Yellow page ads
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Who has luck with getting business from the yellow pages. I’ve had an ad for 3 years, spent 9k and haven’t got one job from it. Iv’e gotten more business from little ads in local papers and flyers
I’m about to find out, ours goes in the next edition. not cheap though, i think its running around $500 / month. I’ll keep an eye on the increase.
I’ve never been a big believer in yellow page advertising for collision repair on a big scale, but I feel you should have some presence. No need to over do it, though.
Collision repair is a little different than the average business in terms of phone book advertising, and what to expect from it.
The consumer that is looking for say, flower delivery, will look in the phone book and likely pick the business that has the largest most colorful ad, believing that flower shop to be the best, and their ad is basically their storefront, for you just call and order and pay over the phone.
Collision repair differs in the fact that most consumers already have a shop in mind, be it an insurer referral, a referral from a satisfied friend, or even remember the name of the shop from another form of advertising, but just do not know the phone number.
For that reason, when a consumer goes to the phone book they are not just looking for any shop, they are usually looking for a specific shop.Very few people have a wreck and run home to flip through the phone book to determine which shop to go to.
With that in mind, your yellow page ad should feature your shop name in the largest print available for the block size, and I also would suggest in reverse print, to make it pop out. No need to go hog wild and list every single thing you do, or have half a page, just simply the name and phone number, and maybe your slogan if you have one (another topic).
You basically want them to flip to the bodyshop section and see your name pop out at them. It doesn’t have to be a big ad, either. I have seen many shop listings have so much information on them, that you just glance over the name, or actually have to look for it.
Your yellow page ad is really just a small marketing tool to help people that have heard of your name get ahold of you fast. You can tie it in with other forms of advertising, such as radio, and as long as they remember your name, you can state “find us fast in the yellow pages”. It would be especially helpful in that instance, for most people driving can’t write down a phone number, but can easily get it.
My overall opinion is that yellow page advertising is not the best form of advertising when compared dollar to dollar with other forms of media. Perhaps a necessary evil, that should be used in conjunction with other advertising, and not depended upon as a “stand alone”, and not a majority of your advertising budget.
Yellow pages and the whole phone book is dead or almost dead. Most people will go online to find a personal phone# and almost always for a comercial phone#. There are much better ways to spend that advertising dollar. There are many sites that list shops for referals and most are free unless you pay for a premiere listing. Case in point, my father is 70y/o and reads his paper online and I don’t think he has touched a phone book in 10 years. If a person his age is doing this what do you think younger people are doing. If you are using a customer info sheet when someone comes in for an estimate make sure you ask the simple ? why did you come to our shop. The important part of that question is to keep that info and find out how you can increases that source or if it’s maxed find another place to drive traffic to your door. I know from previus posts from JIm he is doing this correctly. Hell for $9k you could take everyone of your customers out for lunch during the year and increase word of mouth, I’m not suggesting that but I think it’d be more effective than the yellow page add. Godd Luck.
just to throw it in their, i don’t know all of the packages they offer, but this one also came with an online listing that even has a link to the company website.
jimmo, I’m suprised you guys don’t have a shop listing for states and providences. This might be something you might think about doing. Another thing to think about with a company website is search engine marketing. This will bring your website to the top of the search engine, but only if it’s maintained. If you think about doing this check with the company about referalls from current users. There are alot of companies offering this and I’ve seen companies at the top of the list for a week and then gone. Once they figure out what keywords work maintanence is minimal. They should still keep on it because competion has been known to use another compaines name example “Jimmo body shop” and “bills body shop” is at the top of the list because they pay for the hit on the competitions name. This can cause lawsuits and many problems. I guess what I’m trying to say is make sure you deal with reputable companies that know what there doing.
no more yellow page ads for me. i put it in when i opened shop but like i said i have’nt got any work from it. I can use the money elseware
Good to hear Ding. I think you know best where to use that money. One thing I’ve found with newspapers much like the yellow pages is that the ads have become stale and people don’t look at them. I have had success with detail promo’s, but thats not really the bussiness most guys are after. However, after a hail storm or other mass damage causing situation they can bring in bussiness but you have to jump on it right away. It’s a good idea to have the add ready for these types of situations so you can call and have it run that day, if you wait you often have to work with there graphics department, find logo’s or information for them and miss the boat, and your probably already busy at this time from walk ins and don’t have the time to deal with it. Like with most things plan to work and work your plan. Best of luck.
I like your idea about the shop directory, I’ve started one on the left. I’m still kinda tweaking it a bit. I like when someone else does the thinking for me. Thanks goes to Jim Herman for the idea to start a marketing forum to. Both good idea’s, thanks!
I think the yellow pages are becoming a thing of the past. Our company website is being updated with a photo gallery of repairs,collision and completes. With most people shopping around on line I figured it would be a good idea to showcase some of our work and a brief explanation of services and equipment offered. I also advertise in the local papers regularly and do so even in the busy times, advertising when you are slow is usually too late and it costs a lot less than yellow pages ads. Signage is also important if allowable in some areas. A catchy sign sometimes is worth its weight in gold.
I get a ton of calls from the yellow pages.
our ad just barely pays for itself but the billboard we lease near one of our competitors more than makes up for it.we do get alot of jobs from small resturant ads on placemats though we have a little survey for customers to fill out when they come in so we know were to put more info at.
the biggest problem I have with yellow pages is that we have a used car dealer with the same last name and we get alot of his calls about 10 a day which is annoying. it has gotten so bad that if someone wants to know if their car is ready at his shop i tell them yes :laugh:
I hate to pay for my yellow page adds yes I say adds we have like 8 diffent books its a joke im going to cut back this year…. pac bell is the biggest rip off!!!!!!!!
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