Yellow Page and Print Ads

A reader contacted me this week with a question about placing an ad in the print yellow pages in his area. Here is his question and my response and I will also expound on the topic.

The question:

It's [redacted] from [redacted]. If you remember I have an exotic dancer booking agency. I had a quick question. I'd like to get your opinion on yellow page advertisements. I know in your book you suggest it and say its still going good, I know things can change a lot in a few years. Do you still suggest advertising in the book as of 2013-2014 , I can currently get a one inch color ad for $600 for the year. I have only 5 days tonight for the deadline, everybody I talk to is very much so against it and I do a lot of research and it seems a majority of advertisers say they wasted their money last year on the phone book. Do you think that the adult entertainment sector has more people searching for it than other services?

I have only several days to the deadline, and your opinion will be considered more than anybody else's at this point. Thank you.

The response:

Unless your market is L.A. or NYC, I still recommend yellow page listings. Is there a bold-print one-line ad available for less? A bold print in red would be even better.

There is still a segment of the population that will look for entertainers / escorts in the yellow pages, especially the over 60 crowd. I used to have some elderly clients that called regularly that were never interested in tech and I know for sure there are still lots of people like this out there. Hell, I still look in the yellow pages if I want a carpet cleaner or mechanic or maid service as there are too many fly-by-night services online.

Do you also offer the costumed striptease service? Like a stripper-gram for a birthday, retirement party etc...? That sort of service alone is worthy of its own red bold print one-line ad. Today you won't make a $million off it, but your business should have a presence in print. If you gave it a line of its own, you'd see the results, but I'm sure you'll get your money back and make something from a bold print ad anyway.

I believe the yellow pages says stability, quality, safe, accountable... and then there are the issues with online advertising for adult business being under attack by State Attorneys General all over the country. Are the people you're asking in your age group? I don't know your age [redacted], but would guess late 20s or early 30s and this group will not look at yellow pages, so you're correct with that. But the bored 70 or 80 year-old with his retirement income will, especially if he has had a negative experience online in past. And I am 53 - still look in the yellow pages for most services.

What I forgot to say...

Sometimes I assume that readers of my Blueprint books see the Blueprint Updates links here and on my website, but that depends where and how they found the book to begin with. I do have a short update on print ads on the Advertising page of the updates and really it is consistent with my response here:

Blueprint Updates: Advertising

However, the updates have not been updated for over a year now. I still feel the same on the topic of a print yellow pages ad, but only recommend a bold print one-line listing, preferably in red. This type of listing doesn't cost that much.

Another point that I should have made to my reader is that many of the yellow pages advertisers in other markets that he checked with may not have a clue if a customer originally found them in the yellow pages or not. When I am looking for a service in the print book, which I usually do, I then search for that business online. I figure everyone has a website even if it is not included in their small print ad and if they do not have a website where I can find more information, I do not use their service anyway.

So while a website is a must today for any business anywhere, I still feel that a small ad in the yellow pages print book that's widely distributed in your target area is necessary. Consider that the potential customer will Google your business name and/or your telephone number to find more information.