Mellow Yellow…
or Screaming Yellow?
By Bob Russo
President, IMS Advertising
Yellow Pages advertising. For some, it’s necessary for and even a big part of business success. For others, it’s simply a necessary evil to make sure you get your share of phone calls lest the public forget you exist…especially in a crowded business category.
The point is, whatever your reasons for having one or more Yellow Pages display ads, you want yours to be the one that screams “Notice Me!” The one that gets read and generates not just phone calls, but MORE calls than the other “guys” are getting.
Here are some pointers on how to accomplish just that:
- Be Careful Not to Overdo It. A double truck ad is no guarantee of more phone calls. The fact is, a two-page spread can actually inhibit phone calls as more and more consumers want options. So often they see a double truck and, you guessed it, keep on going to check out other options. And once that happens, you can only HOPE they find their way back to you.
- NEVER Opt for a Quarter Page Ad. More often than not, a quarter page ad will appear on the same page with…you guessed it…three other quarter page ads. And when that happens, even you will have a hard time locating your ad. As an alternative, consider a third-page ad since, by the way Yellow Page ads lay out, there can’t be any more than two per page. In fact, I’ll go so far as to suggest that a third page ad is every bit as effective – and less costly – than a half page ad. And besides, half page ads frequently come two to a page and once again, shoppers may have trouble distinguishing one from another.
- Don’t let the Yellow Pages Staff Design Your Ads. Pick any category from your local directory that has several display ads, and you’ll notice that many, if not most, of them look like they were designed by the same people. That’s because they were…by your local directory’s art department. Think about it: their job isn’t to create the best looking and most readable ads. Their job is to fill the space and get as much stuff in there as they can…because that’s what they think you want. You’re far better off hiring a professional…someone who will charge you for their services but can actually end up saving you money on space costs by developing a smaller space ad that will perform bigger, more cluttered competitor ads.
- Emphasize Benefits Over Features. Customers and prospects already know you’re a plumber if they go to the plumbing section of the Yellow Pages. Your job, therefore, is to persuade them to call YOU! So using language like “Service in Hours, Not Days,” or “Same-Day Service or the Service is Free!” will truly help you and your ad to outperform your competition.
- White Space is a GOOD Thing. By contrast, filling every square inch of an ad with copy, logos, phone numbers, association logos, and all the rest is a bad thing. Too much clutter makes it hard for readers to separate benefits from features, your logo from manufacturer logos, or to easily find the information most relevant to their current needs. So create some white space and, in so doing, you’ll create more ad replies.
To help you better visualize these and other ways to create harder-working Yellow Pages ads, check out the YP ad samples we’ve included in the portfolio section of our web site.
Phone: 860-282-2268
Email: info@imsadvertising.com
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