Hiring a Yellow Page Consultant

Let’s face it. Not every business person is a marketing expert. Sure, you’re great at plumbing, moving, or appliance sales, but that’s where it ends. After all, you have an accountant, insurance person, financial planner, and perhaps an attorney to guide you in those areas you are not familiar with. So why not admit that you are also uneducated when it comes to promotion and advertising? Now, was that so hard?

Look at your YP budget. It may be 1000’s a month. Therefore, with a $25,000 annual investment at stake, why take chances? It’s not just the money, it’s the future of your business. Let’s review just a few of the problems with YP advertising that you have to deal with:

1. The directory is on the street for a year and can’t be changed once the ad is set
2. You must have a tracking device in place to know how it is working
3. Have you predetermined your ROI or return on investment to know your profit?
4. Are you in the right headings and books for your market?
5. Have you figured out the best size and copy for your ad?

There are actually more than 100 other points to cover before you sign the contract and commit to spending all that money. So, are you ready to hire that consultant? I didn’t think so. You’re already worried about how much they will charge, right? Wrong! That’s not you’re biggest concern. Instead, focus on what they do to make their money.

For example, are they a cutter? That is, a person who makes a living by reducing your program and charging a percentage of what they save you. So, by slashing your ads, they pocket a bunch of cash and leave you high and dry with a lousy YP program. Or, are they really a consultant with your best interest at heart? Do they charge by the hour or job? Can they be trusted? Do they have references? What is a good consultant worth, anyway?

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. If you have a display or in-column ad, regardless of size, color or position, I can tell you it most probably needs improvement in the headline, artwork, body text, placement, book, or heading. You must understand the ROI or return on investment and learn how to track the results as well.

So consider getting some expert advice before you place your next ad. There are many good and inexpensive places to turn, some available on the internet. Make sure the consultant is well qualified with at least 25 years experience. Otherwise, you’ll be wasting your own time and money.

Jeffrey Hauser’s latest book is, “Inside the Yellow Pages,” which can be viewed at http://www.poweradbook.com

He 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. Currently, he is the Marketing Director for thenurseschoice.com, a Health Information and Doctor Referral site.