Is the Yellow Pages effective + other advertising

[BartonFunk]

Hi All,

I'm a web designer transitioning to the print industry and would like to ask a few questions regarding advertising, and in particular the Yellow Pages. As a web designer I've never bothered with a large YP add as it's accepted wisdom that for web work it's not really worth the layout. I have a hunch that for print work the Yellow Pages is more effective, with more people using this traditional method to find a local business. Is this correct?

To widen the discussion out a bit, what do you find to be the most effective method of advertising your business.

TIA
Chris

[gordo]

No need for the print version - the Yellow pages are online: Yellow Pages Local Directory - YELLOWPAGES.COM

[BartonFunk]

Thanks for the Reply Gordo. Yeah, the UK Yellow Pages is also online -yell.com-. Do you use yellowpages.com? If you do, have you found it effective?

Cheers
Chris

[rbailleu]

you have to hit a lot of different methods to get to everyone. odds are you wont have outside sales reps to start, so how do you get the word out. this is something every one in business asks themselves. IMHO the problem with yellow pages is comes in 2 different issues. one: in my town there are 4 phone books. in my service area there are about 20. which one do you advertise in. at an average of $35/month for a small display ad thats 700/month if you do them all. thats a lot of outlay if your not doing a good amount per year in sales. two: online yellow pages. there are a bunch of those too. do you have to be in their phone book to get in the online versions? I would think more people would google/yahoo/bing search before going to yellowpages.com. now your talking online adword campaigns.

If your going to be a printer, be in your phone book and maybe a couple others. then do direct mail to advertise to local business. do google, etc. adwords for online.

[oxburger]

I agree with Gordo, do the free ad on the online version. Then, I'd get yourself a web page and do some serious SEO and possibly PPC ads. Print advertising for this business is virtually dead. You'd be better off advertising directly to your potential clients than the scattershot approach of print ads. And as always, as my wife instructs people to do...network, network, network. Get on LinkedIn and establish yourself as an expert in your field by answering questions related to your field and joining industry groups.

[ondemandbindery]

No need for the print version - the Yellow pages are online: Yellow Pages Local Directory - YELLOWPAGES.COM

I was one of those people who thought YellowPages would never go away. Well, I have this years version in my office still wrapped up from when it was delivered. My how times have changed. I would not spend the money on putting any type of large advertisement into one.