Are you special with Yelp?.......

[NobleCarpetCleaners]

cause Yelp called me today saying I'm in a "special" group with a special offer, no contracts. Week/week, month/month..... And no I didn't ask the price per click. Was to afraid to ask what % of my fee actually goes to the purchase of the clicks.

 

[Jim Williams]

I made the mistake of answering the phone for a Yelp rep today. These people are pushy. I told her to call back later and she called from a different number so once again, I answered. I finally got the cost per click out of her and it was a whopping $10 per click. I finally had to hang up. I hate to be rude but what part of "I don't advertise" do you not understand lady?

 

[NobleCarpetCleaners]

$10, holy jumpin.........

 

[Able 1]

One time I spent a whole rental cleaning on the phone (with angies list)explaining that I can't handle the work I have now, and I don't advertise.. I thought spending that 45 minutes would finally stop the calls, I was wrong!

I would like to get on top of this yelp thing since I show up on the first page in my city, but I need to get more reviews from actual yelpers. I would guess you would have to advertise with them in some sort to get more of them. I'm not about to do a pay per click, is there a better way to handle this?

 

[rjwood]

They call me and I tell them that I can appreciate the fact that we're all just trying to make a living but I'm not interested, but good luck. Then I hang up after they thank me.

 

[NobleCarpetCleaners]

After now talking to my 6th or 7th sales person I'm increasingly convinced they go through some level of training. I think that because all of them continue to reach for a couple sentences in the dialogue that attempts to wipe away any credible reason you shouldn't dive in and purchase their advertising. Almost like a Jedi mind thing; for lack of a better description.

This round with me they did admit that I'm not to only one pointing out that the lion share or at least a boat load of my Yelp calls are price shoppers. This being my observation since about mid 2010. And yet she was (as they all have) completely unsympathetic that I simple don't respond to every 1 room price shopper. Not really believing that I can't "make money" on those calls. Right on cue after discussing the in's and out's of how to be profitable as a carpet cleaner they (she) steps right back in her disbelief that Yelp is bringing those calls because they stats and demographics don't support my observations. Again, I believe there is some training involved on their end. When the prospect starts to make sense and knows his/her way around a business conversation but isn't moving towards a kill shot, pop smoke and lay on some more disarming words.

It's been frustrating to me why my free Yelp callers changed from low hanging $200+ fruit before 2008 to what I get now. But with a little help from my Web master I believe I found the best reason; at least the best so far. I show up on Google very high in the search return when my town and even the larger neighbor town is included in the search words. To my surprise a little homework showed frequent Google search words like "cheap" or "discount". The frigging public is using them more often then I would ever have guessed. And what shows up on the search (cheap carpet cleaning my town, discount carpet cleaning my town)?.......my Yelp page, of course. Google is driving unprofitable traffic to my Yelp then to my phone. Before 2008 I converted 8 out of 10 calls from Yelp to $200+. It was gold. Now, I'm lucky to convert 1.5 into $119-$150. Perhaps I'm not alone.

In the end I've no complaints what so ever and I treat Yelp with kit gloves as their legal news speaks volumes. This old dog will continue to farm referrals and perhaps take advantage of social media. My baby boomers are dropping like flies and other younger repeaters and moving around like crazy. Gotta mix things up and stay loose....

 

[Jimmy L]

Here's the bottom line. They know all the sales talk and they know the more you hang on the line the more time they have to hook you. Don't feel sympathetic to them having to do their job. Just hang up. It won't hurt their feelings because they have another call waiting in line , they don't care about you and you shouldn't care about them.

 

[Cleanworks]

One time I spent a whole rental cleaning on the phone (with angies list)explaining that I can't handle the work I have now, and I don't advertise.. I thought spending that 45 minutes would finally stop the calls, I was wrong!

I would like to get on top of this yelp thing since I show up on the first page in my city, but I need to get more reviews from actual yelpers. I would guess you would have to advertise with them in some sort to get more of them. I'm not about to do a pay per click, is there a better way to handle this?

Maybe have some of your good customers go on yelp and give you a review. You don't want to make it up yourself, that's usually pretty obvious but let them know that you are trying to get more publicity and the yelp review would help you out.

 

[Ron K]

Maybe have some of your good customers go on yelp and give you a review. You don't want to make it up yourself, that's usually pretty obvious but let them know that you are trying to get more publicity and the yelp review would help you out.

That doesn't work. I now tell customers to please read my "non recommended reviews" on Yelp, some days I have more of them then recommended ones. I wish they would do a webinar here with a Yelp Agent.