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Death, taxes and Yellow Pages. Some things are almost unavoidable for service contractors.
As a writer on Yellow Pages issues, I speak with hundreds of small-business people, and very few have positive things to say about their experiences in Yellow Pages advertising. Over $15 billion is spent on Yellow Pages advertising in the United States each year. From what I hear, the common perception is that Yellow Pages advertising is a necessary evil that many businesses are afraid to discontinue.
Advertisers complain of feeling bullied by the phone companies. Getting a straight answer from a Yellow Pages salesperson as to the actual publication date, ad rates and competition can be a maddening experience.
Paul Venya, owner of TV Plumbing in Santa Monica, Calif., called me asking for advice on an advertising program proposed by a telemarketer. He wanted to assess the real value in placing a large ad in the directory, and he wanted to know some ways that would make his ad stand out from the competition.
Judging The Best: I invited the readers...