I was a YP rep and consultant for nearly 25 years and, prior to that, had my own advertising agency. I also have a degree in marketing. I’ve been designing Yellow Page ads for the past three decades. So I have expertise in YP creation and have advised almost 7000 companies on how to put together the most effective YP ads. So I know something about the Yellow Pages. I even wrote a book about my years in sales and what businesses should know about their advertising. So, what is my expert opinion about the old-fashioned paper Yellow Pages?
When I first began selling in the early eighties, we never dreamed there would ever by anything else. Then along came the personal computer and the birth of the CD-Rom. By the 1990’s we were offering a duplicate of the printed pages on a CD. But even then, I figured that the good old paper Yellow Page book was here to stay. There were many reasons:
- Not everyone had a computer, but they all received the book.
- You could write or take notes directly on the pages.
- You could see and compare many ads and listings on a single page.
- If needed, you could tear out the page.
- You could also clip a coupon.
- It had useful information like area maps and attractions.
- I was easy to use.
- It made a great doorstop, child seat, or fire starter.
Fast-forward to today. The Internet has been around for more than a decade and is rapidly becoming the tool of choice for researching people, places, services, and things. In that regard, the online website versions, offered by the phone companies, have several advantages over the printed book:
- It’s got searchable content using keywords.
- It’s not regional like the book. It can be used by anyone anywhere.
- Ads can be inserted or updated as needed, so it’s never out of date.
- There are no page ends, so you can scroll down forever.
- You can use it on a cell phone or portable laptop with wi-fi.
- You can use it anywhere there is a computer available, i.e. for travel.
- You can print a page of information as needed.
So, what is the future of the print product? Will the Internet version be enough? Each has a purpose. More than half of the former book users now go to the web for local searches. I think it will take another generation or two for the decision to be made. It’s very much the same for newspapers and magazines. The market will dictate whether the printed book becomes the next extinct species.In the meantime, it will be used and is still one of the main reference books in the home or office. Now, how about my biggest complaint regarding the printed book? It’s getting ink on my hands after using it. Of course I get carpal tunnel syndrome from typing on the computer all day, so I just can’t catch a break. Go figure.
Jeffrey Hauser was a sales consultant for the Bell System Yellow Pages for nearly 25 years. He graduated from Pratt Institute with a BFA in Advertising and has a Master’s Degree in teaching. He had his own advertising agency in Scottsdale, Arizona and ran a consulting and design firm, ABC Advertising. He authored a book about his directory years, “Inside the Yellow Pages” which can be seen at his website, http://www.poweradbook.com and he is currently the Marketing Director for http://www.menuelephant.com which posts restaurant menus on the “site you’ll never forget.”
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