yellow pages: A method to the madness, The

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

Just because an ad is clean and has a lot of white space does not mean it will get read. The white space principle stems from newspaper ads, not the Yellow Pages(R). Different media are used for different purposes. "The Yellow Pages(R) usage occurs when the user is ready to buy something," says Tom Davis. Usage is a process of elimination and selection. Ads that don't describe what the user needs are eliminated. Thus, it is wise to include as many of the user's needs as possible in your ad. The more you say, the better.

Say as much about what chiropractic is and what it does as you can. The general public needs this education. MDs, on the other hand, have benefited from group specialization and universally recognized standards of practice. Everyone knows what MDs do, but not everyone knows what DCs do. Use your Yellow Pages(R) ad to educate potential patients about what makes chiropractic different from traditional medicine and how it may help them.

Six Strategies for Sure Success

1. Increase calls from surrounding communities by adding a number (with the local area code) for those localities to use. The closer you appear to be to potential patients, the more calls you will get-which is especially true for a start-up practice.

2. Use your Yellow Pages(R) sales representative to best advantage. Explain what you want to achieve. Ask about discounts, specials, demographics, coverage, color coupons, newcomer packets, and headings planned for upcoming books. Generally, the more you spend, the better the representative they send. Be wary of sales reps who say they can save you money-and that's all they want to do. This is a sign of putting commission ahead of service.

3. Check with your state chiropractic association and licensing board to be sure your ad meets chiropractic criteria and state advertising laws.

4. Being in more than one directory is advisable if they reach different segments of the population. Look to see if other DCs in your area do it. Multiple directories are especially worth considering in large metropolitan areas where there is overlap of directory coverage.

5. In today's business environment, calls are frequently received by an answering machine. Unless it is after hours, your dollars would be better spent if you or your receptionist answered the phone personally. You can expect to get new inquiries from a Yellow Pages(R) ad, so be prepared to handle them expertly. The Yellow Pages generates leads. It doesn't create sales. However, it may still not be profitable if prospective patients are lost on first contact.

6. Make copies of your Yellow Pages(R) ad to hand out and let your patients know about it. This helps to stimulate referrals. One clinic distributes its ad on a bookmark.

Sizing Up the Eye Traffic to Suit Your Practice Needs

One of the unique features of the Yellow Pages(R) is that it enables specificity in setting goals. Ask yourself what kinds of patients you are trying to attract. Then measure the outcome against the primary goal. Did you place the ad to get new patients or to give yourself a presence in the community? Are you structuring it for patient referrals or do you encourage walk-- ins?