Yellow Page Advertising

This special report contains valuable information that will show you how to take advantage of the incredible financial opportunities inherent in Yellow Page advertising.  You will learn why ninety-five percent of businesses currently using Yellow Page advertising are throwing their hard earned advertising dollars right down the drain.  Worse yet, most companies continue to waste a significant portion of their advertising budgets year after year, never understanding how to take full advantage of this exciting medium. 

 In this report, I will also show you how a properly prepared Yellow Page ad can increase your sales by 100% a year.  This knowledge will allow you to stump your competition into the ground!   You will even be able to take on the big boys in your field who are currently paying a small fortune to expensive advertising agencies to produce pathetic Yellow Page ads.

The Importance of Yellow Page Advertising!

For a business seeking customers locally, their is no more powerful an advertising source than the Yellow Pages!  A recent Gallup organization survey revealed that thirty-four percent of customers consulted their local Yellow Pages prior to making a purchase.  This number represents a third of the buying public and cannot be ignored. The Yellow pages are used nearly twenty billion times by potential customers each and every year.  Better than fifty percent of customers using the Yellow Pages made a purchase from the business found within this source.

The above numbers are so impressive that it would clearly pay any business to take the time to learn how to properly utilize Yellow Page advertising.  However, this is rarely done!  The average business owner will place a Yellow Page ad with virtually no preparation.   The business owner reasons that he must be in the Yellow Pages because his competition is there.  He also figures that he can pick up a few extra customers who might just happens by and pick his ad out of the crowd.  Of course, the business owner is right to want to be in the Yellow pages, but his perception of this medium is usually totally distorted.

Advertising Without Understanding!    

It is insane to advertise in any medium that you do not fully understand unless you have lots of money to throw away!  If the average business owner truly understood the potential of a properly prepared Yellow Page ad, he/she would totally shift the priorities of his advertising budget, making the Yellow Pages one of his primary sources. 

Yellow Page advertising can be so effective an advertising medium, that it can almost be used alone!  No, I am not saying to stop all other ad sources and just use Yellow Pages.  What I am saying is that there are a number of little known Yellow Page advertising techniques that can result in attracting more customers than most other advertising sources combined. This includes Radio and TV which are short lived, difficult to produce and priced totally out of reach of most small business owners.

Why Most Businesses Fail to Use Yellow Page Advertising Effectively!

Most business owners have enough work on their plate.  They either don't have the time or feel the need to further burden themselves with an understanding of Yellow page advertising. 

Many businesses don't consider the Yellow Pages as an advertising medium!  They see it primarily as a directory.  The result is that most businesses simply follow the leader. They take a quick glance at the Yellow Page ads of their equally unenlightened competitors. They then simply mimic the ads of their competitors perpetuating their mistakes. The result has been a Yellow Page directory where ninety percent of the ads look and read almost exactly alike. 

Take a look at your local Yellow Pages.  Most of the ads are small, non- nondescript listing of business names, addresses and phone numbers.   Some of the larger ads will add a line or two about their company or perhaps put in a logo.  Few businesses list benefits to the customer and this is a big mistake!  The number one rule of any ad is to list the benefits that the customer will enjoy if he buys your products or services.

 Yellow Page Advertising Agents

Surprisingly, most Yellow Page ad agents know little or nothing about how to create an effective ad of any sort.  Many of them see the Yellow Pages the same way that the unenlightened business owner sees it, as a directory. 

When purchasing a Yellow Page ad, most businesses rely on these agents to create the ad.  The agent says sure, I'll create your ad and choose a category for it as well.  Another big mistake!  A Yellow Page agent's job is to sell you as large an ad as possible, and collect the revenues for the Yellow Page company.  It is not their job in most instances to improve your sales by providing an effective ad that will attract customers to your business.  So why use them to create your ad?  Creating an effective ad is your responsibility!  Do not place this important responsibility in the hands of someone who could care less about your business.

Recognizing the Advantages of Yellow Page Advertising. 

The first step in creating an effective Yellow Page ad is recognizing the advantages of this medium.  We will start with the perceptual component. The Yellow Pages is not just a directory!  Although most businesses consider the Yellow Pages as a directory, it is far more than that.  If you perceive the Yellow Pages primarily as a directory, you risk totally overlooking its potential as the advertising medium of choice.  To fully appreciate the potential of Yellow Page advertising, you must understand its advantages over all other sources of advertising.  These advantages are:

 *  The Yellow Pages is a Universal Source of Business Communication.

That is, it is used by nearly everyone in the country as a means of finding what is needed at any given point in time.  The reason for this is simple.  The book is not only given away free, it is also brought right to the customerÕs door.  The Yellow Pages are found in nearly every home in America.   It is the most inexpensive and convenient tool for finding goods or services in the hands of your potential customers.  It is even more universal than TV and costs a lot less to use!

*   Non Threatening.

The Yellow Pages are not perceived by most users as a blatant attempt on the part of a business to sell them something.  Use this false perception to your advantage!  This non threatening customer perception gives you a unique opportunity to push your products and services without arousing the usual customer skepticism that is inherent in all other advertising sources.  In this way, the Yellow Pages is the most unique advertising source available to your business.

*   The Customer is Ready to Buy!

When a person opens the Yellow Pages, he/she is looking for something he needs.  The customer has a problem and he/she is looking for a solution.  The yellow Pages gives the potential customer the contact information he needs to initiate a purchase that will solve the problem.  The customer is ready to buy the solution.  All you have to do is let the customer know that you have what it is he/she needs to solve the problem.   It cost you nothing extra to capture the sale because the customer initiated the contact and is already prepared to purchase. Therefore, it is extremely important that your business be noticed in the Yellow Pages. And yet, as previously stated, most businesses simply follow the leader with similar ads, causing them to disappear among the small print.

*   Yellow Pages Ads are Persistent!

It can take some time to get into the Yellow Pages.  However, once placed, the same ad can pull customers for years.  Since Yellow Page ads cannot be readily changed, serious thought must be given to the preparation of the ad prior to placing it.  We will cover the subject of how to prepare an effective Yellow Page ad later in this report.

*   Equality of Cost!

One of the most important advantages of Yellow Page advertising is that it costs the same for everybody.  The big boys do not get special cost advantages as they do in most other print media advertising.  This allows you to position yourself as the leader in your particular industry regardless the actual size of your company. 

How to Double Your Sales Using Yellow Page Advertising!

Most businesses recognize that they should be in the Yellow Pages.  However, few ask the most important question of all.  How do I make my Yellow Page ad an effective sales tool?   That is, how do I make my ad so irresistible that customers will fall over themselves to purchase my products and services?

The Yellow Page directory in most major cities is enormous.  It is easy to place and find your ad crammed among similar ads that may or may not be noticed.  Don't settle for the usual approach to placing your Yellow Page ad. To avoid these common mistakes, you must understand what they are and how to avoid them.

Mistake number one:  No Headline

This is fundamental to all printed advertising.  You must always have a headline that offers the potential customer a strong benefit.   That benefit is a promise!  It is the primary reason why this customer should do business with your company.  A headline also acts as the primary attention-getter for your ad.  It draws the customer to your ad.  The headline should entice the customer to read more of your ad.  Therefore, the headline must always state the primary benefit that the customer will derive from your product or service.  You would be surprised at how many companies use their name or logo as the headline.   Who cares!  The customer wants to know what your products or services can do for him.   A customer is not impressed by a pretty logo and will usually move on to an ad that says "hey pick me and I'll make you...!"  Always use headlines!  Tell your prospects what's in it for them.  Start with the most powerful benefit to the customer.  Make your headline a statement and give the answer that is in the mind of the customer.  

Sample headlines:

A Remarkable New Way to Put Money into Your Pocket!
Attract the Person of Your Dreams and
Never be Lonely Again!
Improving Your Life is Easy!
Five Secrets to Getting what You Want out of Life!

Mistake number two:  A boring ad presentation

Boring ad copy is copy that talks about the company or the benefits of the product instead of what the product will do for the customer.  The customer doesn't care about what you are selling.  He only cares about what it will do for him.  Therefore, like the headline, you should always list and discuss the secondary benefits of your products or services from the customer's point of view.  This kind of copy is never boring to the customer!  Once the bait is taken via the headline, you must draw in the customer with a discussion of the secondary benefits of your products or services.  That is, you must tell the customer in more detail what the product or service will do for them beyond that mentioned in the headline. 

Subheaders are a useful tool for listing secondary benefits for the customer.  Become more personal in the secondary header.  Use personal pronouns such as you and your.  Use your secondary header to stabilize your headline.  This is especially important if the headline is a bit sensational. List things like the uniqueness or superior quality of your products.  Perhaps you have a lower price or an endorsement from a famous person.  All of these things can be used in the body of the subheader to create interest in your product beyond that produced by the headline.  Sample secondary headers:

Spend More Quality Time with Your Family.
Achieve Your Professional Goals!
Look Your Best and Feel Great!
It's Your Turn to Enjoy Financial Freedom!

Mistake number three:  Your ad looks like everyone else's ad!

The object of the game is to stand out and be noticed!  If your ad looks like the ads next to you, you all blend in and disappear.  Therefore, the larger and sometimes the stranger your ad the better.  The customer will usually call the first ad on the list.  If someone answers, he might buy. This is OK if youÕre the first one on the list.  However, chances are you'll be number ten or so and never get called.  Therefore, you must say or do something that will get you noticed.  Large ads with large lettered headlines that shout benefits is an excellent way of standing out. You must also be willing to spend a little more to place as large an ad as possible in the Yellow Pages. The larger your ad, the better your chances of being noticed and chosen by the customer.

Color is also an effective way of being noticed.  Most Yellow Page ads are small and in black and white.  A little color can go a long way to drawing the eye of the customer to your all-important headline.  If he is hooked by the headline, he will then read your ad and probably call.

Mistake number four:  No Incentives!

A yellow page ad is most effective when it offer an incentive.  Incentives have the effect of enticing a potential customer to contact and perhaps do business with your company.  The greater the perceived value of the incentive, the more likely it is to prompt a customer to call.  Examples of added value incentives are special reports, bonuses, discounts and product samples. 

An incentive does not and should not be costly or time consuming to the company.  However, it should be presented in such a way that its value to the customer is made clear.

Mistake number five:  No unique advantages! 

Listing the unique advantages of doing business with your company is a powerful technique for making your Yellow Page ad stand out in a crowd.  Every company has something about it that is unique.  It might be your guarantee, your approach to support or the fact that you are open twenty-four hours.  Whatever it is, make sure you list it in your Yellow Page ad.

Sit quietly for a moment and think about what is unique about your company.  Keep in mind that you are part of what makes your company special.  Do you have a unique professional background, experience or educational credentials that others in your industry may not have?  If so, it may pay you to mention this in your Yellow Page ad.  Make sure that you do not waste valuable ad space bragging about yourself or your products.  List the unique advantages in such a way as to show the customer what these advantages will do for him.   Remember, the customer is only interested in what is in it for him!  The better you are at answering this fundamental question, for the customer, the more effective will be your Yellow Page advertising.

Summation of Yellow Page Advertising Fundamentals

The following is a quick review list of advertising fundamentals that should always be incorporated into your Yellow Page ads:

 1)   Always use a powerful Headline!

 2)  Load your ad with benefits!

 3)  Make your ad appear unique!

 4)   Make your ad copy exciting!

 5)   Use special incentives to lure customers in.

 6)   Purchase as large an ad as you can afford!

 Planning and Purchasing Your Yellow Page!

 Position Yourself As #1

The first step in planning any advertising campaign is to determine exactly how much you are willing to spend.  In making this budget decision, you must consider the overall return on your ad investment.  By purchasing larger more expensive Yellow Page ads, you are in fact positioning your company as a primary player.  Since most purchasers feel more comfortable buying from established players, larger ads work in your favor.  However, it is still wise for you to carefully consider your budget when making a final decision as to ad size.

Purchase as large an ad as you can afford.  In Yellow Page advertising, you can position your company as number one without spending any more money than your largest competitor.  So if your company has two employees, you can go head to head with a company with 200 employees at no additional cost.

You can beat the big boy at his own game if you keep to the fundamentals of an effective ad.   You see, many of the larger companies use advertising agencies who create ads that are pretty but ineffective.  Take a look at your Yellow Pages.  You'll find multiple examples of large ads that say little or nothing that would make a customer want to do business with them.  In many cases, these ads were created by the so-called experts.

Use Motivational Language!

Use motivational language in your ads that is both personal, informal and action oriented.   Use words like free, remarkable, incredible, unique, limited, special, you, your, take, acquire, save, demand, stop, how, quality, expect, etc.  These words are motivational in that they prompt the customer to take action.  The action you most want them to take is picking up the phone and calling your company.

Never Use Advertising Agents!

As previously mentioned in this report, advertising agents, including Yellow page salespersons, are not paid to produce effective ads.  They are paid to sell and place the ads.  It is far wiser for you to produce your own Yellow Page ad using the principles of effective advertising revealed in this report.  If you must use the Yellow Page salesperson, make sure you're in control of the ad layout and text.  If your requests are ignored, use another phone directory in your area.

Use Friends and Family to Test Your Ad

Before actually placing your Yellow Page ad, allow a few friends or family members to read it.   Ask their opinion of the ad.  Insist that they be objective.  Ask them what emotional response (if any) is produced by your ad.  In writing your ad, try to envision your target customer.   Write the ad to attract that customer.   Word your ad as if you were speaking to a single individual.  This gives an ad a more personal feel.  

Demand Good Ad Placement!

In the Yellow Pages as well as all print media, you should request that your ad be placed in the upper right-hand corner of a right hand page.  This location is seen most often by readers giving your ad greater visibility.  Increased visibility is exactly why you placed the ad in the first place.  Insist on being placed on a right-hand page even if the upper corner is already taken.  If you insist on right hand positioning often enough, you'll get it.  You can expect at least a twenty percent improvement in response when placed on a right hand page.  

Placement of Logo

When doing an ad, do not over-emphasize your company name.  Keep your logo small and on the bottom right side of the ad.  The smaller your logo, the more room is available for your advertising message.

Increase Visibility

An inexpensive way of increasing your Yellow Page ad visibility is by using knock-outs.  This industry term is used to describe an ad with a white background against the normal yellow page color.  The white knock out greatly increases ad visibility without significantly increasing the cost.  Therefore, a smaller ad with a knock-out could be as effective as a larger ad.  However, not all Yellow Page companies offer this feature.  Request the knock-out feature as if you expect the Yellow Page company to offer it.  If they do not have the knock-out feature, ask for a supervisor or someone with the authority to get it for you in a future ad.

 
Yellow Page Categories

The company rules for placing your ad in a particular category vary greatly among directories.   Use common sense in choosing the best category for your business type.  If you are a disability consultant or distributor, ask that your ad be placed under disability services.  Some directories will allow you to create a category if none exist that fit your business type.  It never hurts to ask!

Regardless of your category, make reference to your Yellow Page ad location in all other advertising sources.  For example, you could indicate in a radio ad or on your business cards that your company can be found in the Yellow Pages under a particular category.  Don't hesitate to give the actual page of your Yellow Page ad. This approach will help direct potential clients to your Yellow Page ad, increasing its effectiveness.

To find a local or national Yellow Page advertising agency or directory, call Yellow Page Directories LCC at 1-888-881-2800.