Yellowpages Advertising - Why?

There are a number of universal truths in life. One of them is, "You get what you pay for." I've found if I spend cheap, I get cheap. I've also found that spending a lot doesn't necessarily get me a lot. The same holds true in advertising. Yellowpages advertising is a good example. I think the Yellowpages are more of a reference book than it is an avenue of advertising. The best use of the Yellowpages is a place for people to go when they already know of your business, want to use your business, but don't know the phone number to call. That's when the Yellowpages "Reference Book" is best put to use. People will disregard every other of your competitor's advertising because they just want your number. That is why I recommend every business to take the free listing. (Truth is, with the internet, the Yellowpages are fast becoming a dinosaur.)

The worst reason a business should use the Yellowpages for is for getting the public to know about their business. Yea, you and all of your competition in your marketplace. And yes, all Business Owners have competition, a lot of it. More than they think. In my years as a Certified Radio Marketing Consultant, I'm amazed at how many Business Owners feel they have very little competition. Here's a good example of what I've come across numerous times. I've spent many hours over time meeting with Chiropractors. In the Chicago market, they're all over the place as in many other areas. Yet, not one of them has gained top of mind awareness within their marketplace. I wonder what kind of damage a Chiropractic group would be able to do if they decided to go for it. Grab the brass ring. Market themselves aggressively so over time their practice's name would be known by just about everyone within their marketplace.

I just performed a Yahoo! Yellow Pages search for Chiropractors within 10 miles of where I work in the suburban Chicago area. There are 84 listings. That averages to between eight and 10 Chiropractic practices within one mile of each other! Yet, when I spoke with Chiropractors I was told that many of those practices aren't their competition. "Really?", I asked. "Why not?". I'm told because they don't all practice the "type" of care they provide. As an example, some provide a holistic approach. Others work in different variations of the practice. Therefore, according to those many Chiropractors I spoke with, those others are not in competition with them. It's this kind of thinking that keeps any practice from gaining top of mind awareness. The fact of the matter is when people are in pain, bad back pain, they want relief. They want it now and for the most part they don't care how it's done. Any other door someone can go into in order to relieve their pain is a competitor.

This idea is true with any business. If you're in need of a Plumber, you want one now. Your home is becoming submerged and you want it dealt with immediately. If your roof needs repair because it's leaking badly from a storm, it's gotta be fixed, now! If your television gets fried, I'll bet you'll have a new one in a day or two. This goes on and on for business category after business category in every city, town and hamlet in this country of ours.

For a business to gain top of mind awareness among their buying public, they have to first win the hearts and minds of their potential clients before those people need what they have. Then when the time comes to scratch that itch, whatever it is, and it WILL come, it's the business that people feel best about who will be contacted most. The Yellowpages simply is not a branding solution. It's passive. It's only used when it's picked up. In order for a business to brand themselves as the preferred choice, aggressive marketing is the only way to do it. Don't get me wrong. I'm not saying every business should be going crazy buying advertising. There are a huge number of businesses out there who are content going along the way they've been going year after year. Their bills are paid and the Owners live an overall happy life. It's those Business Owners who are hungry, those who feel the need to grow, to become a household name, that aggressive advertising is for.

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