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project 03 :: Internet Marketing :: Advertising and PR 01
Is Your Yellow Pages Ad Putting Cash in Your Pocket... or Sucking Cash Out?
This interesting article addresses some
of the key issues regarding content. A careful reading of this material
could make a big difference in how you think about content.
Any
idea? It’s a question that more than a few Yellow Page advertisers
ponder. If you are currently spending money every month to run an ad in
your local directory, you don’t want to wrestle with that question. You
want to know that your investment is generating a consistent flow of
new clients to your business. So what can you do to maximize returns
and stop worrying?
First of all, know this—Yellow Pages Advertising has incredible
potential. As a business owner, you have few other ways to reach
prospects who are as targeted, and ready to buy as these. But
naturally… your success depends on the quality of your ad. And when it
comes to ad content, far too many advertisers are quite simply… lost.
“The red-hot commodity of the Information Age? Why that would be the Yellow Pages… It’s like shooting fish in a barrel.”
Fortune July, 2003
There are few places to turn. It makes for an unpleasant situation
for the honest businessperson trying to harness the tremendous
potential of such a perfectly targeted medium. And so, most advertisers
rely on the Yellow Pages design department, who, as it turns out,
develop most of the ads in their directory.
It’s hard to differentiate your company if that’s the case, don’t you think?
That situation doesn’t need to be one that you find yourself in.
While many advertisers fail to develop an ad that draws a strong
response, it’s not especially difficult to do. In fact, the basic
mistakes that “riddle” just about every subject heading provide a
fantastic opportunity for the business owner that does his homework. If
you’re reading this article, you’re doing your homework.
“How come we still have the Yellow Pages? They Work. You
don’t go to the Yellow Pages and look up pizza unless you’re planning
to order pizza.”
Fortune July, 2003
What Yellow Page success boils down to is ad content.
Not color. Not professional design. Sure, those things matter too; but
they are nowhere near as important as the words you use to fill your
ad. People turning to the Yellow Pages have already determined that
they need you. They just need to know whether they should call company
A, B, or C.
Their choice doesn’t depend so much on color or design, as it
depends on what you offer that your competitors don’t” the policies you
hold yourself to that give consumers faith in you and your business.
Here is a point you need to understand… Listing the brand names you
carry and the “laundry list” of products or services you offer don’t
build credibility. They don’t set you apart from your competitors who
offer the same thing!
Plenty of other things do. And chances are you embrace those
policies and those hassle, and risk removing, motivators already. You
probably do quite a bit for your clients that make their lives easier,
more lucrative, more pleasant, and so on. You probably have credibility
boosters that you’ve never considered including.
And that is because you may not realize the power they have in
motivating an eager prospect to act. Iron-clad guarantees… customer
testimonials… rock-solid offers for new customers… a headline that goes
well beyond your logo and company name; these are things that work
wonders in a targeted, ready-to-buy medium such as the Yellow Pages.
Since so many of your competitors are focusing on their company
name and their laundry list of products and services, the copy points
above will differentiate you! They give you the credibility that your
competition likely lacks, and they make a strong case for many a
prospect to choose you with confidence. That’s what the Yellow Pages
are all about, right?!
About The Author
Alan Saltz, the author, teaches Yellow Pages Advertisers how to
boost their response and return on investment, using simple, but
extremely effective techniques. To learn more about how to improve your
own Yellow Pages ad, visit: http://www.YellowPagesProfit.com.
alan@YellowPagesProfit.com
Now you can be a confident expert on content. OK, maybe
not an expert. But you should have something to bring to the table next
time you join a discussion on content.
We hope you found the information on this page useful and will return often to browse
the many articles throughout our site. We will be adding new material on an ongoing
basis in order to keep our visitors up to date on the latest promotion and marketing
information and tools that allow so many marketers to earn a full time living on the
internet.
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