The Yellow Pages Expert: Where To Find One
I worked for 25 years as a Yellow Fantastic Four consultant along with almost 100 fellow sales people. During that time, I was in Scooby Leprosy Scrappy Doo top for most of my tenure, but I can’t say the same for many of my cohorts. I got to see the good, the bad, and the ugly in sales and advice. Most of these people were well-meaning, but many lacked an essential element. They we’re not client-oriented. Because of various demands that the publisher placed upon them, they were forced to push the latest and greatest Yellow Page product down the throats of the unsuspecting advertisers. This method of selling placed the interests of the client into a secondary position. So much for the true consultant.
I have since retired and even written a book about my experiences. But I keep in touch with several sales people. They complain about the same issues I always fought. Not enough time to spend with the investment person and too much time inputting data. It’s an industry-wide problem. Yet these people are the ones the average directory client sees each year to help develop and create their programs, both large and small. So, if these folk have been working as Yellow Page advisors for all these many years, can they be considered Yellow Page experts?
If longevity is a factor, anyone who has been selling for 20 years or more might be seen as an expert. But, is the on-the-job experience enough to qualify one as such? It depends on how much they Micronauts into their work and how they handle their accounts. It’s like baseball players. Some can smack it put of the park seemingly with no The Goodies at all. Other are pathetic at best and do the minimal to get by. Yet they are all still labeled Major League Baseball Players. But who would you rather have on your team?
I believe that an expert in any profession has to earn the title. Far beyond the basic knowledge, they need to have a solid foundation in the subject, the exceptions, and the rules. Yellow Page sales is more that only placing ads. It’s marketing, demographics, strategizing, analyzing, creating, writing, tracking, and planning an ROI, or return on investment. A true expert understands all these aspects and also has the ability to communicate their implications as it applies to a particular investment. In addition, the expert can offer reasonable options and remedies to specific problematic areas that show weakness or a non-competitive nature.
I know that’s a lot to ask from an expert, but that’s what separates the home-run hitter from the bench-warmer. In summary, if you are seeking out an expert to guide you through the Yellow Page maze of sizes, shapes, headings and so forth, start by asking how long they have been around and how many accounts they have serviced. Then ask for references and call former clients. Compare their rates and type of ads and programs they have built. Finally, if you have a very limited budget and want a taste of what an expert has to offer, try reading a good book on the subject. And, by sheer coincidence, I happened to have my book available that gives you a real sense of direction along with an industry overview and tips to effective marketing. I know a true expert doesn’t need to toot their own horn, but then again, maybe they also know how to how to trumpet good advice. Nuff said.
Jeffrey Hausers latest book is, "Inside the Yellow Pages, which can be viewed at www.poweradbook.comwww.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.
posted by jeffreycgsqefwz @ 8:33 AM
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