Proceed Cautiously with Yellow Page Advertising

YP is one of the older versions of advertising and one of the MOST expensive for the small business owner. With so many options at your disposal and today’s economy it does not make sense to put your business under financial stress by making annual commitments.

As an ad sales rep, I have heard too many stories from very nice merchants that feel misled or have been placed in a financial burden trying to honoring a YP contract that has proven unbeneficial to their business. Being sold a “bill of goods” has long been practiced by some ( not all) unsavory sales reps. Its unfortunate to hear stories of businesses that lose their website or forced to pay for bad advertising. Here are a few things to consider before signing on the dotted line.

1 NEVER –especially in 2009’s economy- sign an ANNUAL contract- regardless if what discount is being implied. Major internet players like Google & Yahoo never require you sign a 12month deal…..plans can change, but annual non cancelable YP contracts don’t.
2. AVOID 800 number or call tracking phone numbers provided by YP. A metered phone number is a special number that forwards callers to your real phone number. The phone company then sends you a monthly report on the number of calls you received through the metered line. If you do not renew after 12 months your number expires. People may hold onto older versions of the phone book and will get a disconnect when they try calling (who actually requests YP to send them a new book every year)
3. DON’T PAY FOR ADD-ONS until you actually know it works! Remember you cannot cancel this contract. If you are so inclined to commit 12 months of hard earned money to YP without any guarantees just go for the minimum line listing ( no more than $100/month). That way you will be found in the directory and can assess the calls that come in. That takes me to # 4 & 5
4. ASK- ask everyone how did they got your number- did you see us listed? Train your staff on this as well – and always ask walk-ins. YOU MUST KNOW WHAT IS GENERATING EXPOSURE FOR YOUR BSINESS5. SIZE vs. LOCATION. Bigger is not always better. Your ad sales rep will come in with a discounted ad package with bells &whistles. Will paying for color ink, borders and FP ads make your business more profitable? People searching a service check local first. Thus a small listing – line item even- may be more practical. Recently I needed an exterminator (ASAP) I entered my zipcode + exterminator and started my search from there. I am in Brooklyn…..I needed an exterminator now. I don’t want one from the Bronx when there are three within 15 minutes of me ( even if the Bronx exterminator has a snazzy FP ad). Don’t SPEND money on YP DESIGN ADS……that significant 12 month investment may be better applied to your website design, professional logo, or email software.

If you want alternative PPC traffic there are many good options which I will address in a follow up on Niche PPC. The bottom line takeaway is NEVER EVER commit to a 12 month program without doong some research . Online marketing should be trackable and hopefully transparent ( you know the referral sources) . You should be able to add/cutback or even pause a campaign. 2009 was a very bad year for a lot of businesses. Realize there are many advertising options – some even free- which can provide great value to you business. Do not anchor yourself to a program that may not be right for you

Free Online Marketing Tools Small Business Owners Can Use Now

Being a small business owner usually entails working on shoestring or nonexistent marketing budgets. With so many PAID marketing options, what can you do now to generate some exposure for your business and reach potential new customers?

There are a plethora of free online marketing tools at you disposal, and some require a commitment of your time in order to reap the benefits. Here are a few tips you can do today to promote your site. Cost: $0

Google Maps- List Your Business in Google, even without a website. It is very wise for local businesses to be found in the local results in major search engines. These local results are free to be included in and simply require you to fill out a form to let the search engines know about your business You will need a physical street address, but you can appear on top of page 1 in Google local search results. And you can even attract and track customers by incorporating Local Merchant Coupons- see below

Google Coupons Add Coupons to Your Google Maps Listing - Free! Google users print your coupons and bring them to your business. Coupons will appear alongside your business listing on Google Maps. Adding coupons to your listing in Google Maps may bring new customers to your business. http://www.google.com/local/add/coupons?hl=en-US&gl=US

Yahoo Answers- show your expertise by signing up and answering questions related to your area of business expertise and service
Linked In Polls If you are not on Linked In – do it now. Its all about networking, especially if you ar ea service oriented provider.

Create a Blog using WordPress or Blogger. Develop a corporate and/or personal blog that educates and entertains. And update it regularly (at least once per week)!

Citysearch.com, Openlist, Menupages and other local directories. Do you have listing already? Most businesses can have a free basic listing name, address and phone……if you want a full business profile with photos you will need to upgrade to the paid profiles. But you can usually upgrade for as little as $99/month. Certain verticals thrive on sites like these…take a look around and see if your competition is featured – that’s a sign.

Social Networks- Facebook, Twitter. Build your brand via social networking. Consider Twitter in order to put a person behind your thoughts and insights. A greatway to announce lastminute vent updates and news. Monitor what new customers and loyal customers are saying about your business and get active in damage control and customer service!