Yellow Page experiment

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S

Steve LeBlanc

Mac Daddy DJ
Aug 19, 2006
6,829
192
65
Fredericton, NB
www.frederictonweddingdj.com
Going to try this next year. I can put a cell phone # in the yellow pages for free (one line). I have an extra flip phone , not activated. For $10 a month I can get "pay as you go" cell service...with voicemail.
I will not put this number on my website.
I'll know what leads come through the web v. Yellow pages....

Should be interesting.....
 
Unless New Brunswick, near Moncton, is not very internet savvy, be prepared for Yellow Page advertising to generate more price conscious than quality concerned clients.

It's the nature of modern telephone directory readers.

It still generates lots of calls but not enough clients that wanted the level of service I offer.

Good Luck. I hope your expereince is better than mine.
 
I will be curious to see how it does. I also have not had that great of a response from the book. Please let us know how it does.
 
Right now there are about 12 dj's listed in the YP...one with a 1/8 page ad, one with the 1 inch space....The rest I presume are cell phone listings (one line and free).
The Internet has treated me well.....I think though the YP may generate some business. We are a small city; I think there are still many YP users.....I figure it can't hurt and it's free.
The cell phone is a nothing. It will be with my wife/partner...so she gets benefit.
The "price is right" for this experiment.....unfortunately the phone book doesn't come out til May 07
 
Steve

This is my first year in the YP and it has garnered me alot of bookings. I ask clients where they heard of us when they call

Our YP came out in August and what I took in for Bookings by the end of Sept paid for the year for the ad (about $2000)

Mind you in this market alot of the bigger operations have become complacent and just place print ads. I am the only one with a display ad. Next year will really tell the tale if anyone else goes display

As with all marketing materials the YP is just another tool. It fell in to my name recognition plan. I have the van lettered, The YP ad, Exclusive to the biggest bridal show in the area, The website, cards and flyers on every bulletin board in town. I want potential clients to see my name every time they turn around

You may find a lot of price shoppers where you arent using a display ad and the fact that your business name starts with T you will be pretty far down the list but if you get some response it might be worth looking at a display ad next year.
 
I just flipped through the Canada411 listings and there is only one that stands out. I think in your case Steve I would jump on the YP bandwagon. You have a good logo and website it would certianly stand out among the rest
 
Steve,
Good luck with the experiment! However, my experience with yellow pages had told me that you won't get much new business from a listing. It will certainly help when someone is looking for your number. Being that it's free, it can't hurt, but if it doesn't work, i wouldn't say that mean yellow pages don't work.

I used to be in the yellow pages business. The reality is the top 3-5 ads get 75% of the calls. people will browse through those ads looking for reasons to call that one. Typically people may call 3 places to get more info. Usually the only time they'll start dialing listing is when they need an answer right away and can't get a hold of the ads they've called. So the good part of that is when someone calls you from your listing, they are probably ready to book.
If i can't be in the top 3 ads in a book for a reasonable rate, i won't go in the book.

Every book i've been in has been worth it. Most cities have more than one phonebook. I don't go in the phone company book. In cleveland i go in the yellow book. Rates are less than half and results are just slightly less than the At&t book.

So check out other books in your area. Most will bargain with you to get your business. If they can't, they can throw in extra ads. I got them to throw in extra ads under weddings and karaoke to go along with my ad under disc jockey in most books.
The most import thing is to check the results. The best way is to have a special number that is only in that book(like you have now). i have different numbers in different books that all get forwarded to my phone.
 
Thanks for the advice Scott....We have only one phone book ..unlike south of the border, regulation is rampant here. I had never planned to advertise in the YP...Given the cost (fee)..I figured : what the hey!
I hate to say we're different here, but we are, in that YP still has a place.....it will be interesting to see the response, if any.
Thanks again to all...
 
Steve

Does Eastlink serve the Moncton area too? They are coming out with a book this year I recieved a call about it a few months back. Personally I wouldnt rush to get in it until thier market share increases here but it might be worth looking in to
 
YEP... agreed...

I had a very nice YP ad two years ago at a cost of $1200 for the year. I got 3 calls and only question was... "How much do you charge" After telling my prices, I never got a return call.

I dropped YP like a hot potato.
 
I tried listing on their website with a link to mine on the site at $45.00 a month. Thirty hits in 4 months not one phone call. I dropped them.

At that time I also signed for a ad 1/4 inch with white backround for $250.00 a month after the website did nothing I canceled the YP before it ran. They made it really hard for me to cancel. I finally had to speak with a super and sent a letter. It was necessary to get very strong voiced before they would listen and stopped trying to sell me.

I now just stick with the freebie listing in the DJ section.
 
Tyrone Blue said:
I had a very nice YP ad two years ago at a cost of $1200 for the year. I got 3 calls and only question was... "How much do you charge" After telling my prices, I never got a return call.

I dropped YP like a hot potato.
Click to expand...

me too.....same exact reason
 
I did the yellow pages a few years ago in baton rouge. Paid for i think a 1.5 inch add trimmed in red. It hadbasic bulletted info and also a link to my website. At a cost of a mere $180 per month. Yep, that's almost 2,200 per year.

Got 2 gigs off of it. What a waste of money. Now, I Don;t even do the free listing.
 
YP box ads are great if you're working in a rural market where there are few DJ companies in the YP. There you have the market pretty much to yourself.

Otherwise, they're a waste of money. If there are two pages or more of DJ companies in the YP it's all about "How much?".

Their fingers can keep on a-walkin'. They'll get to the local DJ pimp companies eventually. :D
 
I tried an add here in the BC area just to give it a shot. After listing in three of the six lower mainland books ( should be one or two but they bill ya large for each one not just a double dip here. After one yr and three listings I deleted all but one and then finally dropped em all
Got a zero booking rate but recieved three contacts and booked two through the free listing. After dropping the book listings I have went on to update a free listing. They no longer offer such an option.
 
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