Well, I've done it. I've placed my 1st Yellow Page ad. It's a 1/8th page B&W ad in the official local telco phone book. Hopefully I'll see some response to this.
Issues I had to decide on:
Which book? There are the "official" telco book and then there are the other books. Since I do primarily on-site work, I've been keeping an eye on which book seems to be used more by my clients.
Ad size - my limitation was mostly cost. But, I went with the smallest display ad so that I can have my own images in the ad. That is important for certification and BBB logos.
Design - I designed my ad myself and had a marketing expert review it. I did not want the YP staff to do the layout because I wanted my ad to look different. IMHO, the YP staff would make the ad look similar to all the other ads in the book.
Also, from my reading, I discovered a good point...most companies put their name on top and in the largest font. That is a waste of space since YP shoppers are already qualified, so we're not looking to market or brand our ad. Most resources recommend using a headline that will draw people in.
Congratulations on pllacing your first yellow pages ad. You will be surprised how much business it brings in for you. It really doesn't matter how big the ad is or how big your name is. It helps to just have any kind of display ad that is more than just listing your name and address.
