Yellow Pages - how much business does it generate?

['chelle]

Hi

The yellow pages people are preparing my ad for the December 08 edition. Since my salon is new I decided a more prominent ad would be a good idea. I've chosen a 1/4 column colour ad, plus an additional small ad under "Beauty Salons" which states "Please see main ad under Nail Technicians".

I'm waiting for the proof from the artwork department, but today I had the quote, and it will cost about £800. The yellow pages statistics show that on average, nail technicians receive about 25 new leads per month from the yellow pages.

Now, I'm sceptical about those figures, because over a 5 day working week that equates to more than one new lead per day, and being that those are the Yellow Pages' figures I'm inclined to believe that they may be a tad biased.

I dont mind spending that sort of money, provided its worthwhile. I reckon if my ad attracts 3 new regular clients, the money they would spend with me over a course of 12 months would pay for the ad, and any clients over and above that would make the ad profitable.

So my geeky friends, would you mind sharing - How much business do you reckon the YP generates for you? What size ad do you have? Any other relevant info would be gratefully received:green:

Thanks guys

 

[nailpod]

Hi

The yellow pages people are preparing my ad for the December 08 edition. Since my salon is new I decided a more prominent ad would be a good idea. I've chosen a 1/4 column colour ad, plus an additional small ad under "Beauty Salons" which states "Please see main ad under Nail Technicians".

I'm waiting for the proof from the artwork department, but today I had the quote, and it will cost about £800. The yellow pages statistics show that on average, nail technicians receive about 25 new leads per month from the yellow pages.

Now, I'm sceptical about those figures, because over a 5 day working week that equates to more than one new lead per day, and being that those are the Yellow Pages' figures I'm inclined to believe that they may be a tad biased.

I dont mind spending that sort of money, provided its worthwhile. I reckon if my ad attracts 3 new regular clients, the money they would spend with me over a course of 12 months would pay for the ad, and any clients over and above that would make the ad profitable.

So my geeky friends, would you mind sharing - How much business do you reckon the YP generates for you? What size ad do you have? Any other relevant info would be gratefully received:green:

Thanks guys

its alot of money my friend, personally i don believ ppl look in yellow pages anymore the new era of ppl use web sites now. depends which market you going for, the best advert is word of mouth actually.

 

[Cazbar]

I only have a free one line listing in the yellow pages book but I have the enhanced listing on Yell.com which has bought me quite a few new clients.

The enhanced listing with coverage of surrounding areas is (for me) less than half what you have quoted.

When you look for something would you look online or get the book out ? I know what I would do which is why I went with yell.com as I couldn't afford both.

hth's

 

[Shellie xx]

I agree with nailpod. I got an advert with the yellow pages in my first year of business and although mine was only a 1/4 column I only actually got an extra 5 or 6 clients over a year. The biggest way I got clients was through word or mouth. Another really good thing that I did was get a big A-Board designed with an outside price list holder attached (just a price list with a lid so they don't get wet) The amount of people that just take a price list whilst walking past is unbelievable! HTH xx

 

[Cathie!]

I started out with a largish full colour ad when I first opened my salon 2 years ago....it did help, I downsized last year as I was getting busier from word of mouth and next time I'll be going for the freeline as word of mouth is getting out there.

I think they can help, but it is quite expensive when you're starting out.....I never got the amount of calls they told me I would though!

I'll bebinning my enhanced listing in yell.com too for the free line, purely because the we have got so many referrals from word of mouth.

I'll have a website to compensate so hopefully any potential clients will pick up from there.

If I knew how to bottle word of mouth....I'd be rich, same as hindsight lol
:hug:

Good luck with your venture. xxx

 

[Martigirl]

I have not renewed mine this year.

I used to sell YP advertising so I know it works for some businesses.

It didn't work for me it generated 3 clients over 8 months no where near enough to pay for itself.

I monitor every client to establish how they found me.

By far my best is my website designed by Seanny!!!!!!!!!!!

followed by word of mouth and leaflet drops

hth's

 

[Rosey]

We are half a mile from the border between 2 counties (and 2 Yellow pages!) and we cover hair and beauty so we have a small box in both directories for hair and beauty and the yell.com listing with link to website etc and i think that came to around £950. We get a fair amount from the yellow pages that we know of. Maybe more that we don't realise? Yellow pages offered us a 0845 number in the YP which monitors how many calls are made through the directory but we didnt take it up as we have a distinctive phone number that i would rather keep instead.

Advertising can be really tricky - different things work for different businesses. Maybe you could have a smaller ad if you think it is a bit high?

I;m always wary of their statistics too!!

 

[tinkywinky]

I spent £250 on my yellow pages ad, and to be honest it was worth its while. I gained some lovely clients and did some pretigious jobs from there. But that was in Surrey.

Personally I wouldn't invest such a large amount of money, doing adwords and using your website on google would probably generate more revenue.

hth's xx

 

[tor]

Im paying over €2500 this year for an ad in Golden pages (irish version) and its been out since november 07 and i dont c a difference at all, flyer drops and word of mouth are the only way to go seriously.

 

[fanella]

I spent £250 on my yellow pages ad, and to be honest it was worth its while. I gained some lovely clients and did some pretigious jobs from there. But that was in Surrey.

Personally I wouldn't invest such a large amount of money, doing adwords and using your website on google would probably generate more revenue.

hth's xx

i think any web site advertising beauty treatments and information is better than yellow pages nobody seems to want a paper copy of anything these days, and when you consider you can advertise on these sites for anywhere form £20-£100 it is a lot cheaper and more effective, i have very positive results this way,but there again most of my clients are professional ladies and gents so if that is your market i guess that is the way to go 'cos they check it all out in the office before making an appt.

 

[fanella]

Im paying over €2500 this year for an ad in Golden pages (irish version) and its been out since november 07 and i dont c a difference at all, flyer drops and word of mouth are the only way to go seriously.

OMG get youself on line if you need a discounted website or advertising for 1% of what you are paying right now then get in touch i can give you contact details for people in dublin

 

['chelle]

Thanks you guys. I think I will go with a YP listing, but not quite the full colour ad that they have quoted for. I must admit, even though I use the internet for lots of stuff, if I'm looking for a company I still reach for the yellow pages so I think its worth a bit of an investment, but perhaps not £800 worth.

Thanks again:hug:

 

[Rosey]

Our ads are 1 colour plus black so they still stand out but not as expensive as full colour. I would love big full color ads but they are soooo much money

 

[pazzy]

I think from yellow pages point of view - they shouldnt have split the areas up so much - we have 3 up in the north east - durham, sunderland, and newcastle. It used to cover all 3 areas - which was excellent exposure- but now keeping it to one area - isnt great for the customer - or the business, we cant afford to go in all 3 - and your area might not be the best form of leads. To find out you have to put ads in all 3.

So if you cant find what your looking for - you go on yell or type it into google.

I go to some houses and there yellow pages isnt even out of the wrapper.

Im off yellow pages at the mo - I doubled my ad - paying more - and not getting the calls form that.

 

[*Garfield*]

I havnt renewed my yellow pages ad this year, I paid about £300 and only got about 5/6 new clients from it over the year,,,I have had far more from my website and word of mouth and that dosnt cost me anything!:hug:

 

[Lil Linz]

I've got to make a decision about whether i want to be in this years by mid-march, and i'm still undecided! i am classed as lincolnshire (even though i'm in nottinghamshire) and stupidly i didnt put the area i worked in on my advert last year so people assumed i worked in lincoln :o

I did have about 30 calls last year just from yellow pages, its just unfortunate 26 of these were in lincoln!



Note to self: Put location on next advert if you go ahead with it.

 

[Little Angel]

HI

I had the yellow pages monitor my calls via there number code. I had 200 calls via them.

I have placed another add this year, and when i get a website up and running i will also have one on Yell.com

I would say have an add in beauty and your free listing under nail tech's. Then spend the rest of your budget on yell.com.

That would be my advice anyway.

 

[alialy]

I think its an awful lot of money. You could spend that more wisely i'm sure.

I don't think advertising works - pr and networking is much better. Get your work 'out there' so people can see what you can do, thatll bring in clients.

If necessary use your 'advertising buget' to do some 'free ' nails on well chosen clients. Girls/ ladies who work where their nails will be seen. Good quality clothing shops/boutiques, banks etc. give them your card/ pricelist to hand out.

An advert doesn't show the quality of your work.

good luck!

 

[Missy G]

I must say im happy with advertising in the yp,its been my first year to advertise in it,its costing me £10 a month,our directory was delivered in our area two weeks ago and ive already had two bookings from it,my second best form of advertising is yell.com.

 

[cobweb]

Ha,
i got one client in a year and a lot of pestering from yellow pages.
They wanted me to take more space.

Strictly referral for me