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Yellow Pages ads

John Papendick
John Papendick Member Posts: 5
in THE MAIN WALL
I would hope that I represent your average consumer today. I find EVERYTHING online, including this site with a search on google for steam heat. I do use the yellow pages but, to be honest, it's only to get an idea of fair market pricing. In most cases when dealing with contractors, I have been given a referral from a friend and I just want to make sure I'm not getting hosed. I would think long and hard about 20K for a YP ad and even consider scaling it back to a minimal size in a select market. I'm sure their giving you a "Super-Sized Meal Deal" in the process of selling the ad. Question is, how hungry are you?

Hope this helps!

John Papendick

West Orange, NJ

Comments

  • Bob_9
    Bob_9 Member Posts: 42
    Yellow Pages ads

    As our local yellow pages renewal is here and I cringe at the costs, I'm wondering what others are spending annually. We're looking at somewhere in the neighborhood of $20,000. Sure this covers multiple books and topics within each book, ie; heating, cooling, sheetmetal, service but it just seems outrageous.
    It seems to me that the only people looking for me in the yellow pages are people who know us and are just trying to find our number or shoppers who are looking for "ballparks" or 13 prices.
  • Mike Murray
    Mike Murray Member Posts: 22
    No YP for me

    I haven't had a YP ad for the past two years. The rep told me I was nuts (He really had quite the rant) when I said no thanks for the next renewal. I'm only a small shop but so far the only noticable difference is that I don't get so many "tire kickers" calling anymore. Those and the ones that phone every company in the yellow pages and the first one to show up gets the job.

    That's my story anyway. :)

    Mike
  • Mark Hunt
    Mark Hunt Member Posts: 4,908
    YP


    No YP ads here. They do not offer specialized listings and I do not want to be lumped in with the other guys.

    We got an automatic listing with Verizon and I want it out.

    I'll take two referrals over 100 YP calls any day of the week.

    Mark H

    To Learn More About This Contractor, Click Here to Visit Their Ad in "Find A Contractor"
  • George_10
    George_10 Member Posts: 580
    company advertising

    I am a firm believer in using the web as my ad vehicle. It allows me to tell my story and if hosted properly and the search engine submittals are done, I get more than enough inquiries. According to search engine data, the local patrons are using it to find local companies and get a feel for the company before calling. One caveat, we do sell all over the country and not just in the local market.

    I think the cost of yellow pages is outrageous too.

    George
  • kevin_5
    kevin_5 Member Posts: 308
    YP

    We have been advertised in the yellow pages for two years. I cannot say that I have even received one call from it. I believe that yellow pages is in general a good medium of advertising. (I use it quite often) However, it hasn't done me any good. And I am the ONLY one in the book specifically offering radiant heating too. Just about all our leads come from people we meet at homeshows where we have a booth. Kevin

    To Learn More About This Contractor, Click Here to Visit Their Ad in "Find A Contractor"
  • Geo_2
    Geo_2 Member Posts: 76
    yellow pages

    I had to think twice about spending just $5k on my 1/4 page ad but I'm glad I did, it's been out for a month and recieved 27 service calls, 5 from last saturday alone.I don't give out prices over the phone so that tends to send the tire kickers on there way.
  • shawn_3
    shawn_3 Member Posts: 20


    USE THE RADIO THAT ALWAYS WORKS
  • hot_rod
    hot_rod Member Posts: 23,422
    Depends on

    what you do. Plumbing, heating, 24 hour service, etc. How large of a company are you?

    When I was a Contractors 2000 member this was always a hot topic.

    In some large population, competitive areas, YP were a must, I learned. It was the main place folks shopped. Large companies would buy smaller competitors just for their YP placement.

    Ideally if you YP you should track calls from that ad. If not you are just guessing as to the effectiveness. How else could you rationlize that dollar amount.

    Opting out will generally put you at the end of the listings should you want back in!

    Yellow page gurus track all sorts of stats from YP listings. Virtually all homeowners new to a city shop YP. If your area is seeing a high influx of newbies, that too would play into the decesion.

    Find a trade association with YP experts, they would have the best, most up to date info on the ins and outs of YP.

    hot rod
    Bob "hot rod" Rohr
    trainer for Caleffi NA
    Living the hydronic dream
  • heatboy
    heatboy Member Posts: 1,468
    For $20K...............

    You could have the untimate interactive website. Unless you are in the "Sudden Service" arena, advertising in the phone books makes little sense. I believe they give you a one line listing for free anyway.

    hb

    To Learn More About This Contractor, Click Here to Visit Their Ad in "Find A Contractor"

    There was an error rendering this rich post.

  • Al Letellier
    Al Letellier Member Posts: 781
    yellow pages

    Have used them for 9 years and they paid for themselves many times over. We have minimized our advertizing this year due to heavy backlog of work. Find your specialty and let it be know. We went from "dollar bill sized ads @ $400/month to a small black column add for $150. It simply says our co. name, phone number, slogan and "steam and radiant heat specialists"...more calls than ever before!!!

    To Learn More About This Contractor, Click Here to Visit Their Ad in "Find A Contractor"
  • DanHolohan
    DanHolohan Member, Moderator, Administrator Posts: 16,601
    And then there's this comment, which came to me earlier today:


    "What's it been now, a month? No. Not even a full month has come to pass
    since I finally got myself listed in your FAC link at HeatingHelp.com. Since
    then, I've had more calls, seen more jobs and got more work than I may be
    able to handle this fall.

    "I needed more quality leads so I got listed. Shortly thereafter I received
    them. I'm now pre-qualify my customers instead of them pre-qualifying me."
    Retired and loving it.
  • Bill_14
    Bill_14 Member Posts: 345
    Volume Builder

    If you want to increase your sales volume, increase your support staff, increase your field staff, increase your overhead, receive calls in the middle of the night, etc. advertising big and bold in the YP will probably do this for you.

    However, you will need to take about 20 worthless calls for every 1 good call, you will have to have a profit-driven system that allows you to pay for all this trouble and you will always think twice about renewing the ad for the next year.

    In my opinion, heavy YP advertising is for the larger service firms that need to keep "feeding their machine".
  • paul lessard_2
    paul lessard_2 Member Posts: 192
    wow thats a great way to think about it

    ;)
  • Unknown
    Unknown
    This content has been removed.
  • ken D
    ken D Member Posts: 60


    I was wondering when someone was going to mention advertising on this very site!
  • DanHolohan
    DanHolohan Member, Moderator, Administrator Posts: 16,601
    It really works,

    and we're opening it up to other professionals and raising the price next week. Great time to get listed.
    Retired and loving it.
This discussion has been closed.

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