| Many
homebased business owners when first starting in business find more places
to advertise their business than money. We must understand the importance
of advertising and the growth it can bring to our business relative to
the cost of that advertising.
The first place a business
owner investigates whether to advertise or not is the yellow pages. Why
not advertise in the yellow pages? We are lead to believe that failure
to advertise in the yellow pages means that our business will not succeed
and after a review of the yellow page directory, it appears like most businesses
have fallen for that sales pitch.
As in all monopoly situations,
advertising in the yellow pages is not inexpensive, particularly for a
home based business. The cost,depending on the size of the ad, can constitute
a significant part of an advertising budget.
Here are a few tips for getting
the most out of your yellow page advertising.
Free Single Listing.
If your telephone company includes a free listing as part of your monthly
service, take advantage of this service and have your business listed.
Every year many businesses are not listed because owners are not aware
of the service.
Bold Listing. Many
times the yellow pages will offer this type of listing at a small
additional charge. Ask your yellow pages what options they offer.
First Year Discount.
Always ask for a discount. Most yellow pages offer the first time advertiser
a substantial discount, in many cases in excess of a 50% discount. Although
this discount is for the first year only, I have taken advantage of this
discount for more than a year, so keep asking for the discount. Keep in
mind, that the discount will afford you a larger ad but you need to remember
to stick to your budget. As a suggestion, use the savings from your discount,
to purchase another ad in a different media.
Finding Free Money.
Do not forget that placing a manufacturer's name or product you sell in
the ad could allow you to pick up some money to pay for your ad. The precaution
here is to contact the manufacturer before placing the ad in the yellow
pages. Many manufacturers have certain requirements that must be met before
they offer to pay for an ad.
Regardless of the size of
your ad, keep your ad simple and to the point. Let your customers know
the business you are in, your location and telephone number. Do not fall
into the trap of thinking you must advertise in the yellow pages. Check
all options and verify the response rate. |
