Yellow pages - does it work?

The pages definitely are yellow

Hi Yes Hello,

Following on from the previous posters "helpful" comments i can clearly say that the yellow pages are fantastic, last week i was searching for a local takeaway and instantly found Maddonna Kebab. Much better than those nasty burt reynolds look-a-likes from 118!

Good luck

then the answer is probably no. When I started my own practice I spent a lot of money over three years on YP and the number of clients gained was a nice round single digit.

Targeted advertising is better and networking with and helping other business owners in your community will bring more rewards in the longer term.

Hi - I have to admit that the most basic entry in Yell.com has resulted in 2-3 enquiries a year. What's ironic is that I've had 2 in the past month both from prospects wanting a local accountant, that is local to the office I moved out of 9 months ago (entry needs updating!).

In over 25 years in practice this is the only advertising that's ever provided this many(?) leads. BUT.....

1. There is no getting away from the fact that if someone needs an accountant they will, 99 times out of 100 ask around for a recommendation and so marketing time & money should be directed towards your existing clients and other contacts, ie let them know you want more biz and do the best you can for them and you will be rewarded.

2. A cold call prospect from any advert is usually hard work to convert, ie they have no natural leaning to want to go with you (even if you give them biscuits with their coffee). On the other hand, a recommendadion is already a long way down the road when they first meet you.

3. I can't remember the last prospect from Yell.com that ended up a long term client, so I look on it like I do my £X per month lottery contribution.

Good luck
Paul Scholes

My experience of yellow pages is that it used to work, but now seems not to. I suspect the reason is now there are other types of advertising, the net being the easist and perhaps cheapest. Being aware of where the economy was headed in late 2007 I placed an advert, at about £750, for extra services which I thought might be of interest. Result? Zip. I know Yellow pages used to work 20 years ago, but about 8 years ago I dropped the advert altogether as it had become smaller & smaller in the intervening 12 years and I had plenty of work.

My advice is if you decide to do it, spend £1,000 or more. Also track the advert. Offer, say, a 2.5% discount if they quote something on the advert. Can be anything - but tracking is vital.

Interestingly there was a story in the business section of the Times this week (Wednesday) about Yellow Pages facing tough times and I then had this very same discussion with my accountant yesterday!

The fact is people dont use phone books anymore, they go to the internet in the vast majority of cases and then they can search for exactly what they want. Ask yourself how you work? I would bet that you use the internet and dont reach for the YP these days. Do you even know where your most recent copy of YP is?

I would suggest investing your money in a good website if you dont already have one and some Search Engine Optimisation. You will get many more results.

My accountant recommended networking and I would have to agree with that too.

I say RIP YP, bye bye JR Hartley and hello Mr Google.

Good luck

white back ground not too much text, worked very well a few years ago.

Then we were tempted to full colour half page - nothing.

then we were told T'internet was the way forward and do yell.com - nothing

we apparently needed a sponsored link, so we did and it is currently running and has been for comoing onto nine months now - yes you've guessed it nothing.

We have just revamped all websites - we have three - with next years Yell money. We are on first page google, everytime and clients are coming through.

So yes it worked but not anymore for us.

Networking is fine but nothing beats doing an excellent job, TELLING THE CLIENT YOU HAVE DONE AN EXCELLENT JOB, then asking him to recommmend you to possible clients. That is by far the biggest generator of clients, dont be shy ask for referals.

for me it works, i found Internet Yellow Pages and it help me with very good information about companies, phone numbers, directors of companies, in one word all the info i need.