To YELL.COM or Not to YELL.COM? That is the question!

[Gelly]

Hi
Sorry this is big, but I could really do with some advice. I will highlight bits - hopefully it will be easier to read.

I have seen the other threads regarding YP and Yell and have found them very helpful.
I have a box advert coming out in the Gatwick YP soon - very excited to see results!
A guy just called me from YELL.COM to ask if I want to advertise on their website - Well of course I do! If I ever need a number I always use their site, so it stands to reason that it would be a good idea to advertise on there myself!?
So we had a chat and now my brain hurts! He is calling me back Friday.......

Baring in mind that I am mobile tech and cover a small 5 mile radius from my home. (The area that I live can get so congested, it would be crazy for me to go any further), I have to take the following into account:

*I live right on the northern border of the YP Gatwick area.
This means that only half of my surrounding towns and villages will see my advert. Eg: Leatherhead and Esher will, but Epsom and Ewell - which are actually closer, won't - as they are in the Kingston directory!

Anyway, I could swallow this for £145 which is what I paid for my book ad, but the same borders apply for the website too.....WHY!!! :cry:

* It will cost me £600 to go into the search engines of both zones. That is so much money! Especially when you take into account it effectivley adds 1 town and a village to my catchment, as everywhere else will be too far.

£600 is a lot of dough - and I am just starting up.
But to compromise on advertising could be a big mistake!! It's what generates your business! Which is exactly what I need!!

I've recently spent so much time and money (that I didn't have!) investing in great training, top products and equipment, etc - because I wanted to get it right from the start........ I need to start earning it back - and now I am debating on if I should advertise on the best site of it's kind in the country!

I'm not mad honest! Although I feel it at the moment!

This is killing me!
But another £600 could spell the end of my darling hubby!

I know you need to speculate to accumulate - It's been my moto for the past year!

But when is it time to stop?

At what point does speculation, become financial suicide?!

I don't know what to do!
Please help me....... It's dark in here!!! :lol:

 

[Trinity]

As you've spent so much already so far, why not just take up the free line on Yell.com and see what response you get, then re-evaluate in 6 months maybe?

My client consultation asks where they got my details from, keep an eye on it and see what comes from Yell.com, which will give you an indication of what to do.

No decision you make now is set in stone, you can review it later. Maybe you'll be so busy you won't have space for more clients

 

[Sals]

I've got a free listing on yell.com and get quite a lot of calls. May have to fight you over the Esher area though! :lol:

 

[Sassy Hassy]

I am a bit confused here! Why would it be £600,are they trying to sell you a website too?

For me I would possibly pay to go into the location that I would prefer ie Kingston, and ask for my free listing in the other. Sounds to me like they are pushing you into things you don't need. When i worked for the Thomson Local we were also commissioned on the amount of internet upselling we did ... just a thought!

 

[Jacqui'snewnail]

Hi Yell.com also do pay as you go advertising - you can do it yourself on their website. Pay as you go costs £2.00 a day and you can switch it on and off as you wish.

Also you can pay monthly, if thats any help. Take a look at the diy piece on yell.com.

Jacqui

 

[Urban Geek]

I think you should work on getting a website up and running - mine brings be loads of new business.

In the meantime take advantage of the free listing x

 

[Chameleon]

I would say no Gelly yell.com is an absolute rip off.
I was in the same position as you and personally yellow pages has worked far better,and cheaper!
Like Chris said creating your own website is much better and for us has generated alot of business...im very sceptical of Yell...hth:hug:

 

[Gelly]

Thank you all very much for your help.

 

[estherlou]

i would say above all else get your website up and going, v important, then go to google type in beauty salon, nail technician or whatever group you put yourself into as well as your town name, you will get a ton of listings with places like, accessplace, total travel, gumtree, city visitor, these all ahve free listings available and on most of them you can get a whole page and a weblink, i've done this and regularly update it, i have a little statcounter on my website that shows me whos come onto there and from where and alot of people come from these free listings, hth xx
just to give you an example here is the free listing i got at total travel
L'Art de Beaute, Hair, Beauty, Day Spas Christchurch UK

 

[glitzy tilly]

Please check your yellow pages advert before publication. unfortunately we nearly ended up in the cambridge directory instead of sheffield....plus the ad was supposed to state that we were also a hairdressers but when the ad came out it never mentioned hair and they had our address and telephone number wrong due to a spacing problem. But the free ad below was correct managed to get a refund but still receive phone calls from customer services if I am happy with my ad.:irked:

 

[eager beaver]

i would say no to paying, but definatley get a free listing on yell and look at gumtree. this has bought me alot of business, and its free!HTHs

 

[rouge]

i would say above all else get your website up and going, v important, then go to google type in beauty salon, nail technician or whatever group you put yourself into as well as your town name you will get a ton of listings with places like, accessplace, total travel, gumtree, city visitor, these all ahve free listings available and on most of them you can get a whole page and a weblink, i've done this and regularly update it, i have a little statcounter on my website that shows me whos come onto there and from where and alot of people come from these free listings, hth xx
just to give you an example here is the free listing i got at total travel
L'Art de Beaute, Hair, Beauty, Day Spas Christchurch UK

This is exactly what I have done and the vast majority of my new clients come via the website now. Even if you don't have a website you can still add your details to the directories.

 

[Gelly]

Thanks everyone. I will start working on my website asap and in the mean time, I will also look up the free listing sites that you guys have mentioned.
Very helpfull.
+Reps all round! ........ well, Imaginary ones!

 

[Marlise]

L'Art de Beaute, Hair, Beauty, Day Spas Christchurch UK

Hi Esther,

A bit off topic, but your treatment room looks loveley. Looks very inviting :hug:


Marlise

 

[Gelly]

Esther, empty your pm box! I can't send pager messages and your all full up.

Or, maybe someone who can send pager messages could let her know please!
It's quite important.

Sorry mods!

i would say above all else get your website up and going, v important, then go to google type in beauty salon, nail technician or whatever group you put yourself into as well as your town name, you will get a ton of listings with places like, accessplace, total travel, gumtree, city visitor, these all ahve free listings available and on most of them you can get a whole page and a weblink, i've done this and regularly update it, i have a little statcounter on my website that shows me whos come onto there and from where and alot of people come from these free listings, hth xx
just to give you an example here is the free listing i got at total travel
L'Art de Beaute, Hair, Beauty, Day Spas Christchurch UK

 

[estherlou]

ooops, sorry:o

Esther, empty your pm box! I can't send pager messages and your all full up.

Or, maybe someone who can send pager messages could let her know please!
It's quite important.

Sorry mods!

 

[estherlou]

Hi Esther,

A bit off topic, but your treatment room looks loveley. Looks very inviting :hug:


Marlise

thanks marlise, been done on a major shoestring, bit of a bargain hunter x

 

[blossom]

Hang on a minute. . . I don't understand.

All I've got is a free lineage ad in Yellow Pages under Nail Technicians.

And I seem to be registered at Yell.com for free as well.

I've just checked to make double sure. If I put in company name, up I come straight away. If I just put Nail Technicians up I come again, second on the list.

What's the £600 for then? Are they taking the proverbial?