Yellow Book Ads - Contractor Talk - Professional Construction and Remodeling Forum

birdog · 07-16-2006, 10:51 AM

Hi guys, I'm a painting contractor also and I want to ask what you think about having an ad in the "Yellow Book" If anybody has one what size and what do you pay? What does it say,responces,. 05 was my first ad and I did'nt like the results, my ad size was 1/8 of a page and costs $400 a month. Is this average or I'm I getting taken. I've started to change the ad for this next printing due this fall but i've also thought about dropping the whole thing. Any thoughts about this and or ideas.
Thank you
SRJ PAINTNG
ST. LOUIS MO

Mike Finley · 07-16-2006, 11:42 AM

When I ran them, it cost me $900 for the year for (3) 1/8 inch ads in 3 different categories.

I believe service companies do well in the yellow pages, plumbing and electrical, stuff like that but I wouldn't expect great numbers of calls for regular trades. I ran 3 ads, one for decks, one for bathrooms and one for handyman, the ads were excellent for pulling responses, but the handyman ad out did the others probably 10-1 or 20 to 1.

Grumpy · 07-17-2006, 09:49 AM

When i ran adds, it costs me about $600 a month, I was in 3 books in 3 categories. I got maybe, maybe, 12 calls. Save your money, if you don't sell pizza it's worthless.

If I paid $900 a year, that'd be $90 a lead... I'd probably stick with it, but it's not $900 a year anymore.

johnjamesalaska · 07-20-2006, 08:22 PM

In my opinion, yellow page add work great if they are full page adds. I had a small one that got me 1 call a month to paint a door if I was lucky. Full page ads...... costs $ 1300.00 a month in my neck of the woods. If ppl in your area have money to spend Believe me, you get the calls. It needs to be in the yellow pages that most ppl use in your area. Not one of those smaller less known ones. Ppl like to talk to a real person when they call and not an answering machine/voice mail. Answering services are ok but often ppl want to questions answered that the answering service cant provide. Its much better to hire someone or answer them yourself if you can. With a full page add you spend alot of time looking at possible jobs, and estimating them and less time on the job. Full page really work best for those with crews to pump out the work. One job a month pays for the add and then some. And in a decent market you can expect to land 5 to 15 a month. Or one big one pays it for years. The adds need to look proffesional. I have to say also that the adds get you in the door but doesn't get you the job. Apperance, being knowlegeable, good references and having competitive prices are a must. Full page adds are placed in order of size and seniority.

Jonesey · 07-21-2006, 06:56 AM

I have to say I'm a little worried about mine. 1/4 Column black on yellow for $900 a year in one category and it's pretty hard to justify that, particularly in Feb. which is the slowest time of the year for me. I'm worried that it's going to turn out like my online advertising. Lots of looks but no calls.

I spoke to a couple of guys in this area, and have heard mixed results. Some got enough to pay for the ad, some didn't. Everybody got tire-kickers. Most of the jobs were small.

Well, we'll see.

**Double-A** · 07-21-2006, 11:29 AM

Jonesy, I feel your pain and hesitation. But for any advertising, consider this.

$900.00 per year, divided by 2000 (one man year in hours with 2 weeks vacation) = $0.45 per hour.

Now, will you get a return on your investment? That depends; are you tracking your calls from that ad? If not, you'll never know.

There is also the intangible benefit from having an ad in the yellow pages. It shows you're a genuine business and that you hold yourself out as such for all to see.

Lots of folks have trucks with no signs, no lettering, and a business card, check, and invoice are the only items they have, besides perhaps a business licence of some type, with their company name on it.

It doesn't say to the general public, "here I am to serve your needs" like a yellow page or other advertising does.

You want more bang for your buck? Contact every church in Norman and ask if you can buy advertising in their church calendar.

paint slinger · 10-01-2006, 04:41 PM

My first year spent $1700.00 on yellow page ads not a single call....money better spent on door hangers, local news papers,local shoppers so on so forth.

AFI · 10-01-2006, 05:46 PM

YELLOW PAGES

No way... I never spend my money on that

again.

$1,200.00 a year for an ad and my return was 1 $590.00 job.

Richard · 10-01-2006, 06:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by AFI

YELLOW PAGES

No way... I never spend my money on that

again.

$1,200.00 a year for an ad and my return was 1 $590.00 job.

Dang! AFI....All I do is quote you because we think so alike!

I am considering just putting my number in the pages, but that's only $20/mo. I advertise everywhere BUT the yellowpage ads and local newspaper. I am 1 man and dont have an (extra)$100-$200 per month more to advertise, when I advertise for free on craigslist.org, yahoo, etc....

I've gotten over 10 calls in the past month from these free ads, I've actually had to turn some down.

I have gained a good reputation and word of mouth/referrals tend to be my biggest business 'getters'

Tom R · 10-01-2006, 06:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by AFI

YELLOW PAGES

No way... I never spend my money on that

again.

$1,200.00 a year for an ad and my return was 1 $590.00 job.

Similar here, - - but even worse.

I forget if it cost me $1200 or $1250 for the year (it was maybe 10 years ago), - - got absolutely NOTHING out of it.

Three calls the first week, - - then not one call for the whole rest of the year.

Checking back later on those three calls, - - none of them ever got said work done . . .

P.S. A contractor aquaintance of mine was in at the same time, - - he got the exact same three calls, - - can't say I know for a fact, though, if he got any calls the rest of that year.

Spend that money somewhere else.

Like Double-A says, - - church fliers and such were the most effective advertisement I've ever had.

AFI · 10-01-2006, 07:20 PM

Sometimes you make mistake. This was on 2003. Right now I have advertising campaign set up and really work good for us and we still looking for new way to do new ways of advertising.

Tscarborough · 10-01-2006, 07:33 PM

Yellow pages are very expensive. Their online yellow page services are also over priced. Take the minimum bold heading and use the rest of the money for directed advertising.

paint slinger · 10-01-2006, 10:02 PM

Hey Paint guy:
Thanxs for the Graig list hook up....sweet

Richard · 10-02-2006, 05:20 AM

My pleasure...I wish you as much luck as I've had being on there.

BMAN · 10-02-2006, 06:31 AM

The "Yellow Book" and the actual local yellow pages are two different books up here. I am in the actual phone company yellow pages for 3K a year and its well worth it for the last three years running. The "yellow book" is just a big ad book and it gets delivered after the regualr yellow pages so who keeps it? My friend in it for construction and says never again.

copusbuilder · 10-02-2006, 07:10 AM

I am in the phone book because I have a business line. If it didn't cost extra I might be inclined to remove it

When I get a call from the phone book I become immediately nervous.

My experience with this form of advertising is people will call 6-7 companies because all they have to do is pick up a phone.

The hardest thing in the world is to do a good job and cut profits to the bone to get a job. That is what most of these shoppers are after.

When I moved to this small town i'm in, and looked for a mechanic I checked with people we had met. I never even considered opening a book and relying on their ads.
In fact, when I do use the phone book it is generally to pick companies brains to gather information.

I would rather put the money back to the customers in extra time spent perfecting the job and get the referrals in return......

HUDSONVALLEYEXT · 10-02-2006, 08:36 AM

The phonebook works great in our area. I don't know why people bash it so much they say you make $31 to $1 dollar spent and it works out to that for us...

bigchaz · 10-02-2006, 10:47 AM

To be honest, being a consumer myself i really don't think people use phone books much these days

I havent picked one up in several years. Just search online now a days

copusbuilder · 10-02-2006, 12:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HUDSONVALLEYEXT

The phonebook works great in our area. I don't know why people bash it so much they ...

Because it is not working for them?

I have never had great payback from any form of advertising. I am not the roll in your house i'm gonna impress the shyte out of you guy.
I prefer a laid back, gain their confidence approach. Then screw the crap out of em

Frankawitz · 10-02-2006, 06:30 PM

I have run ads since 1986 in the SBC Yellow Pages and it cost me around $2,750.00 a year for a 3"x2" colum, Then in 1993 I called to set up a date to meet with the rep and she tells me "Oh we don't do that anymore cause your just a medeoaker company"

Well needless to say I told that

C&^% off and called back and had a good asschewin of her Boss, and she was out of a job. I also have run ads in Yellow Book USA which I was getting 3 ads under Drywall, Plaster and Painting 2"x2" ads it was costing $90.00 per month, then they had a second book coming out in another area, So I run the same ads, Well when the books came out they had us doing Covice ceilings

instead of Cove ceilings. I bitched and they said they would take it off the bills, then they run three BS checks through our Business account for $150.00 each and then didn't give us credit for the $450.00 on our bill.

I told them I was done with them and to take me to court. I haven't heard from them. and they still run our Company name and phone number in their book.

Now I just run ads in Local phone book costs me $645.00 per year plus got website link.