50% of Yellow Page Directory Users are Looking for

50% of Yellow Page Directory Users are Looking for Just One Thing

by: Dr. Lynella Grant

Directory Users Seek Information about Location First People who open the Yellow Pages already have a desire to buy. That sets it apart from all other advertising media. For a brief time, the eagertobuy directory user checks the competition, to see what each of them offers. They scan for solutions that satisfy their needs. Readers hope to find ads that leap out from the rest, and will simplify their choice.
So they ignore any ad that doesn’t match what they’re looking for. And the piece of information that fully half of them look for first is the location of the business. Buyers want to know how easy it is for them to get there. Businesses that are too far away are eliminated. So their ads aren’t even read.
Convenience is the preliminary deciding factor. As readers scan through the heading, they mentally delete: too far…, too far…, don’t know where that is (so no)….
After Sorting by Location, Then they Read the Ads The selected ads are then studied in more detail. Not until that point, does the information in the ad actually get read or considered. Aside from location, when directory users are in the กinformation gathering phase,ก they’re looking for many different kinds of answers, like hours, payment methods, and brands offered (which differ according to heading). They’re being educated by what they read in the ads. They gain a clearer idea about their options and who provides it (you being just one).
Directory users don’t want to drag that step out. So it’s up to your ad to jump to the front of their brain with a clear indication that you offer exactly what they’re looking for. Lookalike ads just make readers work harder to uncover what they want to find.
There’s no need to overcomplicate the matter. The test of a good Yellow Page ad is its ability to generate calls. You don’t have to be a graphic designer or a marketing whiz to prepare an effective ad. You just have to know your customers well enough to know how they think and what they want. You need to be able to signal to them that you’ve got what they’re looking for.
The Ad Sells the Call or Next Step Some ads prompt directory readers to pick up the phone and call one or more of the listed businesses. Callers often continue down their short (close) list until they can find enough of a reason to pick one.
Yellow Page industry studies show the average number of calls a user makes is 5.3. An advertiser doesn’t have to be the first choice, as long as it’s among the few chosen for a call or visit. At that point, the business owner’s ability to field questions or กsellก is more influential than the published directory information. After the potential buyer closes the directory, its work is done. They’ve move on one step closer to a purchase.
Location Defines Who Your Competition Is The Small Business Administration states that distance is a major factor as to who comes to buy from you. The average independent store draws the majority of its customers from not more than a quarter of a mile away. The average chain store draws most of customers from less than threequarters of a mile away. For the average shopping center, that figure is four miles. Service business have different distances.
Many kinds of business really only need to worry about competitors within their immediate area. You don’t have to beat out every other business in the heading. Compare your ad to those competitors within four miles, and make sure your ad is more prominent or enticing than theirs.
Some of the biggest, highpowered ads ahead of yours simply won’t be called because they’re inconvenient. You need to know where your customers come from, and how far they’re willing to travel for you. Here’s where knowing their specific mindset and priorities pays off. Ask them; take a survey.
You don’t need a big ad if you are the only game in town, or in a very small heading. Directory users can’t help but see you. Buyers are likely to call everyone who looks appropriate, if there are only a few. So you’ll get called anyway as long as you’re listed.
Unless a business has the biggest and best ad, most of the money spent for display ads is wasted. That sad truth applies to most of the business headings. Cut through the prevailing misinformation, and learn what makes a Yellow Page ad effective at Yellow Page Sage http://www.yellowpagesage.com.
Location Matters on the Internet, Too Already, 25% of online searchers are looking for information about business location. And that percentage is increasing. Most customers prefer to spend their money close to home it’s more convenient. But rather than consult the printed Yellow Page directory, they search online. Searchers add additional terms like zip code, city, and region to narrow their search. This strategy is called กlocal search.ก It’s a boon for connecting buyers and local businesses. Because location really does matter to buyers.
(c) 2004, Lynella Grant

About The Author

Dr. Lynella Grant is an expert in visual communication, how printed materials send signals that reinforce or negate the verbal message. Decode and repair your unintended impressions. Author, ‘the Business Card Bookก and กYellow Page Smarts.ก http://www.yellowpagesage.com (719) 3959450 Off the Page Press P.O. Box 4880 Buena Vista, CO 81211

[email protected]

This article was posted on July 13, 2004

by Dr. Lynella Grant

Yellow Page Advertisers: Your Calls are Going to D

Yellow Page Advertisers: Your Calls are Going to Decrease Hereกs the Remedy

by: Dr. Lynella Grant

Response rates to Yellow Page advertising are declining

Thereกs no getting around it, traditional Yellow Pages are in trouble. Fewer people use them every year. Even the best pulling ad in the section isn’t getting the number of callers or sales it used to. At the same time, the monthly cost to maintain your samesize directory ad keeps going up.

Simply tinkering with ad size (or options like color) can’t compensate for the adverse developments. Declining usage impacts each directory category differently. Some (like contractors and lawyers) are declining more steeply than others. Emergency service providers (tow trucks, plumbers) are holding their own. While categories like cell phones and lawn furniture are growing rapidly, with increased consumer demand.

Advertising only in the Yellow Pages is no longer a safe bet

Over half of all customers go to the Internet first to find product information and sources even if they intend to spend their money locally

People increasingly trust the Internet as a source of information about major purchases (and has overtaken the newspaper for used car sales)

Internet Yellow Pages (IYP) are kept up to date (unlike print directories) and can be searched from anywhere their usage is growing 25% a year

Local Search lets search engines (like Google) include small, local businesses in their search results (even without them having a website) over 25% of all search queries request Local Search results

A large percentage of young adults or business buyers never consult the Yellow Page directory at all and they control an expanding chunk of dollars spent

Rethink the role Yellow Page advertising plays for your enterprise

Take a serious look at how much you rely on the Yellow Page directory to bring new business. Are most or all of your promotional dollars spent there? Do your expectations match the number and kinds of customers your ad actually brings you?

Your strategy needs to take consider all the ways you attract new customers. Recognize changed customer preferences and buying habits for your specific type of operation. The issue isn’t whether or not to advertise in the Yellow Pages. If youกve been there you should continue. But switch some of those dollars into marketing methods that connect with buyers who won’t look for you there.

Follow these steps, with them all sending a clear, consistent message

Get listed in Internet Yellow Pages (IYP); there are many of them; some are free

Make sure your website provides the information search engines require for Local Search. Learn how to do that at www.yellowpagesage.com/localsearch.html

Beef up your website with the information customers look for (or join a portal of local businesses)

Submit articles about your enterprise online; find extensive assistance at http://www.promotewitharticles.com

Keep track of whatกs delivering new business. Commit to asking every new customer and caller how they found you. Thatกs the only way to know which method is winning; or where to shift emphasis and money for the next year.

Pursue ways to increase business from your existing customers

The value of Yellow Page advertising is mainly to attract new customers. People who know you already are more likely to find your number in the business white (alphabetical) listings. Start working harder to strengthen those relationships so they stay loyal. Efforts spent to serve them better (or to get referrals from them) does more for profits than constantly chasing new customers can.

Get started well BEFORE the directory deadline

Some day soon itกs time to renew your directory listing for another year. Let this be the year that youกve figured out your strategy well in advance. Make you new strategy a frontburner, squeekywheel priority. Yellow Page Smarts, http://www.yellowpagesage.com/smarts.html explains how to make your Yellow Page ad and Internet marketing support each together effectively.

If your next directory deadline hasn’t come yet, thereกs still time to change your ad for next year (like add your website address address a study found 60% of directory users only call Yellow Page ads with a website!). If you’re already committed, spend the next year getting the rest of your strategy in place. Your timely efforts can compensate for the decline in Yellow Page advertisingกs effectiveness. And you won’t be caught off guard.

© 2004, Lynella Grant

About The Author

Dr. Lynella Grant Author, Yellow Page Smarts, Make more money from your Directory ad in tandem with your Web site. Get a YP ad critique. 7193959450 mailto:[email protected]

Free YP resources at http://www.yellowpagesage.com

[email protected]

This article was posted on December 03, 2004

by Dr. Lynella Grant

How to Critique Your Own Yellow Page Ad

How to Critique Your Own Yellow Page Ad

by: Dr. Lynella Grant

Forget what you know about your business Your goal is to see your Yellow Page display advertisement the way a directory user sees it. You can’t act like you know anything about your enterprise that isn’t there, on the page. Look at your ad without pride or being identified with your operation. If you pretend it’s someone else’s, you can spot the flaws you’d otherwise overlook.

Mentally put the competition’s name on your ad. Does what you say apply equally well to them? If it does, you haven’t effectively set yourself apart. When all the ads seem alike buyers think they can get the same thing from any of them (and are more likely to select by price). The goal isn’t just to look different, but to actually be different in ways customers notice and care about.

Does the ad provide the facts readers and callers need? Directory users have already decided to buy something. So they’re looking in the Yellow Pages to find who provides it. This is the educational phase of the buying process. As soon as a person finds enough information to take the next step, they close the directory and move on.

Customers want information. They’re looking for some reason to prefer some business over the rest. Wellthoughtthrough ads make their job much easier. So give readers the precise information they’re looking for. It’s hard to do that unless you understand your customers’ mindset and priorities. It helps to be absolutely clear about how you’re different from other businesses in the heading.

Look at the ad as a whole Now squint your eyes so you can’t make out the words. This lets you get the overall impression. Most ads just get scanned, so the words themselves are only read if there’s a doubletake that captures the reader’s attention.

Is the whole image pleasant to look at? Does it reveal an attractive, unique personality of the business? Is there a businesslike, competent tone? Do all the parts, from the fonts and images, to messages, all mesh and express the same distinctive flavor?

Are there distractions from the image or message? Does every element carry its weight and support the whole mood? Fat borders and cutesy graphics use valuable space, without much payoff. If there’s color, is it used effectively? Does it contribute or distract?

Notice the business name. Does it tell you what the enterprise actually does (aside from the category it’s in)? Generic names like R&J Enterprises don’t cut it. If the name isn’t informative, you might need a slogan or tagline but do make it unique to you.

Is the information arranged to be easy to read? Every ad is a compromise between saying enough and arranging it to clearly communicate an attractive impression. Does the most important information stand out? Is it easy to find (without being too packed in)? What catches the eye first? Second? Third?

How complete is the information? Does it provide what callers are most likely to ask about? Customers are concerned about convenience. Does the ad include crucial location, hours, extra services, parking, payment options, afterhours contact, etc.? Is there a way for them to get extra information (like a booklet or from a Web site)? Give bonus points for that.

Look word for word. Is every one essential? Is anything important left out? Is it organized with bullets or clusters so related information hangs together?

Next, consider the ads around it A Yellow Page ad never appears in isolation. And what goes on with the nearby ads influences the way people respond to yours more than the specifics of your ad. What else is on the page, and the pages before and after yours? Be honest now, do they do a better job of grabbing the eye? Is the whole page a blur without a clear attention grabber? And if there is one, what makes it stand out better than yours? How can you improve on it?

Assessing your ad is the first step to making a better one The real value of critiquing your Yellow Page ad is to sharpen your own eye to pick up the crucial differences among competing ads. Practice in other categories where you don’t have a stake. Soon you can tell in a glance which ads have more appeal and why.

Find free expert assistance in developing a firstrate Yellow Page ad at http://www.yellowpagesage.com. Or arrange for a professional critique of your ad, so you don’t miss a trick. Either way, you’ll find ample ways to improve your ad that will improve its performance. And you will be ready when the next directory comes around.

©2004, Lynella Grant

About The Author

Dr. Lynella Grant, an expert in visual communication. How printed materials send signals that strengthen or undo the words. Author, The Business Card Book & Yellow Page Smarts http://www.yellowpagesage.com Off the Page Press (719) 3959450

[email protected]

This article was posted on August 30, 2004

by Dr. Lynella Grant

AttentionGrabbing Fixes that Make Your Yellow Pag

AttentionGrabbing Fixes that Make Your Yellow Page Ad Leap Off the Page

by: Dr. Lynella Grant

Stand Out in Ways that Matter to Directory Users A Yellow Page directory presents a difficult challenge for advertisers. All the competitors are packed together, within the space of a few pages. Each ad within the directory category screams กNotice me!ก so insistently, they blend into an muffled chorus. Itกs not easy for one to stand out with a clear, distinctive voice like a soloist above the choir. That only happens when the business is clear about expressing its unique กsong,ก and understands what buyers most want to hear.

It isn’t surprising that most Yellow Page ads say pretty much the same thing. They were all prepared by the same directory employees. What do they know about marketing? About copywriting? About whatกs unique and desirable about your enterprise?

The people making the ads กgrind them out,ก using the same templates and guidelines for every ad, in every category. Originality isn’t in their job description. Following the formulas for how an ad กshould lookก is a formula for being ignored.

These quick fixes cut away the bland sameness afflicting most ads. Disregard for now the related issues like the adกs size and placement. Such factors just amplify (or diminish) an adกs impact. A poor ad is still a poor ad, even if itกs very large. Coupled with finetuned copy (its own topic), these fixes will improve the impact of any size of ad, for any directory heading.

Try these Quick and Easy Fixes You don’t have to be a designer or copywriter to make your ad stand out. You just have to understand your customersก unstated wants, so you supply precisely the information that they’re looking for. And you need to know how you’re different than your competitors. Set yourself apart, so you don’t fade into the background, as most ads do.

1. Shrink the business name. That is NOT the most important part of the ad in the readerกs mind. And it crowds out the space for information that that could sell them on you. Once you can get them to want you, theyกll be able to find your name and contact information OK.

2. Ditto, shrink the graphics. They may be helpful to catch the eye initially, but add nothing to what directory users want to know. Images often distract from the adกs message, wasting its moment of attention on trivialities.

3. Provide a headline that hooks the readersก interest (the category or business name isn’t one, but most ads act like it is). A strong, emotionallycharged headline pulls attention into the rest of the information. It makes people stop skimming and actually read. Provide a promise that hits their hot button in a way that applies only to you (but not every other competitor in the category)

4. Make the location easy to find. Half of all directory users scan ads for the business location first, and then only consider those ads which are convenient. Location of the enterprise overrides an adกs size or placement in the directory.

5. Display your expertise, along with a reason for buyers to seek out your specialized knowledge. Offer a booklet, class, indepth information on your Web site, etc. This also establishes your credibility in customersก eyes, which is crucial to building sufficient trust to complete a purchase.

6. Buyers are hunting for information that can assist in making a purchase. When they open the directory, they’re hoping to find a business that in some way communicates, กIกm the one you’re looking for.ก Make it easy for them to know itกs you, by giving ample information directed at their concerns. Organize it in bulleted lists.

7. Add your Web site address (domain name) and/or email address. Treat your Web site as a place to expand the size of your Yellow Page ad. Then state a reason why a person wants to check your site: www.mysite.com for 23 simple ways to keep your dog from overeating Or www.myrestaurant.com for recipes to our awardwinning desserts.

8. Arrange it all so the information flows logically, and to please the eye.

9. Eliminate images or phrases that appear in the other ads. Find a different, more interesting way to express it.

10. Don’t let the directory do your ad for free. It will end up costing you too much.

The Ideal Yellow Page Ad The very best ad is the intersection between what a buyer is looking for, and what a business provides. When a business is attuned to its customersก priorities and needs, it can say exactly what rings their bell. For example, a harried mother will respond with relief to the phrase, กFree Childcare Provided.ก That service carries no weight with a business person, who may consider กNo extra charge for weekend service callsก the clincher.

What really makes an ad stand out is the specifics, not the generalities (which is what every other ad says). Visit www.yellowpagesage.com for advice from many experts about getting more mileage from your ad. Or obtain a customized critique of your ad, that eliminates the guesswork about what needs fixing.

Directory users are ready to buy. Simplify their lives by making your products and services so กjust rightก that choosing you is their only sensible choice.

About The Author

Dr. Lynella Grant, an expert in visual communication. How printed materials send signals that strengthen or undo the words. Author, The Business Card Book & Yellow Page Smarts http://www.yellowpagesage.com Off the Page Press (719) 3959450

[email protected]

This article was posted on August 07, 2004

by Dr. Lynella Grant

Combine Your Yellow Page Ad and Web Site for Maxim

Combine Your Yellow Page Ad and Web Site for Maximum Profits

by: Dr. Lynella Grant

A Yellow Page Ad isn’t Enough Any More
An unquestioned กmustก for any small business has been to run an ad in the Yellow Page Directory. Since most customers were local, that was enough to establish itself as กopen for business.ก The annual Yellow Page ad represents the largest promotional expense for many enterprises.
Yet, Yellow Page directory use is declining, while expanding segments of the public don’t rely on them at all. Yellow Page advertising costs keep going up, and the complicated pricing structure is difficult to figure out.
Worse yet, having a Yellow Page ad doesn’t deliver like it used to. People can find most of the information they want without ever opening a directory. Your business needs its Yellow Page strategy to be in tune with the times and your market.
Like most business owners, you must squeeze maximum value from every promotional dollar spent. That requires you to move beyond treating a Yellow Page ad like itกs a separate, standalone way to promote your business. Itกs not. Your Yellow Page advertising needs to work in tandem with all the rest of the efforts you pursue.
The Internet Expands Your Arena
Every business needs to put itself in front of the people looking for what it does and thatกs not just through the Yellow Pages any longer. An increasing percentage of customers, who spend their money close to home, are Internet savvy. Thereกs a major overlap between Yellow Page directory users and Internet users. That fact supports integrating your local and Internet promotional methods so they attract more new customers.
Yellow Page users are likely to be Internet users as well. And a business that ignores online activities entirely may have a tough time getting access to or credibility with those customers. It is possible to make online and traditional (offline) methods to attract customers work in tandem improving the effectiveness of each alone. So itกs no longer an eitheror, allornone choice whether to promote the business online or off.
People who subscribe to online services consult the Yellow Pages 23% more often than nonsubscribers.
Frequent Yellow Page Users are:

18% more likely than average to be Internet subscribers
32% more likely to be among the heaviest Internet users
18% more likely to make purchases on the Internet
27% more likely to spend more than $1,000 on Internet purchases

Source: Simmons
Customer Behavior is Changing
More and more, people are going to the Internet to find, learn about, or select products and services. Even local ones. That doesn’t mean that they will buy online, however. People still prefer to spend their money locally when they can. But, even the smallest business can do a better job of being found by those who prefer to use both the Internet and the Yellow Page directory to make their buying decisions. And, it can be done very inexpensively, too.
Even a 100% local business can pull in more business by getting its lowtech and hightech advertising to mesh. Visit http://www.yellowpagesage.com for lots of free practical assistance. As you broaden your visibility to buyers, your business will be found more often by the very people youกve been looking for.
What Else has Changed?

Buyers are less trusting and more willing to shop around
Customers have more options and ways to find what they want
Availability of Internet Yellow Pages
Aging population uses the Yellow Pages differently than young people
Development of unique niches and specialties
More choices for a กbetter dealก
More directories competing in a geographic area
More immigrants, or those from other cultures, unaccustomed to Yellow Page use
Area code proliferation fragments cities
Larger cities have multiple directories, rather than one large one
Development of specialized directories like ethnic, nonEnglish, women, minority, business to business

Become Visible Online With or Without Your Own Web Site
If your business already has a Web site, treat it as a way to expand the reach of your Yellow Page ad and traditional marketing activities. Jettison the expectation that it should make sales few do so. But an informationpacked Web site can support your traditional marketing methods very well.
Even without your own Web site, your small business can establish an online identity that helps buyers to find you.

Get listed in a variety of Internet Yellow Page (IYP) directories
Send emails to your ‘regularsก with special offers and useful information
Position yourself for Local Search a method whereby customers use search engines to locate local businesses by town, state, region, zip code, etc.

Expand the exposure of your business beyond your Yellow Page ad through a Yellow Page strategy that reaches the whole globe. Your operation, whatever its size, will gain more credibility and traffic locally when it puts itself in the bigger picture.
© 2004, Lynella Grant

About The Author

Dr. Lynella Grant is an expert in visual communication, how printed materials send signals that reinforce or negate the verbal message. Decode and repair your unintended impressions. Author, ‘the Business Card Bookก and กYellow Page Smarts.ก

http://www.yellowpagesage.com

(719) 3959450

Off the Page Press P.O. Box 4880 Buena Vista, CO 81211

[email protected]

This article was posted on June 05, 2004

by Dr. Lynella Grant