negotiating Yellowpage ad

[ponderosatree]

They jack up the cost of our Yellowpage ad every year. More than I think is reasonable. I'm thinking of scaling back the size of our ad and just improving the quality of it. Hiring a professional graphic designer to make something really nice and really emphasizing various traits and service in our company.

I'm worried about scaling back the size of our ad as it's been a key source of leads for years but I think as people turn more towards the internet for local information it's fast becoming out dated.

What's everyones opinion on Yellowpage ads? Has anyone ever scaled back their ad or dumped it completely? We have an extremely solid customer base and at least 1/2 if not more of our business comes from repeat customers and word of mouth.

 

[spike-columbia]

Tell the YP I can only pay $xxx.xx

You are right about your assumptions.

Older folks more towards phone books.
Younger folks Internet.

I only have my name and number in phone book. Ask you clients for referrals.

Each job you complete clover leaf the area ASAP!

If you know where your business is coming from (certain neighborhoods) then I would do target postcards, refrigerator magnets, pens, etc. scale back that phone book - know where your business is coming from.

 

[Ekka]

It's like mini-mouse negotiating with Godzilla.

Good luck, they're a rip off conglomerate monopoly over here that should be dis-embowled like Microsoft. I hate the bastids.

 

[John Paul Sanborn]

As everyone says here, the word of mouth referals are the best.

Keep going back to your regular clients with large yards. Call them if it's been a few years since you've been out. Give them inscentive cards to refer people, then gifts if you close a large job.

One of my freinds has an agreement with a restraunt for $5 off $25 gift cert's. He gives them to his clients who refer other good customers.

He's scaled down to a 2 in one column YP add with a tree in it with name and number. Just in case people forget where they have it.

 

[ropensaddle]

Man I am with you they rip you a new one. That is highest
price ink I have ever seen and they go up when should be
comming down. However if your in there when storm comes
it really picks up then!!!1

 

[CylinderService]

I'm in the hydraulics business but I second all of the above. We deal chiefly with other businesses and I can't remember the last time someone said they found us in the yellow pages! So no more $600/month ads for us either.
As far as negotiating with Godzilla, the last couple of years I've told them I would accept a maximum 5% price increase, and surprise!, they found a "program" which would give us that price. You have to be willing to walk away I think. This year we are walking away and will use much smaller ads, assuming they'll give us a fair price. The internet is where our ad money goes now.

The yellow pages are a thing of the past, and it couldn't happen to a more deserving bunch!

Don the Hydraulics Guy

 

[ponderosatree]

So it's that time of year for me to renew my Yellowpage ad. I analyzed my marketing reports and the Yellowpage ad is basically losing money (not much) but still bringing in a lot of customers. I'm moreorless paying $60 per lead but only getting a return of about $45 per lead.

There's also intangibles to consider like how many of these new leads translate into repeat customers. I've only been tracking leads for about a year now so I don't have the necessary data to figure that out. The other thing to factor in is the decreasing relevance of phonebook ads. In 2004/2005 I received considerably more calls from the phonebook. Now, it feels like I only get a few calls a week. The difference is palpable.

So now I'm at cross-roads.

1. Continue on with this expensive ad which will surely decrease in value
2. Reduce the size/cost of my ad which will surely reduce the amount of leads I get and probably result in the same or worse ROI
3. Eliminate it completely which I think is a major risk and I really don't want to do it.

Has anyone else noticed a decrease in their phonebook leads in general?

 

[rbtree]

Has anyone else noticed a decrease in their phonebook leads in general?

Very much so....I have two 1/6th page ads in the Seattle directory----color..about $1350 a month total. Response has been getting worse and worse, as more people search online....

I have a service that sends me leads for a fee...far better ROI, though some of the leads are less than optimal.

I'll be reducing my YP ad sizes next year.

 

[ponderosatree]

as more people search online....
.

Yeah, that's what I thought. In the last year or so Google has really stepped up local advertising. It's great but my webpage looks terrible and getting that redone was been a top priority for me lately.