The Yellow Pages Game: Playing to
Win
While 98 percent of dentists hate the Yellow
Pages, the other 2 percent quietly laugh all the way
to the bank. It's a zero-sum game, and some rules have
changed.
It's like the line attributed to Mark
Twain: "The reports of my death have been greatly
exaggerated." Nearly 100 years later, the
same is true for the stodgy, old Yellow Pages.
These days the Internet seems far
sexier than the Yellow Pages, and the Web will become
increasingly important in the future. (We'll talk more
about that in coming articles.)
Even in its heyday, most dentists
liked the subject of Yellow Pages marketing about as
much as their patients looked forward to a root canal.
At best they thought it was a necessary evil, and at
worst they lost a bundle.
Today, the "Yellow Pages experience"
can feel even more excruciating. Too many options, pushy
sales reps, short deadlines, ugly ads, monthly expenses
… and for all too many practices a pitiful return
on investment. It is easy to understand why so many
dentists incorrectly conclude that "Yellow Pages
is dead."
Coincidentally, about an hour before
we wrote this, a long-time client called who wanted
desperately to say goodbye forever to her Yellow Pages
sales rep. (A tidal wave is coming and many in the Yellow
Pages industry still don't get it.) Sure, Yellow Pages
had been extremely profitable for her in the past, but
now it seemed old fashioned and too expensive.
Hold on, tiger. Let's do some quick
math before you do anything drastic. You say you spend
$3,000 a month and your calls are down to about 30 a
month. Of those, about 10 become new patients, each
spending better than $1,000 each in their first year.
That translates into more than a 300 percent return
on investment. Nothing to write home to mom about, but
290 percent better than your mutual funds — not
to mention the occasional full-mouth reconstruction,
ongoing referrals, and subsequent business that comes
from these new patients.
So, while we will begin investing
a larger percentage of this client's marketing budget
into the Internet and other tactics, she'll need to
be careful before saying goodbye to one-third of her
new patients just to "get even."
"No one reads the
Yellow Pages anymore..."
Let's explore that myth: It has been
said that people don't change their minds; it is just
that the old generation dies off. As a result, it will
likely take decades before this medium finally expires.
According to a detailed study ("How
U.S. Adult Consumers Use the Yellow Pages for the Heading
on Dentists," Knowledge Networks/SRI, October 2007),
here are the numbers:
- Last year, U.S. consumers made 246 million Yellow
Pages references (one consumer often references several
ads) in the "Dentist" section, making it
the eighth largest heading out of more than 4,000.
- 43 percent of users had a decision to make, and
on average, these consumers considered seven ads.
Surprisingly, 45 percent of consumers who already
had a name in mind still considered more than four
ads.
- 83 percent of consumers who looked in the Yellow
Pages contacted an office, and of those, 40 percent
indicated contacting one or more places they had not
contacted before.
- What's more, according to Larry Small, director
of research for the Yellow Pages Association, more
people still reference the Yellow Pages more than
the Internet when looking for dentists (19 percent
compared to 11 percent).
"I would never pick
a dentist from the Yellow Pages... "
We hear that all the time, but remember
you are not your target audience. You look at dentistry
and health care vastly different than they do. Yes,
it is true some laypeople don't use the Yellow
Pages, but in the end, a whole lot of people did and
do reference the Yellow Pages, especially for
a dentist.
The notion that "old media is
already dead" does not square with reality. Given
this misinformation, your competitors may be leaving
or downsizing print Yellow Pages, and thus opening a
golden "old school" marketing opportunity
for you.
Here are some rules to help
you come out ahead at this bare-knuckle game.
Yellow Pages can produce one of the
highest returns on investment among your external media.
But if you don't plan and execute properly, you can
quickly throw money away. It's essential to understand
the primary rules of the game. Unfortunately, few truly
know how to play, and those who do won't tell you. Until
now…
Be in "The Big Book"
(probably) -- The choice of "which book?"
can be a challenge. For any speck on the map, there
are usually several publishers, different rates, different
territories, etc. And if you can only be in one directory,
it is usually best to start in "the big book."
(The highly familiar and well-established directory
is often the most used.)
There are some exceptions, according
to Larry Small, who points to new data from Knowledge
Networks/SRI that an increasing percentage of users
also look in "the small book" (for specific
regions or smaller zones). So begin with your foremost
YP book, and be aware there may also be other good options
for your mix.
Survey if you don't know
-- If you're not sure which is the dominant publication,
here's how to check on who's the boss. Put a copy of
each directory for your area on your counter and ask
a steady stream of patients to point at the book they
use most often. (People will easily recall "their
directory" by appearance.) A leader will emerge.
Plan your game to win in the book most people use.
Position is everything
-- Virtually all directories put the largest
ads first in each category, and to win at this game
you want to be first. The bottom-line reason you want
to be in the leading spot is because the largest ads
get the lion's share of the readers.
If you can, pick an ad size just one
size larger than any other practice that competes for
the same patients. In some cases, good ads early in
the display and/or in-column sections may be a worthwhile
compromise, but generally you'll want to be aggressive
if you want home run results.
Your Yellow Pages heading
is "Dentists" (probably) -- The most
common, popular, and obvious heading for a general dental
practice will be "Dentists." For specialists,
there are other heading options ("Orthodontists,"
"Periodontists"). In addition to the "Dentists"
heading, look for secondary categories the public and
publisher might use — nonclinical terms such as
"braces" or "teeth whitening."
Yes or no to color ads?
-- Color is an option worth considering, provided you
don't sacrifice size and position. Yes, color can attract
attention, but if you're not in the lead position (based
on size), a smaller color ad will not outpull larger
and dominant placement.
Test, track, and adjust
-- Begin with your best shot — the best position
in the best directory. Track your ROI carefully each
month. Multiple books and multiple sections may eventually
make sense, but position yourself to win with basics
first. Your receptionist can ask the source of each
phone call, or use unique phone numbers for each ad.
For some YP publishers, there are metered ad lines that
automate part of the tracking process.
Yellow Pages is a one-year
game -- With only a few exceptions, Yellow
Pages are an annual contract, which makes the stakes
even higher. Make a mistake and you'll be paying the
fee and not getting the benefits of what you're paying
for during the year. But done right, your Yellow Pages
ad can be an amazing breakthrough for your practice.
And it will be a working annuity for you for 12 months
and beyond. But re-evaluate your tactics every year
using hard data.
Negotiation know-how
-- Contrary to what you may think, it is possible to
negotiate better rates and freebies from the Yellow
Pages. But you'll probably need help from someone who
knows the game from both sides of the table. One of
the people we work with is a former Yellow Pages rep
turned consultant, and he often can negotiate discounts
— even performance guarantees — from YP
publishers that the typical advertiser cannot.
Critical ingredient: professional
ad design -- After you capture the right Yellow
Pages size and placement, fill this premium real estate
with a professionally created message. Unless you want
your ad to look just like the dry cleaner or plumber,
get professional creative help with the design and writing.
And don't (repeat don't) let your YP rep prepare your
ad. The Yellow Pages reps are just that — sales
reps — not advertising experts.
A good ad costs exactly the same to
run as a bad ad, and the design and words need to push
the right hot buttons. And that takes years of practice
and experience to do. (Don't e-mail complaints if you
ignore our advice and your ad subsequently bombs.)
Final thoughts --
If you play Yellow Pages, you are going to have to play
aggressively and correctly. If you aren't able or willing
to do that, that's OK; simply find a different game.
There are really only two outcomes in the serious game
of Yellow Pages advertising. We assure you that it is
a whole lot more fun being in the victorious 2 percent
rather than the losing 98 percent.
Stewart Gandolf, MBA, and Lonnie
Hirsch are cofounders of Healthcare Success Strategies,
and two of America's most experienced practice marketers.
They have worked with dentists for a combined 30 years,
have written numerous articles on practice marketing,
and have consulted with more than 3,000 private health–care
practices. They may be reached by calling (888) 679–0050,
through their Web site at www.healthcaresuccess.com,
or via e–mail at info@healthcaresuccess.com.
Source:Dental Economics
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