Comments on: More Yellow Bashing

By: Rick Zwetsch

Rick Zwetsch — Tue, 18 Mar 2008 21:52:59 +0000

The publishers should start by “reading” the industry and related blogs first! Lots of great ideas and advice – free for the taking! And you know the “strong economic headwinds” are at a gale force when the infamous YP plumber says that he’s not sure that spending “several thousand dollars” a year on advertising in the phone book is worth it. Only to be accentuated with “I haven’t picked one up in I don’t know how long.” That’s coming from an advertiser? YIKES!

By: Andy S.

Andy S. — Tue, 18 Mar 2008 18:23:29 +0000

It always amuses me to see “news”papers running stories like this without a note at the bottom which reads, “full disclosure – our print/internet products compete with yellow pages for advertising revenue.”

By: Charles Laughlin

Charles Laughlin — Tue, 18 Mar 2008 17:57:28 +0000

Hi Seb,
Thanks for the comment and I agree, though we certainly don’t want industry leaders to stop speaking at conferences 😉 Another related point is that it would be a serious mistake for the industry or individual companies to disengage from the media because they think they are being treated unfairly (which they are to a large degree). Most of the time, they will get better treatment when they answer the phone and engage the media openly than when they don’t. It doesn’t always work, but it usually works better than silence.

By: Sebastien Provencher

Sebastien Provencher — Tue, 18 Mar 2008 17:32:28 +0000

Charles,

One way to re-join the conversation would be for directory publishers to start blogging. They all have very smart CEOs and VPs, who usually have a lot to say, but we only communicate behind closed doors or in industry conferences. It’s time for the industry to get back its share of voice and I think it would help to address the media bashing that’s currently happening.