Retail Observer

RETAILOBSERVER.COM JANUARY 2017 90 F or years, the ad in the local Yellow Pages has been the steadfast ally of independent retailers everywhere. The annual decision to purchase inclusion in the print directory was a ritual of sorts from industry stalwarts to the tiniest fledgling business. However, this reliable partner in the ever-changing world of retail has now become a liability. The advertising decision to make room in the yearly budget for space in a phone book print publication is no longer the foregone conclusion it once was. In fact, an entry in the Yellow Pages now seems more like a relic of the past and an unnecessary expenditure. Surprisingly, the cons of buying a print ad now outweigh the pros of this now antiquated institution of advertising. This reversal of fortune is typical of the radical changes that have occurred in our industry and a warning to business owners of the dangers of complacency. Previously, the act of spending money on an ad in the Yellow Pages would have been a given for any business. Today, the financial wisdom of such a move is in question. Besides the commitment once you have paid for the service, and the obvious expense involved, the question arises as to whether a print ad is necessary in the age of the internet search engine. In his article, "Should Small Businesses Still Book Yellow Page Ads?" in Forbes, Kern Lewis examines this quandary. "In the past, the Yellow Pages were the only reliable resource for retail businesses seeking a local audience," Lewis says. "After word-of-mouth, consumers relied heavily on the Yellow Pages for services in a wide range of industries." Lewis asserts that a new reality exists where print phone directories have become obsolete. "Multiple studies confirm that consumers report using the internet first (80% of the time when they need a new product or service, and printed Yellow Pages only second or third (about 50% of the time.)," he says. Lewis asserts that if one were continue to purchase a listing, it may become necessary to opt for a larger and costlier ad in order to ensure that it will be seen by potential customers. Lewis goes on to state that if your Yellow Page placements are not producing leads, then it is a sure sign that it is time to ditch your yearly practice and reconsider your advertising options. The Sales Lion's Marcus Sheridan weighs in on the folly of small businesses continuing to use The Yellow Pages in his article "11 Reasons Why Your Business Should Not Advertise with Yellow Pages." Among other justifications not to use the listing, Sheridan agrees with Lewis that more efficient advertising methods exist rather than a print listing. "Today's consumer searches online before they do anything else," says Sheridan. "Their first step towards making a purchase is essentially the first keys they hit on their computer at work or at home to begin the information gathering process." In Leap Clixx's "5 Reasons Why Yellow Pages Advertising is a Bad Investment," Michael Kiel agrees that buying a Yellow Page ad is an exercise in redundancy. Like Lewis and Sheridan, he points out the cost and commitment in purchasing ads but also brings up its limitations as an advertising tool. Kiel asserts that a business cannot distinguish itself in a Yellow Page ad due to the manner in which it is listed. "This is exactly what a business does NOT want to do, because it basically makes everyone look like a commodity (i.e everyone seems the same)," he states. Given the drawbacks of continuing a tradition that inevitably loses money for a business, it appears we will soon hear the death knell of the Yellow Pages. It's possible that owners who continue to buy the listing have fallen victim to a case of nostalgia for advertising methods of the past. It seems unlikely that this yearning will last considering the stark realities that exist in the competitive world of retail. Since more efficient and cheaper avenues exist in advertising, the end of this once mighty ally of businesses seems assured. M A R K E T I N G I N S I G H T S RO THE END OF THE YELLOW PAGES? No longer the reliable friend to the independent retail business

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