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I’m proud of the fact that you have a business that helps people in need. I’m happy that you can trouble-shoot just about any engine/transmission/electrical failure that comes your way. You probably have certified technicians and a state-of-the-art facility. That’s a mighty-big investment, to say the least. You should have a pretty loyal customer base as well. But are you aware that one out of five customers move away each year? And a certain number also change shops for a variety of reasons. It’s not your fault, but you still have to cope with these facts. So, do you have a Yellow Page ad, or, if not, isn’t it time you did? You have an emergency business, like it or not, and you know that the average person uses the local directory to find one.

So, what about that ad? Have you considered what will attract the right consumer? Do you have a marketing background? I thought not. Maybe I can help prod you along. Think about what you can tell your market area about your shop.

What makes you unique? Don’t say your price and experience. Everyone of them already says that somewhere. You have to come up with something that will get the readers attention and set you apart from the other guys. Hey, I didn’t say that this would be easy. It’s about time to seek out an expert, wouldn’t you agree? No, I don’t consider your average YP rep an expert. For one thing, how much experience do they have?

I was a YP rep and consultant for nearly 25 years and, prior to that, had my own advertising agency. I also have a degree in marketing. I’ve been designing Yellow Page ads for the past three decades. So I have expertise in YP creation and have advised almost 7000 companies on how to put together the most effective YP ads. I would imagine that using someone like myself could be a good direction. Therefore, you could start by reading a good book on the subject, available below.

Jeffrey Hauser’s latest book is, “Inside the Yellow Pages,” which can be viewed at http://www.poweradbook.com

He was a sales consultant for the Bell System Yellow Pages for nearly 25 years. He graduated from Pratt Institute with a BFA in Advertising and has a Master’s Degree in teaching. He had his own advertising agency in Scottsdale, Arizona and ran a consulting and design firm, ABC Advertising. Currently, he is the Marketing Director for thenurseschoice.com, a Health Information and Doctor Referral site.

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You don’t even know whether your program is working or not. Sure, you think it’s fine, but you also don’t call the doctor when you have a severe cough or cold. It’s the same thing. Of course, you have to recognize you actually have a problem to begin with. Your miserable promotions won’t hack and sneeze to alert you. But they still may be ill just the same. So how can you tell?

You could ask yourself a few simple questions. Then you will know if you are wasting time and money on your current campaign:

• Are you tracking every customer?
• Do you know what part of the ad or ads that brought them in?
• Do you know how often you should change your ad?
• Are you advertising in the same place as your competition?
• Are you missing any customers?

Take a look at question two. Do you have an effective headline or picture, in your ad? If you’re not sure, you didn’t track the results properly. What if it’s attracting the wrong type of customer? For instance, if you sell tires, are they always coming in asking for the low-priced, discount types? If so, wouldn’t you make more selling the high-end, longer-lasting ones? Perhaps it’s the advertising message that’s causing the trouble. An easy fix might be to change your approach and stress the warranty and quality of the item, rather than the price. Without feedback, you’ll never be able to seek out the offender. Especially if you run several ads in different media.

The solution is to retain a trained professional. One that is experienced in designing and recommending effective marketing. After all, you probably pay an accountant and that person is strictly overhead. A true advertising consultant can make you money by tapping the right kind of customer and luring them in. But, if you have a limited budget, you could begin with a good book instead. How about one written by a rep who worked for the Bell System for 25 years. It’s a cheaper way to go and still might provide ways to spruce up your current program.

Jeffrey Hauser’s latest book is, “Inside the Yellow Pages,” which can be viewed at http://www.poweradbook.com

He was a sales consultant for the Bell System Yellow Pages for nearly 25 years. He graduated from Pratt Institute with a BFA in Advertising and has a Master’s Degree in teaching. He had his own advertising agency in Scottsdale, Arizona and ran a consulting and design firm, ABC Advertising. Currently, he is the Marketing Director for thenurseschoice.com, a Health Information and Doctor Referral site.

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