Anyone still advertise via yellow pages?

highrisklowreturn

Was just wondering if you still do this and how economical or useful is it? Have had an advert in for 3 days now, covering a geographic area of 350,000 people, and haven't got so much as a call. This is for gardening, and my advert is in the top 4 on the page for most gardening search criteria. Does it take time?

s_b

i got yellow pages and thompson to take me out because all i got was cold calls from companies trying to sell me something
i can now concentrate my advertising where i usually get customer feedback from

smileygill

I cancelled a few years ago when it became a major business cost, outweighing the results. Like s b, I found it generated more telemarketers than leads. Since then I've been bemused each year to receive a directory thinner and smaller than the last one. At this rate I expect to receive a postcard the year after next!

That said, I suppose it depends on the kind of business you want to generate; it's probably more successful with people who don't have computers and mobile phones. If they're your target customers it might be more suitable.

Mistral001

It depends on the business. I run my full time business from home but most of my competitrs have offices and I think the entry in the yellow pages gives clients perhaps more confidence in me a proper business and not just someone doing business as an extra to their main job.

I get a free one-line entry. I used to have an advert in the yellow pages and I do not think it generated any extra business. I started my business when you got a free line entry when you took out a commercial line with BT. In fact that was the only reason I got a commercial line as it is much more expensive. I am not sure what you have to pay to get a one-line entry now if you do not have a commercial line with BT or if you have to pay at all.

techdojo

I think online business directories - especially ones servicing your local area would be a better bet, as would more "local" methods of direct advertising.

The problem (as I see it) with the yellow pages covering such a large geographical area is that you might get enquires from people who are too far away to be considered viable and then you might get an adverse reaction if you have to turn work down.

For the cost of the advertising you could probably give a "bung" to a few locals (see the people who deliver the free papers) to do some leaflet drops etc.

When I was considering a "Betterware" like scheme a few years back I used Google maps to get an idea of the shape of my local area, identify large blocks of housing that kind of thing and then made a list of streets / estates where I could cover lot's of houses in the shortest possible time.

Hope this helps!

Jon...

bargainbetty

You can tell they are struggling for business - I received a call at my office telling me they wanted to update my 'free' listing. I pointed out that I had asked for it to be removed two years ago as all we got from it was telemarketers too, and was told that they were contacting old customers to give them a free entry.

I told them to update my records so that no-one ever called me again. Don't want it, pointless exercise these days for us. I honestly can't remember the last time I used it.

Mistral001

bargainbetty wrote: »

You can tell they are struggling for business - I received a call at my office telling me they wanted to update my 'free' listing. I pointed out that I had asked for it to be removed two years ago as all we got from it was telemarketers too, and was told that they were contacting old customers to give them a free entry.

I told them to update my records so that no-one ever called me again. Don't want it, pointless exercise these days for us. I honestly can't remember the last time I used it.

Yellow pages is probably just another business directory now. It used to be linked to BT and you could only get your number in the Yellow Pages if you had a commercial line with BT. I do not know what you have to do to get a free entry in it nowadays to demonstrate that you are a business.

I get a free line entry because I used to have a commercial line and when i changed to a domestic line to save costs, they still kept my number in the book.

lincroft1710

3 days isn't exactly a long time! If there are no enquiries after 3 months then I would agree it's probably not the right medium for your business.

PlutoinCapricorn

My block of flats used to get stacks of Yellow Pages and Thompsons directories delivered, but it is years since I saw one. It is likely that this is happening in many neighbourhoods.

When I needed a plumber/handyman, I went online.

Catherine_Johnson_2

3 days? Not really long enough to make a judgement. You wouldn't make any decisions based on results 3 days after a mail shot, would you? They may not even have delivered all the directories yet!! You have to look a lot longer term than that. Besides, you can hardly cancel your contract after only 3 days because you haven't had any results!

Personally, I don't use Yellow Pages etc but I can see that some people probably do, for certain services.

I'd guess you've probably signed up for a year, so check the results after 6 or 8 months. Remember to ask clients where they found you or you'll never know if it works or not.

highrisklowreturn

Yes, thanks for the advice guys. The advert was actually free and has resulted in me being online and a one line advert in their book next year - I think their delivery has already taken place this year.

Bit disappointed though - I've only got one call so far and my geographic area has nigh on 350K people in it. Am trying to think where else I could advertise a gardening business. Obviously I can and will do it door to door, but I know lots of people just throw their advertising in the bin and don't even look at it twice.