YP online

[steve_64]

i wasnt going to renew my YP ad this year, wasnt last year neither but got suckered into it.

so the guy calls yesterday and we get to talking, i like to hear salesman talk.

i have a bold listing in YPs and paid a $1 for the internet ad. $31 total a month. the guy tells me i have the worse ad in the worse location, ive never gone to the website to claim ownership of the online ad or something like, that to help boost my online rating, i have no website or online presence(other than facebook) yet my YP internet ad gets the second most looks of all the ads which includes all the big guys spending big bucks.

he asks me about my competition and i say i have no competition. a long pause then he asks me to explain. i told him how im pretty much just referals and repeats anymore. i dont worry about what anyone else is doing and that im happy with where im at. i also tell him i dont get calls from the yellow pages.

thats when he says that people must be coming to the yellow pages just to find my phone number, which i agree is a possibility.

we had a long conversation about all of this but i didnt make a commitment, i had work to do and he is suppose to call me back. so im wondering if anyone has any insight to this? i still think im going to cancel or not renew this year but am kinda wondering if i should keep something in there now.

anyone have any thoughts on this?

 

[takemywandplease]

I would cancel and stay far away from YP online. I got duped by them the called to sell me and I declined over and over then they told me I could have a free listing with no frills, so I said yes. Then they transferred me to someone to verify my info - name of company,address and such. Several months later I get a bill for $400 + when I called the said I agreed and the had it on tape. I did not pay and they turned me into collections. I tried to fight it but they had an actual recording with me saying yes to all the address and company name spelling and at the end the guy asked if I understood the listing was free I said yes but he also said something about an free trial upgrade offer and to my utter dismay I said yes (at that point I was no longer paying attention) but I did say yes. They tricked me but it was legal. I did not pay and my credit was damaged and I was harassed by collection agents for a few months.

 

[steve_64]

thats pretty messed up.

i use to get a lot of calls from YPs when i ran bigger ads but barely get any anymore.

im not sure if it helps me to be online with them or not. i wonder if i had a website would being on YPs online help boost my website?
the guy never called me back so now i wonder if he was just BSing me.

 

[Russ T.]

We left all forms of YP a couple years ago. It was very expensive to hear every new customer tell me they found us on Google. Your money is better spent elsewhere IMO.


The Clean Machine

 

[steve_64]

thanks Russ. ive been blowing google off, i really dont understand how it works. ive been doing everything old school and its been working for me but i admit i need i need to get into the 21st century. im not utilizing technology at all.

 

[Russ T.]

Do you have a website Steve?


The Clean Machine

 

[Royal Man]

I haven't had an YP ad in over ten years. Why would anyone go track down their long lost phone book and thumb through it to find your ad and then go get their phone and call your company. WHEN THEY ALREADY HAVER THEIR SMART PHONE IN THEIR POCKET AND THEY CAN JUST DO A QUICK SEARCH AND HIT YOUR NUMBER? It Would be like in 1920 going to the barn to hitch up you team of horses to your car to get down the road. When you just had to turn your car key in the first place.

 

[kingjoelking]

If your YP online is getting the most hits I would keep it. That means that your customers find it a convenient way to find you. $31 a month. That costs you less then 1 room a month. Dont fix what aint broke.

 

[midlifemike]

My older clientele don't own smart phones in fact some don't even use cellphones. There the ones useing the book and they can be your best cheerleaders. The nice thing is they pay .50 a foot and don't care about your smart phone or your dumb ass rap on your rust bucket truck mount.....

 

[Royal Man]

My older clientele don't own smart phones in fact some don't even use cellphones. There the ones useing the book and they can be your best cheerleaders. The nice thing is they pay .50 a foot and don't care about your smart phone or your dumb ass rap on your rust bucket truck mount.....

over 90 % of American adults have cell phones. As a business owner id rather play to the 90% instead of the 10 %. But , im aware that every area / demographic is different.

 

[steve_64]

Russ, i dont have a website. i tried to have one set up once but was disappointed with it. the guy doing the work wasnt local and never did the stuff i wanted. i have been talking to a local company to help me out.

im a chamber of commerce member and could link up and get hosted free. i have some great things in place that im not utilizing.

Dave, im finding many of my elderly customers still have their landlines and no computers. i live in a odd place when compared to the rest of the country. hek, "ive" been resisting technology. getting a computer and getting online was a big deal to me. i only got that started because the kids needed it for school. i can live without it but it is addicting.

 

[steve_64]

Dave, do you have a reference to those numbers?

 

[Russ T.]

Steve, a good website is SO important to reach NEW customers. I have someone really good who is helping me to get the most of my online marketing efforts. PM me if you want more info.


The Clean Machine

 

[Royal Man]

Dave, do you have a reference to those numbers?

Mobile Technology Fact Sheet

Highlights of the Pew Internet Project’s research related to mobile technology.
(Note: This page will be updated whenever new data is available.)
As of January 2014:

• 91% of American adults have a cell phone
• 55% of American adults have a smartphone
• 32% of American adults own an e-reader
• 42% of American adults own a tablet computer

http://www.pewinternet.org/fact-sheets/mobile-technology-fact-sheet/ (and the numbers are growing rapidly every day.)

 

[jcooper]

Steve,

Google can be tuf to figure out. One thing you should/need to do is make sure you have a google local listing. Basically "google" carpet cleaning your area. If your biz don't show up, do it!
Fill everything out as good as you can, get reviews(even if its your mom!). Add photos - before/afters.

We get 75% of new work from just this.

 

[steve_64]

thanks guys, ill have to take this internet thing more seriously i guess.

dave, i really question those numbers, at least from what ive seen around here. i know the obama phone has helped a lot of folks in this area get connected but before that id bet it was less than half here have cell phones. probably more kids with them than adults.

russ, ive got to know a local guy here who wants to help and im pretty sure he would do me right. i just havent pulled the trigger on it yet. like i said, ive got some things in place but ive been leary of making those changes. its coming though, im ready for the next step,i think lol.

 

[Chris A]

My older clientele don't own smart phones in fact some don't even use cellphones. There the ones useing the book and they can be your best cheerleaders. The nice thing is they pay .50 a foot and don't care about your smart phone or your dumb ass rap on your rust bucket truck mount.....

I agree with you to a point, and wonder if getting out if the book completely (no free listing because we transferred the number to a cell phone). On the other hand, even a lot of my grannies, which are not my target demo, have smartphones or are at least internet savvy.

 

[steve_64]

john, i looked at those stats and im in a rural area with low income averages. im at the bottom of every category. that explains my observation i suppose.

it just goes to show how important it can be to know your market i suppose.