# Advertising- Real Yellow Pages



## OLD CHIPMONK (Oct 1, 2007)

In 2006 our tree ad was placed under the heading of "TROPHY'S " ?
Today our new account rep is going to visit us to set our 2008 AD.
Allow me to quote from last years BELLSOUTH contract notes ! 
NOTES:
"cutting all paid advertising because his in-column fell under 
2 display ads of trophy's - not an error, just how it fell in last years
book "
OUR INCOME LOSS WAS TREMENDOUS. PLEASE COMMENT ON ANY
SIMILAR EXPERIENCES . THEY TOLD US THERE WOULD BE NO DISCOUNT.
I"ll keep you posted on future similarities "
Thanks.
OLD PUP 10/01/2007


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## cvdirtrider (Oct 2, 2007)

*Yellow Page Screw Up*

I placed an ad earlier this year before the new book comes out in October (soon). Never got a bill or confirmation and became concerned. Called them up 3 weeks ago and I was never in the system even after placing ads under "Arborist", Tree Care and Landscaping. I was pissed. They think they got to the publisher in time. So we shall see. I am counting on that ad.


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## intheelements (Oct 2, 2007)

*What Yellow Pages*

I also placed an ad in the Yellow Pages, Proofed the Ad, Paid by Check, Check was cashed, Book came out in July, No ad. Told they don't know what happened. They sent me a refund with no apologies, no nothing.


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## JohnnyT (Oct 2, 2007)

Out of curiousity, whats it run for an ad in the yella pages? Do they charge by the word? Or is there just a flat rate?


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## OLD CHIPMONK (Oct 2, 2007)

We placed what is considered 1-dqc.w under the heading of TREE SEVICE
2-BUSINESS CARD SIZE under the heading LANDSCAPING & 3-zhs 1" x clumn
also 1 &1/2 in. x clumn under the heading STUMP GRINDING. 
The total cost per month $ 620.00 plus applicable taxes then ad in the 
BUSINESS LINE & mOBILE PHONE & REMOTE CALL FOWARDING $ 148.50 per
month times 12 MONTH CONTRACT = $ 7440.00 PLUS TAXES & $ 1782.00
PLUS TAXES. 
TOTAL OF $ 9222.00 PLUS APPLICABLE TAXES  :deadhorse:


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## ropensaddle (Oct 2, 2007)

OLD CHIPMONK said:


> We placed what is considered 1-dqc.w under the heading of TREE SEVICE
> 2-BUSINESS CARD SIZE under the heading LANDSCAPING & 3-zhs 1" x clumn
> also 1 &1/2 in. x clumn under the heading STUMP GRINDING.
> The total cost per month $ 620.00 plus applicable taxes then ad in the
> ...



Yeah it sucks to pay and it sucks to bid against illegals!


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## tree md (Oct 3, 2007)

I just got a call from a rep from Yellow Book. I plan to sit down with her next week and discuss advertising with them. Just a real quick question, is yellow book the same as the real yellow pages?

If no which book gets more exposure?


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## OLD CHIPMONK (Oct 3, 2007)

THEY ARE NOT THE SAME . 
Just remember " TREES ARE NATURES BEAUTY-TO PRESERVE THEM "
CALL YOUR PHONE NUMBER .


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## lxt (Oct 8, 2007)

all my advertising is in the yellow book, have had good exp. with them, my ad is 1/4 page approx. with an ad in the landscape section & 1 other section my monthly bill is around $204.00 monthly.

a $600+ a month bill WOW!! id be able to get a whole page ad & then some.

if you dont get a proof in the mail, with the section of placement theres something wrong!! 

stay away from verizon yellow pages, out my way they were calling people giving low ball figures,like $30 month I told them no, they run my ad anyhow & start billing me, I refuse to pay, attorneys send me nice letter, I go see my Atty., bottom line!! cost me more to fight it than to pay it. 

the next year they call up wanting to renew, mind you I didnt get one call from their cheesy ad, so I have my Atty send them a letter letting them know running my ad without written authorization through counsel will leave them no legal grounds for collecting the un-authorized debt etc.... God just stay away from them!!


LXT...........


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## TreeBot (Nov 17, 2007)

Years ago I was talked into a larger color ad in Tree Service section than I had intended with the promise that the larger, much more expensive ad came with a "free listing" in another section. I looked in the old phone book at the firewood section and there wasn't much there, so I figured that would make the added expense worth it. The color ad was nearly $2000 as opposed to $400 or $500. 

New phone book comes out. Cheesy little color ad in Tree Service. Not much more prominent than the little black and white job I had meant to get. Turned to firewood: no listing at all. Called Ma Bell and after they apologised for their mistake, they told me, get this, that since the other listing was "promotional", and was "free", that I would not be getting any refund for their mistake. After raising a stink with the superviser they finally offered a measly $100 refund. 

I only ever paid half of that bill.


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## ATH (Nov 17, 2007)

TreeBot said:


> I only ever paid half of that bill.


What ever came of that? Did they push you to get that from you or did they just kind of let it lay and ask for payment up front the next year?


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## TreeBot (Nov 17, 2007)

ATH said:


> What ever came of that? Did they push you to get that from you or did they just kind of let it lay and ask for payment up front the next year?



I haven't used the yellow pages since and they never pursued me for the rest of the bill. As far as I was concerned I deserved at least 1/3 off of the total.


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## extremewoodwork (Nov 28, 2007)

I placed an ad in the G-ville yellow pages this year and in my ad there is another number in front of my real number. This number belongs to a rival tree company but i am still stuck with a 1186.00 per month bill because my number is on it. The best part is the other company doesnt answer the phone. Great for my 2nd year in business!


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## ropensaddle (Nov 28, 2007)

JohnnyT said:


> Out of curiousity, whats it run for an ad in the yella pages? Do they charge by the word? Or is there just a flat rate?



Your next of kin and $


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## sharkfin12us (Dec 10, 2007)

*yellow book*

I had 2 books was going to going to go in 375 month each.I specifically gave them 2 pictures i wanted in book.Book comes out and they had some pic of dead tree look like it was from desert and other picture was supposed to be of bucket truck but hey had some aerial 4wd construction vehicle with basket.I told them im not paying full price they told me they would take off 10% i disagreed finally worked it out to half price thank go because at the time i did not realize the ad would do hardly any thing for me.My business name is under S so really i hardly got any calls.After book ran for year i got out and owed 5,000 took me untill august to get that bill off my back.Im in business since 2003 and i dont advertise in phone book.Only way i will do it is full front page ad and pay most in full so i dont die in winter.


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## John464 (Dec 10, 2007)

I do a quarter page in the yellow pages and a half page in the yellow book. I pay over $2,000 a month for my print advertising(includes direct monthly mailers).

Effective, yes, but you need a dedicated sales team to keep on top of the calls.


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## NORTREE (Jan 4, 2008)

I have had good response on larger ads with the Verizon books in NY.Now that I'm in Vermont it's Idearc(the ad just came out here so until spring hits I won't know how it will work out).Back in NY Yellow book bought out another phone book company that I had run ads with regularly.They sent a rep,we went over what I wanted and we signed a contract and when the book came out no ad...when I called several times to complain no one was available that could help me but when it was time for the new book to come out they were calling constantly!As far as I'm concerned yellow book and the folks at the "Talking Phone Book" can stick their books up their @$$...


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## Sprig (Jan 4, 2008)

Holy leapin' lizards gents :jawdrop: 3000, 5000, *9000*$ good gravy!
Better off to do either 1> get a bunch of catchy fliers printed up and hire someone trust able to plaster every bulletin board in the area you want to work, do some house to house stuff in neighborhoods that can afford it, etc. . Put out a couple of hundred every few months I think the coverage would be better than the phone book (other than listing your home phone under, um, say, Mr. Treecare inc.) 
2> Run medium-sized ads every month or so in various local papers classifieds sections, if you know any smart kids into art get something eye-catching but smallish.
3> Run a small website with your work and services and an easily Googlible (word?) name, price on domains and hosting are far less than the bucks spoken about above.
At the prices you guys are talkin' about for 'Yellow Page' advertising, yikes, but maybe it does pay if your a big company, most I think are not though.
Just a small opine here from someone who doesn't advertise 



Serge


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## ckliff (Jan 4, 2008)

Recently renewed w/ Yellow Book. Provides area-wide coverage for much less cost than at&t/Ma Bell. Also, I don't like the stuck-up, up-yers attitude from at&t.

In 2008, we intend to ask every caller how they got our number. Also planning a survey mailing to all last years customers to evaluate our ad strategy.


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## appalachianarbo (Jan 4, 2008)

Serge - Those are the three methods I think would work best for me. Low cost, few bargain hunters, and you get to target your clientele. I've been using bulletin boards for a while, will have my website up this month, and have already selected a few neighborhoods to hit. I will only do this until I get the volume of work I want (not very much)- I'm not looking to expand the company.


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## KeppleServices (Jan 5, 2008)

The yellowpages is a waste of time. I have had an ad going on 3 years now, and in one there is a tracking number. I get a whole 3 calls a month! so much for $569 a month!


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## OLD CHIPMONK (Jan 5, 2008)

We averaged about 17-25 calls per day with the original, smaller ad. Our 2008 ad is 8 times larger. In 3 colors w/ white background. We'll post again after the books are delivered & we can asess our current market. We need at least 60 days for this process. Tracking upgrades are enabled & results should be forthcomming. Stay tuned !


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## lawnmowertech37 (Jan 5, 2008)

JohnnyT said:


> Out of curiousity, whats it run for an ad in the yella pages? Do they charge by the word? Or is there just a flat rate?



depending on the company if it is dex it is not cheap i currently am behind on my bill by 6000.00 cause of no work in our local area the drought really took and hurt business last year so its going to take a miracle to get caught up on bills 


but dex charges by the size of the ad 


the bigger the ad the more expensive it becomes


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## NORTREE (Jan 5, 2008)

The prices have always been by the size of the ad no matter what book I advertized in.I got better results from the Verizon book.I didn't have luck with the smaller ads though.Years ago I had a large ad in the Saratoga,NY book and I got a LOT of calls from elderly people.One day we finished up a job and the elderly client is paying me and he says "We called you because you had the only ad in the phone book we could read"...Where I was in NY the books came out in the late spring/summer months which was good.Here in Vermont the books got delivered at the beginning of December which is a bad time of year as calls are slow due to winter and holidays so I have to suck it up and pay for the ad through the winter and it should work out in the spring.The new ad measures approx 2 1/4" x 3 3/4" which I believe is DQC(double quarter column).


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