again ..... has anyone paid to be listed on YP.com, and gotten leads from it...or found it a waste of money.. please share your results.......thanks
  
  I also noticed that all the webdesign companies in my city who rank organically are showing up on yp.com... it makes me think they are getting some leads from it.....??????/
  
  Thanks
  
  1 reply
  
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  kenmichaels 12 years ago
  
  Originally Posted by jstarx
  
  Again ..... has anyone paid to be listed on YP.com, and gotten leads from it...or found it a waste of money.. please share your results.......thanks
  
  I did it for a pool hall of mine. The results were pretty crappy.
  
  I did not mention it because, its a specialty B/M Niche, for a local
  crowd.
  
  Most likely my results cannot be compared to what your talking about.
  
  I also paid for a yr. i wont doing it again. ever.
  
  Thanks
  
  Signature
  
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jstarx

12 years ago

Originally Posted by John Durham

100 BUCKS PER MONTH....?

I WOULD DO IT. Small price to pay for 17 calls per month or even 10

If those stats are accurate its a no brainer.

You would pay a salesman 100 bucks to $1,000 commission on a sale... why not pay ten bucks per interested call in?

You should close at least 30% on those terms.

Thanks John. I really value your opinion. This is what I was thinking. I know there are thousands of people searching google every month for web design in my city but if there are only 200 plus searches a month on YP.com, and if I get even 10% of the phone calls , then only close 3 a month..wow..and im being crazy conservative right now..... that would be a crazy ROI.

..... and like I said even one client per month would be at least 5 to 6 times return on my investment and that is if I only charge 500 per site....... If I charge 1000 and get one a month, thats 12000 for a 1200 dollar investment......

Google is way more powerful and valuable than Yp.com..... but...... i wish someone with experience would chime in.......again He showed me where i would show up...... and if someone types in webdesign "my city" ..... I would be at the very top, and highlighted........ So I really believe I would get calls...... I just want someone to tell me otherwise or get others experiences before i commit...

Thanks
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kenmichaels

12 years ago

Originally Posted by jstarx

Thanks John. I really value your opinion. This is what I was thinking. I know there are thousands of people searching google every month for web design in my city but if there are only 200 plus searches a month on YP.com, and if I get even 10% of the phone calls , then only close 3 a month..wow..and im being crazy conservative right now..... that would be a crazy ROI.

..... and like I said even one client per month would be at least 5 to 6 times return on my investment and that is if I only charge 500 per site....... If I charge 1000 and get one a month, thats 12000 for a 1200 dollar investment......

Google is way more powerful and valuable than Yp.com..... but...... i wish someone with experience would chime in.......again He showed me where i would show up...... and if someone types in webdesign "my city" ..... I would be at the very top, and highlighted........ So I really believe I would get calls...... I just want someone to tell me otherwise or get others experiences before i commit...

You sound like you are pretty much are sold on the idea.
Go grab your Visa, ill hold while you get that.

Thanks

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NickSway

12 years ago

Originally Posted by jstarx

Hey guys, I got a call from a yellowpages rep today. At first I was like , let me stop you, I do seo ETC. and I'm not interested. But I was nice and heard him out.

Basically he showed me that that there are 200 and some searches a month for web designers in my city on YP.com. He said I could get a listing at the top, (the ones with the blue background) . He said my position wont change, I will be at the very top for Web Design for 12 months, and right now, he can do it for 100 dollars a month, or 1200 a yr.

He then gave me the whole return on investment speech and how one converting lead or maybe 2 will pay for it , and he estimated I'd get about 17 - 24 calls a week in that position at the top. I have to say I'm considering trying it.

Please share your experiences , and if you guys are listed on YP.com and if it is worth it.

Thanks

How big is your city?

Also, $100/month = $1,200/year so it's not like your getting a deal with the longer contract.

17-24 calls a week is pretty generous.

- Give it a one month test run and see how it goes. If he pushes for a longer contract, then stop and think why he is trying to bind you to one year.

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centerforkaziboralimited

12 years ago

I think you better try other methods to get traffic. But if you feel you want to go for it then give it a test with a short period contract. You can then make your own decisions after that. Otherwise many business people nowadays rarely use yellow pages because there are other alternatives to the rental charges of YP companies.

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EliteIM

12 years ago

I recommend a testing period if it can be availed, say for two weeks for a small fee and then you would continue based on the results

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krzysiek

12 years ago

Didn't read the whole thread - but at $100 for a month - why don't you just try it? What do you have to lose, a whopping $100? That's nothing. Give it a go.

Thanks
1 reply

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SlowlyMan 12 years ago

Like I said previously. I had poor luck with YP. Only one competitor in the area uses it. In my experience the sales people are very pushy. I would be sceptical of any search volume numbers he gives you.

Regardless every city is different, every niche is different. My result may be different then yours. My business clients are pretty good about talking with me about business. I sent out a survey last year asking How do you search for Suppliers, venders, etc. YP was one of the options. No one ticked it. That spoke volumes to me.

Ask yourself, how often do you go to a third party search engine?
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ryanmckinney

12 years ago

YP is a joke, seriously. My current client got pitched by YP, they came out to his house, offered him an SEO/Listing package for like 1K a month, and guess what? Yellow pages is doing the same package already for his #1 competitor. Essentially the salesman was trying to sell my client on the fact that "hey we got your competitor to number 1 in SEO, you can be our client to" -

This was right before he decided to go with me, he is glad he didn't, he was baffled that they were promising to him, what his number 1 competitor has. He knows his number 1 competitor well to.

YP is sleezy, but hey maybe in this situation your $100 bucks for 30 days will be worth your time.

How much is this keyword getting searched in your city on Google? Is it more or less than what he is promising?

From what I have been reading through the thread, you are sold on the idea already.

Ryan

Thanks

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Nbroquis

12 years ago

Yellow pages is for old people that never wanted to learn how to use a computer lol. My questions is basically, would you offer YP services to your potential customers? I hope not and as a marketer we understand that YP doesn't work as effectively as what we do (SEO, Facebook, Twitter, Etc.) They are thieves and promise a lot and deliver very very little.

Thanks

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jstarx

12 years ago

Thanks again guys, I appreciate you sharing. I'm not sold for sure yet. It's just the risk is so low vs the possible return (if the search numbers he gave are accurate)....... but I'm going to think it over and do some more research before pulling the trigger.

Thanks

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flightrisk

12 years ago

LOL, sounds like the YP salesman has done his job and is going to convert a SEO guy...you sound like the people I have to convince that google rankings are much better then old YP even if there online...and your in the business...funny.
Next time your on the phone with a client just tell them, what the hell try YP its on $100 bucks its not gonna hurt. and then tell him you charge $500 mth and see if you get the business.

Thanks

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sammy321

11 years ago

is there any minimum Contract length? if you find out its not worth it, but stuck in a 12 month or even longe rcontract, that would suck, but if you can quit on a monthly basis, its maybe worth a try

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Any of you fellow warriors pay to be on (yellowpages) YP.COM?? Worth it??

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