yellow pages: A method to the madness, The

Journal of the American Chiropractic Association, Feb 1999 by Rhodes, Linda S

Imagine a medium that is both diverse and targeted. Sounds like a tall order, but the Yellow Pages(R) has been providing this range to advitisers for years. But before you let your fingers do the walking to your local Yellow Pages (R) sales representative, it's important to understand the many variables associated with telephone directory advertising and how they can be used to enhance your advertising goals.

While there are no hard-and-fast rules about choosing and using the Yellow Pages, there are at least some good guidelines to help you with your chiropractic practice. By knowing the facts, you can make the most appropriate decisions about size, cost, frequency, number and type of headings, content, and geographic reach to match the goals, objectives, and budget of your individual business.

The Yellow Pages can be very effective Guesswork used as a marketing strategy however, can lead to the hit-or-miss results that have given the Yellow Pages(R) the reputation for unpredictable outcomes and excessive cost. Observing a few basic principles can maximize returns on your expenditure.

Getting the Message Across

Most media-such as radio, television, newspapers, and billboards-mirror their audiences. But the Yellow Pages(R) is essentially an information medium, The Yellow Pages(R) reflects the size of the market. Rural areas generally have larger geographic coverage than urban areas do. Small neighborhood directories may have only two columns per page, whereas larger cities have three or four. These kinds of differences reflect the overall potential of the directory.

Turning Cost into Profitability

"A patient or tvo a year wv ll probably more than pa for the ad," says Tom Davis, a 30-vear veteran of telephone directory sales and management and author of The Truth about the Yellow Pages(R). Think of the Yellow Pages(R) as a part of your marketing mix-not "either/or." Position it as a revenue generator. and expect results from whatever representation you have (You'll get calls from even the smallest ads).

The act that the majority of your business comes from other sources doesn't mean there is no money to be made. Attorneys, for example, spend more on the Yellow Pages than any other group, yet more of their income is earned from other sources, such as referrals.

When business is good, plan to increase Yellow Pages advertising, rather than cutting it out of the budget. Most practices that don't get the most out of their Yellow Pages ads don't put enough into them. Think of the Yellow Pages as an income producer, not an outlay. Spend to receive.

Negotiate with your Yellow Pages(R) sales representative.

Be aggressive in your questions. Ask about buy-one-- get-one-free ads, discounts for multiple locations, frequency, or coupons. By applying special rates, sometimes you can go up in ad size and keep the cost virtually the same. Do a cost comparison of color, which may be expensive in major markets. Consider putting those same dollars toward a second heading, which increases exposure and the number of calls. If there is more than one phone book, compare what each publisher offers. The Yellow Pages can increase your volume, awareness, traffic, repeat business, and marketing share.

Good liming Means Timely Results

Publishers of Yellow Pages directories admit errors are more apt to occur closer to deadlines, or when ad decisions are made in a hurry. Buying early saves in terms of costly mistakes. Keep in mind, Yellow Pages ads are sold a year in advance; so figure your budget expenditure and practice objectives 12 months ahead of time.

Also, choose your phone book companies wisely. Since the AT&T breakup, two major changes have occurred: Non-telephone publishers have appeared on the scene, and telephone companies have started distributing telephone books outside their own service areas. The directory to choose is one that shows new ads added over a period of years, indicating support and usage. New publishers in their first year can be risky. Wait to see if they continue in the market for at least a second year before buying space, even if the incentives are tempting. A good way to judge a publisher's directory is to check for ads that continue to appear and ads that get progressively larger over time. Generally, the safest recommendation is an established Yellow Pages(R) directory that has been in circulation for more than five years.

These Numbers Count

A 1996-97 survey by one of the leading national telephone companies tested chiropractic ad responses by publishing specially issued phone numbers (that appeared only in special editions of the directories) in chiropractic ads. An outside research firm then tracked the numbers and measured usage. The results were significant in determining not only how many inquiries were made but also what types of people were making them.

The test sampling of traceable numbers was monitored in six major markets across the country. For example, a test ad in Lakeland, FL (population 405,000), produced 95 callers during a 30-day period; while another ad in Moreno Valley, CA (population 137,000), produced 46 callers. This type of caller evaluation may also be available to you and your practice, thus giving you a practical means of accurately assessing the effectiveness of your Yellow Pages(R) investment.