Help Their Fingers Do the Walking

For some businesses, there’s simply no better way to get in front of prospective buyers than through that time-tested shoppers guide, the Yellow Pages. If yours is the type of business that consumers typically search for in this grand-daddy of all business directories, it would be a horrific mistake not to be there.

There are few other media that offer the pre-qualification afforded by the Yellow Pages. People do not usually look through these huge volumes unless they are looking for providers of a specific product or service. Therefore, you can be reasonably well assured that callers have at least a superficial interest in what you have to offer.

But being there and being the first one that prospective buyers call are two different things. It takes more than a good page position to be the one that breaks through the cacophony of ads and compels buyers to call you.

If you’ve got to be in the book, follow these key tips:

Choose size over color – As larger ads usually out-pull smaller, colorful ones, spend any extra money on the increasing the size of your ad

Hit hot buttons – Use a bold headline in your ad that focuses on your customers’ key benefit

Sell everything, and be thorough – List all products and services you have to offer, referencing brand names, where possible. Also, make it easy to contact you by providing your full address, phone numbers, and web site.

Finally, never reference your Yellow Page ad in your advertising. In driving potential customers to your Yellow Pages ad, you put them directly in front of your competitors’ ads, as well, making it easy and virtually encouraging customers to shop around.