Pixtus - Photography Forum, Photographers, Photo Tips

BenE · **Phone Book ads... are they a thing of the past? -** 01-02-2011, 02:37 PM

A friend told me today that during a party his wife was going to look up a business number in a telephone book. He was surprised when a coupe of guests pulled out their blackberrys or Ipads, and found the phone number before his wife could locate the phone book and look up the number.

They got into a discussion about how some of them never use a phone book anymore to look up numbers of retail businesses. They also talked about how many people have no land line and depend on cellphones exclusively, so may not have a phone book delivered by the old reliable phone companies.

This got me to wondering if having an ad in the local phone book(s) is something that is as beneficial as in years past. My friend has a machine shop, and has ads in 3 local phone books. He is certainly wondering if it is money well spent.

Any thoughts?

JohnT · 01-02-2011, 03:23 PM

I never touch a hard copy phone book or YP anymore. Online is where I now go.

BenE · 01-02-2011, 03:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JohnT

I never touch a hard copy phone book or YP anymore. Online is where I now go.

If you were looking for a photographer what would you use:
Google, yellowpages.com, or what do you like best?

Thanks

Flea77 · 01-02-2011, 04:32 PM

This to me is like the whole flash website debate. Personally, I think a non-flash website and an ad in the yellow pages are requirements because if you don't, you are leaving a whole lot of money on the table.

Lets say for the sake of argument that 75% of your potential customers never look at the phone book. Is an ad in the yellow pages worth a shot at 25% more business? If not, please send them my way :-)

Allan

kayumangi · 01-02-2011, 04:47 PM

There is difference between a machine-gun splashing ad and a laser-guided one.

If your demographics read YP then by all means splurge there. But if you're not sure who you're targeting then you're just wasting ammo. First find your target then decide what's the best way to communicate to them.

No one can really say one is better than the other because each of us have a different set clients.

David Whatley · 01-02-2011, 05:52 PM

I had a 1/4 page in the YP for the courier busines, 20 years ago, and if I contributed 100% of new business to it, that didnt come by direct contact, I lost money.
Never again.

BenE · 01-03-2011, 09:34 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Flea77

This to me is like the whole flash website debate. Personally, I think a non-flash website and an ad in the yellow pages are requirements because if you don't, you are leaving a whole lot of money on the table.

Lets say for the sake of argument that 75% of your potential customers never look at the phone book. Is an ad in the yellow pages worth a shot at 25% more business? If not, please send them my way :-)

Allan

I am not saying to do away with an ad in a phone book, but am questioning if a large display ad is worth the money.

The last customer I had for 2010 was an older couple, and I did ask how they selected me. The wife said she looked me up on the internet. They are long time residents of the city, but had never had a portrait made.

I know some believe that older people still use phone books, but when I think that about 85% of my business is for customers in the high school age up to young families, in their 30s and 40s, I know they use the internet for many things.

When it comes to ads in phone books, you have to decide which one. In many cities of 80,000 or more there are 2 or 3 phone books, and in Metro areas there might be as many as 5.

Fireball · 01-03-2011, 11:05 AM

I placed my first ad in the yellow pages last year and got two calls all year with no photo shoots so I won't be putting it in again this year.

Flea77 · 01-03-2011, 11:16 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BenE

I am not saying to do away with an ad in a phone book, but am questioning if a large display ad is worth the money.

The last customer I had for 2010 was an older couple, and I did ask how they selected me. The wife said she looked me up on the internet. They are long time residents of the city, but had never had a portrait made.

I know some believe that older people still use phone books, but when I think that about 85% of my business is for customers in the high school age up to young families, in their 30s and 40s, I know they use the internet for many things.

When it comes to ads in phone books, you have to decide which one. In many cities of 80,000 or more there are 2 or 3 phone books, and in Metro areas there might be as many as 5.

For me, and this is only my opinion which is worth almost nothing in this economy, is this:

1) Most people who still use phone books more than occasionally use the 'real' phone book. In my household, if it is not an AT&T book (my local company), it immediately goes in the garbage after the coupons are removed.
2) An ad in the yellow pages is required for businesses, at least a one liner in the yellow pages. How big an ad depends on what the competition has, how much income I see from the ad I had last year, and the value I place on 'just being there for exposure'.

Now every business is different, as is every demographic. But for me being in the phone book also gives a sense of legitimacy to the business.

I would say that is my $0.02 worth, but today after taxes, it is more like $0.00000001 worth

Allan

texkam · 01-03-2011, 11:24 AM

Quote:

Phone Book ads... are they a thing of the past?

Yes.

Quote:

you are leaving a whole lot of money on the table.

IMHO you are leaving a few unsophisticated clients with no money on the table. YMMV, but you can have them.

MyKey · 01-03-2011, 11:34 AM

We still are not in the yellowpages here in our area. Has it hurt our business, not sure we are too busy shooting and processing to figure it out.

I think online its a great thing - just a simple placement but I would not spend a lot of money on a big ad, again I feel it is a thing of the past and there are other ways to get your name out there in a more effective manner.

BenE · 01-03-2011, 12:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MyKey

We still are not in the yellowpages here in our area. Has it hurt our business, not sure we are too busy shooting and processing to figure it out.

I think online its a great thing - just a simple placement but I would not spend a lot of money on a big ad, again I feel it is a thing of the past and there are other ways to get your name out there in a more effective manner.

I was surprised to see you are not in the yellowpages, since you have such a wide range, and abundance of clients. Thanks for the reply.

MyKey · 01-03-2011, 01:00 PM

Business is like life - the more connections you have and the more people like your personality or enjoy the moments they have with you the better your business will be.

Don't get me wrong The Yellowpages serves a point, especially starting off but in the long run photography business as with any business is about personal connections with your clients not the products which you produce. So I feel you should get a space but I would not drop the entire budget money on it. Spend your time and energy and money making those personal connections and you will do much better.

Ernst-Ulrich Schafer · 01-03-2011, 02:44 PM

Yellow Page Ad's for Photographers is a waste of money these days. Have a listing but don't spend your hard earned dollars for an ad. Use that money elsewhere in your marketing mix.

Here's what you'll get with the Yellow Page Ad, the customer goes down the list and calls everyone and here's the question: How much for your 8X10. More than likely their looking for the cheapest price.

DEMDeepEllumMusic · 01-03-2011, 03:44 PM

I would say for our line of business a YP ad is a waste of money unless you are in a very small town based area (a regional phone book that may cover a large area with several small towns in it). If your in a metropolitan area it may be worth buying the smallest ad being sure that your web presence is listed if your starting up your business but anything more than that is just throwing $$ at the phone company for something that is used most likely as a doorstop by most of your potential clients.

I bet if you asked every potential new client that you receive in a year very few will be from the YP lead (less than 10%). Now if you do spend more you may try the coupon route so that is a discount on your setting fee-maybe the same amount that you can do on web promotions- which may bring in some work but I wouldn't expect it to bring in a whole lot so it better not be too costly for you to do.

As I mentioned above if your in a rural area and just getting started it may be worth it to advertise since there may only be a handful of photographers in that market and the exposure may be worth it.

About the only time I pick up a phone book nowdays is when I am out of town and maybe looking to see what restraunts are in the town if I am not familiar with the area already.