The Yellow Pages are an advertising medium that shares many of the strengths of other advertising media while, at the same time, avoids some of its competition’s limitations or disadvantages. As such, the Yellow Pages are best used to complement or extend the effects of advertising placed in other media. Like other media, the Yellow Pages permit an advertiser to select a well-defined geographic area, ranging from a neighborhood to an entire metropolitan area.
Once the geography is defined, a Yellow Pages ad has permanence; Yellow Pages are kept as a regular reference. In addition, Yellow Pages support your other advertising by providing a convenient way for consumers to contact sources and obtain information on the products or services they desire at the precise time they are ready to “take action.” Studies on this form of “directive” advertising have shown it works so well that of the people who turn to the Yellow Pages, 83 percent then take action. Also, the Yellow Pages are relatively low in cost in terms of both ad production and placement. The disadvantages of the Yellow Pages include their lack of timeliness (ads can be changed only once per year and, as a result, there is no opportunity for “price advertising”), the potential clutter in some classifications and less creative flexibility than other print media offer.
Yellow Pages ads resemble no other kind of advertising. They’re not aimed at motivating consumers to buy a product. Rather, their goal is to convince consumers to buy a desired product from a particular company. Because companies attract business by showing they’ve got whatever consumers may want, Yellow Pages ads also tend to be full of brand names and information.
The first thing your ad must do is get itself read. Here, your success depends in part on which Yellow Pages directory (or directories) in which you choose to place your ad. The bottom line is to get the greatest amount of exposure. So. compare competing directories on the basis of their usage figures - not their distribution figures, but the number of actual consumer uses per year. If you then divide directories’ uses-per-year figures by their charge for the same size ad, you’ll see which directory provides the highest number of uses per dollar. That’s the directory that delivers the best value for your money.
Another key factor in determining whether your ad will be read is the size of the ad you decide to buy. Obviously, the larger the ad, the more attention it gets. Once you select the heading or headings under which your ad will appear - and they should be headings for the products and services that give you the greatest profitability - open to those headings and see what ad sizes your competitors have. You can then choose ad sizes larger than theirs, on par with theirs or smaller than theirs, depending on budget constraints and the competitive stance you want to take.
Once you’ve decided on directories, headings and ad sizes, concentrate on creating an ad that both attracts attention and stimulates customer response. Experts such as Jeffrey Price, author of Yellow Pages Advertising: How to Get the Greatest Return on Your Investment, say you can achieve those results by including the following in your ad:
Attention-getting artwork. Artwork is the greatest eye-catcher for an ad, after size. You can use visuals from your suppliers or even non-copyrighted artwork you locate in out-of-town or out-of-state Yellow Pages. Stick with illustrations whenever possible, since photographs may reproduce poorly. And keep areas of blank space around your artwork, and throughout your ad as well, so your ad is uncluttered-looking and easy to read.
A headline that says what makes you special. Identify the special or unique characteristic that, for your target customer, puts you ahead of the competition. Write a short, to-the-point headline stating that advantage. If your headline must focus on just one of your products or services, choose the one that is most profitable.
Include the complete information buyers need to make a purchase decision. Your ad must convince buyers that you’re the best source for what they need. So support your headline with information, usually presented in list form, about your:
Reliability (e.g., years in business).
Authorized products and services.
Full range of products.
Location (with maps, when helpful).
Business hours.
Special features such as parking, credit cards honored, discounts, licenses, guarantees, delivery policies and emergency services.
Lastly, try to get your ad placed in the most prominent position possible under each heading. Since positions are assigned on a first-come-first-served basis, it’s advantageous to finalize your contracts with Yellow Pages publishers as rapidly as possible.
As is the case with newspapers, Yellow Pages sales representatives can help write and design your ad at no charge. They can also advise you on co-op advertising to maximize your promotional dollars. Some can serve as your full-service ad agency and consultant. Unlike other mediums, where your ad only appears or airs periodically, Yellow Pages gives constant advertising exposure - 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.
Everyone persuades for a living. There’s no way around it. Whether you’re a sales professional, an entrepreneur, or even a stay at home parent, if you are unable to convince others to your way of thinking, you will be constantly left behind. Donald Trump said it best, “Study the art of persuasion. Practice it. Develop an understanding of its profound value across all aspects of life.”
Conclusion
Persuasion is the missing puzzle piece that will crack the code to dramatically increase your income, improve your relationships, and help you get what you want, when you want, and win friends for life. Ask yourself how much money and income you have lost because of your inability to persuade and influence. Think about it. Sure you’ve seen some success, but think of the times you couldn’t get it done. Has there ever been a time when you did not get your point across? Were you unable to convince someone to do something? Have you reached your full potential? Are you able to motivate yourself and others to achieve more and accomplish their goals? What about your relationships? Imagine being able to overcome objections before they happen, know what your prospect is thinking and feeling, feel more confident in your ability to persuade. Professional success, personal happiness, leadership potential, and income depend on the ability to persuade, influence, and motivate others.
Kurt Mortensen’s trademark is Magnetic Persuasion; rather than convincing others, he teaches that you should attract them, just like a magnet attracts metal filings. He teaches that sales have changed and the consumer has become exponentially more skeptical and cynical within the last five years. Most persuaders are using only 2 or 3 persuasion techniques when there are actually 120 available! His message and program has helped thousands and will help you achieve unprecedented success in both your business and personal life.
If you are ready to claim your success and learn what only the ultra-prosperous know, begin by going to http://www.PreWealth.com and getting my free report “10 Mistakes That Continue Costing You Thousands.” After reading my free report, go to http://www.PreWealth.com/IQ and take the free Persuasion IQ analysis to determine where you rank and what area of the sales cycle you need to improve in order to close every sale!
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