advertising time again?

[REDSAW]

well time has come for renewal with yell.
last year i think i can say after spending £1,500+ with yellow pages, i can report taking around 5, yes 5 genuine calls from it.

now i am being asked to spend £400 with yell.com and they say i will get better leads?.

so its one or the other, or none. what do you others think based on your experience with yell (thats my money dude).

please help in this dilema.

 

[Jimbob]

£1500, bloody hell. I wouldnt pay that, there much more effective local advertisments out there for fractions of the price

 

[shepster]

Hello Redsaw34,

I have been fending off yell.com since they got my name from the new business start up secret site that all those advertisers get us from and then pester us. I can tell you that having spent a great deal of valuable time talking to various listers and directories that yell.com are by no means the cheapest.
If you are looking for better value for money like all of us then I would suggest giving BT a call for the new directory out in the autumn. They have now changed the way they allow the specific listings such as plumbers being shown. Instead of the big boys being able to buy up premium slots on site listings it is now going to be post code sensitive and all at the same price. There are obviously choices in sizes of adds like all other directories and they also do a combined package with the hard copy that hits everybody's doorstep along with the WWW which some of our customers use. I have just signed up for the double whammy for a year which will include full consultation and all art work etc for £600. The good news about BT is lets face it.... its the biggest name especially for say some of the elderly customer. It is also strongly regulated so if they say it is post code sensitive and guarantee a better response which is in writing by the way then thats got to be worth a punt eh!!?

Too many 118 numbers about nowadays and I think yell.com are no different than the rest of them. Far to many empty promises and not enough genuine enquiries.


Good Luck

Shepster

 

[Bob Croft]

I did a bit of research and asked people in the pub and friends where they would look to find a tradesman. One local paper stood out above the others. So that's what I use. In my experience very few people now days use the large directories. It cost me £65.00 a month (two issues) for a coloured add. When I ask people why they picked my add, they say "It is eye catching and easy to read" if you can get people to ring you then the rest is up to you!

 

[Winston]

Advertising & marketing your business is a costly one, I however register with Yell.com, BT Trades, Thompson as well as a free local directory from my local district council. Mainly because its all free, to date within 4 months I have had three small jobs from Yell.com.

The rest of my advertising has been in my local paper which I have every other week and I also advertise in a local magazine which mainly goes to well to do villages which also has covered itself.

I also got a advertising spot at homebase from a plumber that was leaving the area, fortunatley foc. This he paid over a grand for 2 years. To date in a year I have had 3 jobs. So I wont be renewing that, but I do go and get a bunch of my leaflets from it which I put through doors, which has been of benefit.

 

[Plumbstar Tom]

I'm a local plumber so I advertise locally as thats what makes sense

Its cheaper and gets to the people in my area

Also have my van plastered in Graphics for free advertising wherever I go

 

[Winston]

Yer I agree with that even though I only have a old van cleaned her up signs have more than paid for itself. I live on a busy junction which helps and dont use my car as even being driven around pays off.

I have also applied for advertising consent for a non illuminated sign to be put up on my gable wall, so just waiting on that. I have also to put a colour leaflet in my front window got me about 6k of work in the last 10 months.

 

[world9563]

Hi all

I had yell.com and all i can say what a waste of money not even a phone call from it. Tried yellow pages this year which came out june and had 2 small repair jobs but the year is just starting. I also do free ads in gumtree get a little from that but mainly i go out puting leaflets through doors which get main customers and now starting to get recommends. But my main advice dont bother with yell.com

kind regards

mitch

 

[w1nxn]

with yell.com and yellow pages since january.

no word of a lie guys, max 10 calls regarding plumbing and 100 calls from jerks offering to improve my phone tariff, public liability insurance or offering a 'last minute cancellation advert in this years fire service calander and so on. especially on monday mornings.

cost £880 for 2 regions of yellow pages and £350 ish for yell.com

over £1200!!! 10 calls!!!!! 7 months!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

i might get 80% of my quotes accepted but c'mon.

say no more!!!

paid £150 for 10,000 full colour A5 flyers and do the odd postman pat shift on a quiet day. good earner.

 

[REDSAW]

has anyone else have their own statistics from yell.com?,

i think as a community on this site we can help each other save money based on experience placing our hard earned from 'our kids inheritance' and spend it more directly in appropriate areas and not those we deam as obvious professional placements like yell....

 

[REDSAW]

General Off-Topic Chat Anything that is NOT related to plumbing can be posted in here.

so mr moderator,

how is this topic not related to plumbing????????????