Before this crazy thing called the Internet came along, the Yellow Pages was a necessity. Need a plumber, go to the yellow pages. Pizza delivery? Yellow pages. Nowadays, though, people use a variety of media to find products and services, not just the Yellow Pages. So, if you want to attract potential customers, your best bet is to develop a presence in a variety of media.
If you’re spending a lot of money on Yellow Pages advertising, a good portion of that money could be more effectively spent creating and implementing an integrated marketing campaign.
With an integrated marketing campaign, you’ll spend money on a range of media. But, since all the media will deliver the same message, you’ll have a better chance of reaching more of your target audience more often. And, research shows that people are more receptive to your message the more times they hear it.
Is there room for the Yellow Pages in an integrated marketing campaign? Absolutely. Being in the Yellow Pages won’t hurt your business, but spending all your marketing dollars on the Yellow Pages will.
That’s why no matter what your marketing budget, we’ll always encourage a multi-media approach. For instance, let’s say you’re a local company looking to hit 18 to 34 year olds in the Inland Empire. Your media mix might include local TV and radio spots, ads in local newspapers and magazines, press releases distributed to local media outlets, and a strong SEO/pay-per-click campaign to boost your online presence.
And, that’s just one example of a multi-media campaign – the possibilities are endless. At Echo-Factory, we’ve created a million different media combinations for clients and we’re coming up with new ones every day.
Now, one last thing before we go. Some of you do a lot of co-op advertising, and you’re wondering whether you should give up some of that co-op money and spend more money to market yourself. We say promote yourself.
While there’s nothing wrong with co-op advertising, it usually ends up favoring the product and not the company selling it. By spending money to market yourself, you can create a campaign that focuses on you and the story you want to tell potential and existing customers. With your own campaign, you can create a connection with customers and build loyalty for your company, not just the products you sell. In the long run, promoting your own brand will also lead to a greater return on investment.
So, if your 2012 marketing plan is just Yellow Pages and co-op advertising, don’t stress. There’s still time to build an integrated marketing campaign that will promote your message and generate sales. Give us a call – we’d be happy to help.
