Yellow Pages and SMB Odds and Ends

Here are some interesting directory and small-business advertising related items I’ve plucked from recent news alerts.

For a bit of insight on how small businesses in a meat and potatoes category (Tire Dealers) view the evolution of their ad spend, see this article from TireBusiness.com (I only get it for the articles). One observation is how little performance measurement enters into the discussion of where to invest ad dollars.

I also came across this piece from the Rochester, NY, Democrat and Chronicle that talks in anecdotal terms about the trend for consumers and small-business owners to tackle repair and remodeling projects on their own. What is notable is the scale of the projects, many involving complex and possibly dangerous plumbing and electrical work. This may stand to reason in a deep recession, but it isn’t good news for contractors or the local media that sell them advertising.

Interesting counterintuitive take on small-business advertising from The Wall Street Journal’s small business advice column. The basic message is don’t overlook unsexy media choices like door hangers, Yellow Pages or the local church newsletter. They are often more targeted and effective than given credit, depending on the product and the target audience.

Interesting report here on how Yellow Pages in New Zealand is struggling with its decision to offshore its DA call center. Having been to NZ a couple of times, I can see how an offshore agent might struggle with some of the Maori words, which come in handy given so many towns have Maori names. The larger issue raised is how much of a business is call-based DA in the era of the Internet and mobile phones?