Are You Paying To Much For Your Yellow Pages

I am not sure why anyone would want to launch another Yellow Pages, Super Pages or whatever pages. I didn’t even know there was a new competitor to the yellow pages until a client showed me the new EZ Phone Finder book.

In the days of rotary phones, the yellow pages ruled.

Today my phone book levels the work bench in the garage.

Yellow pages are a service directory. It was and is used for emergencies.

You had a plumbing problem, you would call everyone in the book until someone came and fixed it. You didn’t care if they were Hare Krishnas. You want the problem fixed NOW.

The internet has changed the yellow pages. So why are you are still spending huge dollars in a book that sits closed 99% of the time.

It’s to late for this year, so print off this column and next year when your yellow page rep comes to sell you again, here are just a few questions to ask:

1. How do consumers use the yellow pages

2. Explain in column listings and display listings.

3. Share some success stories and of those success stories how many of those businesses were in the panic caller business.

4. Are there marketing dollars that manufacturers pay for where my business can be listed.

5. What are trade service listings.

6. Are their market research reports of usage of yellow pages.

Think of the top five businesses advertising today. Now take a look in the yellow pages and see if those businesses have full page color ads. Chances are its a column listing with their logo and list of addresses.

If you are using big colorful ads in more than one category, your money could be better spent especially if you are also using traditional media.

Here is a good exercise if you are spending money in the yellow pages. Open the book to your business and have a look at the ads around your business. If you cover up the name of your competitors, do all the ads look the same?

Tony Mariani

The Value of Each Viewer, User Or Customer

Thank you to Mark Ramsey from http://www.hear2.com who first featured Gary Vaynerchuk.

The power of the internet and social media according to Gary Vaynerchuk.

Enjoy and please leave your comments on the video.



Tony Mariani

How To Write A Commercial

If you are looking for a great 30 minute teleseminar for free and from one of the best in the copy writing business, click on this link and download it.

Dan O'Day is a radio guru and (www.danoday.com)is real good at what he does. He shares some great exercises and strategies that you can add to your own writing talents.

And please put them to use so that I will stop this bad habit of yelling at the TV and Radio when really bad ads come on. Hopefully this will rid me of what Dr. Martin von Nostrand is calling, "People Don't Talk Like That In Real Life Condition"!!!

And just for fun click on Dan's Amazing Commercial Generator and have some fun.

Tony Mariani

Even A Newspaper Ad Can Have To Much Info

Here is a good example of a car dealer using a great idea and not knowing when to stop adding to it.

This is a tremendous initiative to show that you care about the community helping youth groups to fund raise. For that you get a 10.

The execution, if I can be brutally honest (ala American Idol judge Simon Cowell) you get a 3.

And I would think the newspaper rep (and marketing agency if involved) should take the blame too.

In a nutshell the ad explains that the dealership has sectioned off the showroom into three quadrants and invited charities to research a vehicle (??)and then create a display (more ???). Customers will vote on the best display. Each group gets a cash donation and the grand prize winner a grand prize.

But this should have been two separate ads.

Allot a half page to selling cars.

The other half, your "Best Dressed Showroom Display". Use pictures of the charities involved with their spokespeople explaining the concept.

Two different messages, two different ads.

The way it is looks like a bad toupee.

Tony Mariani

Will You Be A Johnny Today

How do you spell customer service? This 3 minute 17 second video will revolutionize your customer service.


Tony Mariani

Who Thought Of The Packaging

Have a look at the packaging on these two items. The rechargeable unit uses a USB to charge. No normal plug. Both packages have a picture of a camera on them. A stretch to think the camera is digital? You would be wrong.

When I unpacked batteries and charger, there tucked in the back operating instructions on the charger. Underlined was the following, "Not recommended for digital cameras".

I called the company. You guessed it. They told me the batteries are meant for regular cameras not for digital.

Logic would think a lot more digital cameras would be selling than regular cameras.

So why would a company spend marketing dollars to feature a camera on their packaging and lead you to think they would work for digital? It ticked me off because I had to go back and stand in a long line to return the items. What a waste of dollars and hurt your perception in the market.


Tony Mariani

ps Last week the radio industry in Winnipeg lost a great personality. QX 104FM's morning man, Ron Able lost his battle with cancer. In an industry with very fragile egos, Ron was a genuine gentleman who gave to both the industry he served for many years and this great city he adopted as his home. Rest in peace Ron.

This Just In From 1981

Who knew?

Reading the paper on line.




Tony Mariani