Harnessing Yellow Pages
More than 95% of phone users consult the yellow pages for things that they need. As everyone has a phone, there is a better chance for your business to be noticed when you advertise in the yellow pages. People will easily notice you, get in touch with you and start doing business with you.
But you don't just list your name and phone number in the yellow pages. There are certain "tricks" that you have to do in the yellow pages so that people will notice you. No matter what your business is, there will always be competitors - even in yellow pages. If you don't make yourself noticeable in yellow pages, the listing will be for nothing.
Benefits Over Features
When listing your business in the yellow pages, don't just list what you can do to your customers. List the benefits of the features. For example, you can do home repairs for different types of computers. That's a good feature but a benefit that you should let them be aware of is that they don't need to leave their home to get their computers fixed. Always give emphasis on the benefits since through this, you will be able to get in touch with your customers better. Business jargons could sometime confuse the customer it would only through benefits that your business and services would be better understood.
Personalization
List your business like you are talking to someone. The use of the word "you" should be emphasized in you listing. Customers who will be reading your business ad will have a personal connection with the ad and eventually call you to offer their transaction to you.
Rising Above the Competition
You may have a good listing in the yellow pages but you still wonder why you don't receive a phone call. A good listing is nothing when there is someone better in the yellow pages. Before you start listing your business in the yellow pages, take a look at the competition. Read what they have to say and learn a few tricks on what they write. Don't copy what they write but try to figure out why their ads are very appealing.
Another data that you should be looking for in the business ads is the number of competition per page. The fewer competition per page the better. But there are times that you will have to deal with more than 10 competitors in a single page. Remember that you are listing in the same industry that means you have to write why you are the best and why you should be considered above all competition.
This is actually very tricky. You will have to write that you are better compared to your competitors but you don't want to brag about it. What you should write is that your better compared to your competitors but you are not the godsend that could solve all problems. You can easily improve your yellow page listing as long you personalize your ads while researching on what you should write based on your competitors.