Do Yellow Pages Still Work?

Many people no longer use the Yellow Pages as actively as ten years ago, or even five years ago for that matter. Why? Because other media are taking market share away from the Yellow Pages.

Of all the competing media, the internet has had the most adverse affect on the effectiveness of advertising in the Yellow Pages.

Despite the huge exodus of shoppers abandoning the Yellow Pages, the directories continue increasing rates year after year. That's like gas companies charging higher and higher rates for gas and at the same time only giving only half a gallon or worse, just a measly pint for more than the cost of a gallon.

Here's the thing though...

Though fewer people now 'let their fingers do the walking' in the yellow pages, ad agents still claim paying for ads created by the reps is a good value.

Uhm... no.

After years of tossing money down the drain wondering if it will ever come back, many former Yellow Pages loyalists have chosen to "opt out" of advertising in the Yellow Pages altogether. For them, the ads just aren't paying back what they are costing.

And for advertisers still wondering if they should spend money on yellow pages or not to attract more clients and customers, the confidence that that big annual fee will pay off just isn't there. Too many people drop their yellow pages straight into the recycle bin soon as the directories are dropped off on their doorsteps.

The family of a close friend owns a restaurant. They have never paid for ads --in any media-- in their 25+ year history. Now the economy has gotten crazy they are asking should they give the yellow pages a go...pay that huge monthly fee.

Well, shrinking users isn't the only reason our friends family should consider whether there's potential for getting a positive return on their investment. A second big problem is competition here is fierce. More fierce than any other kind of advertising or marketing. Potential customers see the ads of advertisers at the same time the potential customers see competing ads -- all on the same page.

So succeeding in the yellow pages has two requirements.

First, and foremost, your potential customers must actually use the yellow pages to search for what you sell. Really, what's the point of paying that fee if no one who matters ever sees the ad. And don't give me any crap about 'branding'. You can't brand your business if no one sees your marketing message. You may as well flush that 'investment' down the toilet. The end result will be the same.

No matter what ad agents claim, not everyone uses the yellow page directories. A truth that's being overlooked is that an entire generation of teenagers and young 20-somethings don't have a clue about using the yellow pages to find vendors, suppliers, or retailers. That entire generation is blind to the yellow pages. That is just one of many groups that primarily avoids using the yellow pages at all, in favor of using other media. Like the internet.

If your market does use the yellow pages to search for what you sell, the second requirement for success is that your ad must actually be an ad. Not an oversized glorified business card.

The greatest advertising "sin" committed in the Yellow Pages is a form of advertising incest. Basically all the ads designed by the directories are created 'cut and paste' one from another using a common template. There's no variation other than name, rank, and serial number. And just like real incest, these ads get dumber and dumber more useless as they continue to reproduce.

For proof just look at the ads in any Yellow Pages directory. They all have name, phone number, maybe a picture of the staff or owner, some lame 'touchy feely' slogan that anyone else can also claim. What should be an effective and competitive ad is reduced to nothing more than an oversized, ineffective business card.

Whether you, like my friend and his family, are considering advertising in the directories, or are already advertising in the directories, or are looking to earn a living writing better ads for people who advertise in the directories you must recognize that the key to succeeding with yellow pages is to design ads that stand out and appeal and catch the dialing fingers of the millions of people who still let their fingers do the walking through the yellow pages to find what you or your clients sell or provide.

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Andre Bell is a market researcher and direct response copywriter at www.YellowPagesPain.com, a complimentary 130-page Yellow Pages Advertising ebook is available for a limited time at www.YellowPagesPain.com/free-guide/

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