Phone book ad prices

abbronzatura · 02-09-2004, 01:44 PM

Having never had a phone book ad before I'm not sure if I'm getting ripped off on my price quote or not. A competing salon in town has a full page color ad. Several other salons have 1/2 page ads.

My phone book rep has quoted me a price to include a full page color ad in the yellow pages, a listing under "beauty salons" that will direct customers to my full page ad, a business card size ad in the white pages, and inclusion on their website. I think I can also get her to throw in a listing under "swimwear" and "skincare". All of this for $2700/yr. And that's with half off! EEK!

Does this sound reasonable? I think it sounds awfully high but like I said, I've never placed this sort of ad before so don't know the costs involved.

BooBop · 02-09-2004, 02:45 PM

I, personally, think that is way to much to spend in the Yellow Pages. Do you really want to shell out 225.00 per month to them?

We went with a block ad at 71.00 per month and it did bring in business, but this year I felt like I would rather spend my advertising $$s in a different venue, where I have the control of what the ads say.

Another thing, What is the name of your salon? Does it start with the letter A - J -Z. Placement will be in alphabetical order so your ad may come first or last depending on that. Of course those that have big ads get 1st placement as well, but still alpha...

abbronzatura · 02-09-2004, 03:13 PM

Yeah, the salon that I mentioned earlier has a full size ad AND starts with the letter A. I'm Riviera Tanning Spa so I'll be towards the back. Darn! I should've gone with Aardvark Tanning and Taxidermy.

I'm thinking maybe I'll scale it down to 1/2 page and then use what I save from not doing the full page on some other sort of advertising. I think once I'm open I won't have trouble getting people in. I want to be sure people know we're coming though!

THanks for your input, I sure appreciate it!

top250tansyou · 02-09-2004, 05:22 PM

Is this like the real yellow pages. We have a small ad in the yellow pages and we pay Around a grand a month. It is the only advertising that we "pay" for. Also in our yellow pages the rep told us that the ads would be arranged by size not A - Z. It is odd though the first ad you see starts with o and is not very large.

Neon Beach · 02-09-2004, 06:49 PM

Sometimes I wonder if you actually know the figures you are dealing with. $1000! Per month! $12000 a year? Small ad? If that's true, I'm glad I don't have to be in those yellow pages. My regional Yellow Page ad is about $150 per month. Ad size is only about 2 2 1/2" by 2 1/2".

abbronzatura · 02-09-2004, 08:53 PM

I guess that just goes to show that prices are really different all over the place. I'm guessing top250 is in an area where costs are generally higher. $1000/mo makes my $225/mo not seem so big after all!

This is actually an ad for the local phone book, not the southwestern bell phone book. The SWB book just came out in December so I'll have to wait a year to get in that one.

Decisions, decisions.

Neon Beach · 02-09-2004, 09:53 PM

$12000 per yr. I figure if I start my own yellows pages all I need is 14 ads and I've outdone my tanning business for the year!

MJ · 02-10-2004, 03:53 AM

two fiddy,
They smell you coming...wow!!!

drop them next year and watch how they find deals you would otherwise not have been privy to.

FYI: in our SBC yellow pages the large ads( color) are in the book by senoirity not necessarily alphabetically.In other words how long you have have had the ad.
I guess this is there way of promoting repeat business. It is not working. I will not pay those rates.
The YELLLOW BOOK just quoted me less then half for the a larger ad and more perks (locked in rate..not intro rate)I had in 2002 with SBC. I passed and he came in lower. So just learn to negotiate better and you will find the deals that are in your price range. Even though rates are different in different parts of the country that sounds HIGH.

TanningEmporium · 02-10-2004, 06:37 AM

I just have the regular free listing you get with having a phone...It works just as well as a big ad. MOst of my clients that have found us say each spring they just go down the list and get the cheapest price or the salon with the most info on the phone....phone equiette really helps.

MJ · 02-10-2004, 06:45 AM

true I did fne with my free line last year..but my salon has been here for YEEEARS. So new salon may want to make a splash and get their name out there. At least the first couple of years to build a reputaion and a data base. JMHO

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02-09-2004, 01:44 PM	#1 (permalink)
abbronzatura Join Date: Aug 28 2003 Posts: 86 Rep Power: 0	Having never had a phone book ad before I'm not sure if I'm getting ripped off on my price quote or not. A competing salon in town has a full page color ad. Several other salons have 1/2 page ads. My phone book rep has quoted me a price to include a full page color ad in the yellow pages, a listing under "beauty salons" that will direct customers to my full page ad, a business card size ad in the white pages, and inclusion on their website. I think I can also get her to throw in a listing under "swimwear" and "skincare". All of this for $2700/yr. And that's with half off! EEK! Does this sound reasonable? I think it sounds awfully high but like I said, I've never placed this sort of ad before so don't know the costs involved.

02-09-2004, 02:45 PM	#2 (permalink)
BooBop I love Derf!! Join Date: Apr 5 2001 Posts: 9,497 Rep Power: 13	I, personally, think that is way to much to spend in the Yellow Pages. Do you really want to shell out 225.00 per month to them? We went with a block ad at 71.00 per month and it did bring in business, but this year I felt like I would rather spend my advertising $$s in a different venue, where I have the control of what the ads say. Another thing, What is the name of your salon? Does it start with the letter A - J -Z. Placement will be in alphabetical order so your ad may come first or last depending on that. Of course those that have big ads get 1st placement as well, but still alpha...

02-09-2004, 03:13 PM	#3 (permalink)
abbronzatura Join Date: Aug 28 2003 Posts: 86 Rep Power: 0	Yeah, the salon that I mentioned earlier has a full size ad AND starts with the letter A. I'm Riviera Tanning Spa so I'll be towards the back. Darn! I should've gone with Aardvark Tanning and Taxidermy. I'm thinking maybe I'll scale it down to 1/2 page and then use what I save from not doing the full page on some other sort of advertising. I think once I'm open I won't have trouble getting people in. I want to be sure people know we're coming though! THanks for your input, I sure appreciate it!

02-09-2004, 05:22 PM	#4 (permalink)
top250tansyou I love Derf!! Join Date: Jan 1 2004 Location: little rock Posts: 2,237 Rep Power: 6	Is this like the real yellow pages. We have a small ad in the yellow pages and we pay Around a grand a month. It is the only advertising that we "pay" for. Also in our yellow pages the rep told us that the ads would be arranged by size not A - Z. It is odd though the first ad you see starts with o and is not very large.

02-09-2004, 06:49 PM	#5 (permalink)
Neon Beach I'm Banned Join Date: Nov 30 2000 Location: Ontario Age: 45 Posts: 52,065 Rep Power: 0	Sometimes I wonder if you actually know the figures you are dealing with. $1000! Per month! $12000 a year? Small ad? If that's true, I'm glad I don't have to be in those yellow pages. My regional Yellow Page ad is about $150 per month. Ad size is only about 2 2 1/2" by 2 1/2".

02-09-2004, 08:53 PM	#6 (permalink)
abbronzatura Join Date: Aug 28 2003 Posts: 86 Rep Power: 0	I guess that just goes to show that prices are really different all over the place. I'm guessing top250 is in an area where costs are generally higher. $1000/mo makes my $225/mo not seem so big after all! This is actually an ad for the local phone book, not the southwestern bell phone book. The SWB book just came out in December so I'll have to wait a year to get in that one. Decisions, decisions.

02-09-2004, 09:53 PM	#7 (permalink)
Neon Beach I'm Banned Join Date: Nov 30 2000 Location: Ontario Age: 45 Posts: 52,065 Rep Power: 0	$12000 per yr. I figure if I start my own yellows pages all I need is 14 ads and I've outdone my tanning business for the year!

02-10-2004, 03:53 AM	#8 (permalink)
MJ Join Date: Jan 21 2002 Posts: 3,060 Rep Power: 8	two fiddy, They smell you coming...wow!!! drop them next year and watch how they find deals you would otherwise not have been privy to. FYI: in our SBC yellow pages the large ads( color) are in the book by senoirity not necessarily alphabetically.In other words how long you have have had the ad. I guess this is there way of promoting repeat business. It is not working. I will not pay those rates. The YELLLOW BOOK just quoted me less then half for the a larger ad and more perks (locked in rate..not intro rate)I had in 2002 with SBC. I passed and he came in lower. So just learn to negotiate better and you will find the deals that are in your price range. Even though rates are different in different parts of the country that sounds HIGH.

02-10-2004, 06:37 AM	#9 (permalink)
TanningEmporium Join Date: Jul 15 2003 Location: 213 Skyland Shp Ctr Posts: 4,192 Rep Power: 8	I just have the regular free listing you get with having a phone...It works just as well as a big ad. MOst of my clients that have found us say each spring they just go down the list and get the cheapest price or the salon with the most info on the phone....phone equiette really helps.

02-10-2004, 06:45 AM	#10 (permalink)
MJ Join Date: Jan 21 2002 Posts: 3,060 Rep Power: 8	true I did fne with my free line last year..but my salon has been here for YEEEARS. So new salon may want to make a splash and get their name out there. At least the first couple of years to build a reputaion and a data base. JMHO

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