, I can give a rational argument for anything from no ad to 1/3 of a page ad. I know of service companies that are not in the yellow pages at all that grow at a rate of 20% per year. These companies mail and phone exclusively, and include good offerings face-to-face. Also, a full-page ad is very expensive. As long as you can get noticed, it's the message, and not the size. Make your yellow page ad an ad, not a "me-too" announcement. Every piece of information that is displayed to the public must be your best ad, be it a business card, truck,1) Customer Base - Under the assumption that you are an existing business and have repeat business from the same customers:

A) you want to ensure that they stay loyal in each opportunity to buy from somebody;

B) you want to offer them additional products/services.

"A" is best done with mailings, e-mailings and telemarketing (or all) to this prized, expensively acquired select market. You need to show your continued "added value" over the competitors as well as your "special treatment" of the customer base. When somebody buys a business and pays extra for "goodwill", that is supposedly represented by loyalty due to that special treatment of customers. Make sure that you inform them that the same condition still exists. Telemarketing follow-up, if practical, to your customer base is a way to ensure loyalty and to sell "after-market" products/services.

Still, face-to-face remains the best method to sell anything! It's cheaper and more effective than letters or phone calls. If your business puts you at their place, develop additional products/services to offer. It's about 1/5 the cost of getting new customers. This is the most important single effort that your company will make! It's called "locking the back door" before the cows get out! This also means that any additional increase in sales is just that, an increase, not replacing lost market share. If the customers come to your place, point-of-purchase displays or flyers for the taking are an inexpensive way to promote additional products/services. Again, if you are paying extra for retail space, maximize the income potential. Have you ever bought something on impulse, off a rack, while standing in line? Some of the most productive retail space is set aside for impulse buying, especially for a captive audience (those waiting to check out). I worked in a department store in my youth. I'd likely be restocking a table when the loudspeaker would announce, "attention, ladies - there is a 1/2 off sale in linens." I would have to dive out of the way to avoid the stampede.

2. Yellow Pages - For almost any business, I can give a rational argument for anything from no ad to 1/3 of a page ad. I know of service companies that are not in the yellow pages at all that grow at a rate of 20% per year. These companies mail and phone exclusively, and include good offerings face-to-face. Also, a full-page ad is very expensive. As long as you can get noticed, it's the message, and not the size. Make your yellow page ad an ad, not a "me-too" announcement. Every piece of information that is displayed to the public must be your best ad, be it a business card, truck,

our "special treatment" of the customer base. When somebody buys a business and pays extra for "goodwill", that is supposedly represented by loyalty due to that special treatment of customers. Make sure that you inform them that the same condition still exists. Telemarketing follow-up, if practical, to your customer base is a way to ensure loyalty and to sell "after-market" products/services.

Still, face-to-face remains the best method to sell anything! It's cheaper and more effective than letters or phone calls. If your business puts you at their place, develop additional products/services to offer. It's about 1/5 the cost of getting new customers. This is the most important single effort that your company will make! It's called "locking the back door" before the cows get out! This also means that any additional increase in sales is just that, an increase, not replacing lost market share. If the customers come to your place, point-of-purchase displays or flyers for the taking are an inexpensive way to promote additional products/services. Again, if you are paying extra for retail space, maximize the income potential. Have you ever bought something on impulse, off a rack, while standing in line? Some of the most productive retail space is set aside for impulse buying, especially for a captive audience (those waiting to check out). I worked in a department store in my youth. I'd likely be restocking a table when the loudspeaker would announce, "attention, ladies - there is a 1/2 off sale in linens." I would have to dive out of the way to avoid the stampede.

2. Yellow Pages - For almost any business, I can give a rational argument for anything from no ad to 1/3 of a page ad. I know of service companies that are not in the yellow pages at all that grow at a rate of 20% per year. These companies mail and phone exclusively, and include good offerings face-to-face. Also, a full-page ad is very expensive. As long as you can get noticed, it's the message, and not the size. Make your yellow page ad an ad, not a "me-too" announcement. Every piece of information that is displayed to the public must be your best ad, be it a business card, truck,

ou at their place, develop additional products/services to offer. It's about 1/5 the cost of getting new customers. This is the most important single effort that your company will make! It's called "locking the back door" before the cows get out! This also means that any additional increase in sales is just that, an increase, not replacing lost market share. If the customers come to your place, point-of-purchase displays or flyers for the taking are an inexpensive way to promote additional products/services. Again, if you are paying extra for retail space, maximize the income potential. Have you ever bought something on impulse, off a rack, while standing in line? Some of the most productive retail space is set aside for impulse buying, especially for a captive audience (those waiting to check out). I worked in a department store in my youth. I'd likely be restocking a table when the loudspeaker would announce, "attention, ladies - there is a 1/2 off sale in linens." I would have to dive out of the way to avoid the stampede.

2. Yellow Pages - For almost any business, I can give a rational argument for anything from no ad to 1/3 of a page ad. I know of service companies that are not in the yellow pages at all that grow at a rate of 20% per year. These companies mail and phone exclusively, and include good offerings face-to-face. Also, a full-page ad is very expensive. As long as you can get noticed, it's the message, and not the size. Make your yellow page ad an ad, not a "me-too" announcement. Every piece of information that is displayed to the public must be your best ad, be it a business card, truck,

retail space, maximize the income potential. Have you ever bought something on impulse, off a rack, while standing in line? Some of the most productive retail space is set aside for impulse buying, especially for a captive audience (those waiting to check out). I worked in a department store in my youth. I'd likely be restocking a table when the loudspeaker would announce, "attention, ladies - there is a 1/2 off sale in linens." I would have to dive out of the way to avoid the stampede.

2. Yellow Pages - For almost any business, I can give a rational argument for anything from no ad to 1/3 of a page ad. I know of service companies that are not in the yellow pages at all that grow at a rate of 20% per year. These companies mail and phone exclusively, and include good offerings face-to-face. Also, a full-page ad is very expensive. As long as you can get noticed, it's the message, and not the size. Make your yellow page ad an ad, not a "me-too" announcement. Every piece of information that is displayed to the public must be your best ad, be it a business card, truck,

, I can give a rational argument for anything from no ad to 1/3 of a page ad. I know of service companies that are not in the yellow pages at all that grow at a rate of 20% per year. These companies mail and phone exclusively, and include good offerings face-to-face. Also, a full-page ad is very expensive. As long as you can get noticed, it's the message, and not the size. Make your yellow page ad an ad, not a "me-too" announcement. Every piece of information that is displayed to the public must be your best ad, be it a business card, truck, flyer or incoming phone call. If you want to think that you need yellow page exposure, make it your best shot using your best 'Value added" message. I know also of service companies that are for sale and not likely to be purchased because of $18,000 per month yellow page expenses. For $18,000 a month, I can do a lot of direct, controlled marketing that can be changed, cancelled or increased at a moment's notice. There are also competitive service companies that you couldn't buy that are not in the yellow pages. If you use yellow pages, make it roar to the point that the only rational response is, "I'd be nuts not to call this company."

3. Location - If you offer retail products and you are in a decent traffic location, you are paying extra for that high traffic. Look at it as marketing costs. So, make the most of your opportunities to be noticed by a lot of people. Use "headline grabber" type statements on signs to attract them into your den or to your web site. The message, "SALE", only has impact if they are predisposed to buy your product. Don't wait for them to accidentally stumble into your store. Put your most exotic, mysterious and irresistibly provocative benefits and products in the window. The front of the store's main role in life is to get them into the store. Contractors pay as much as $85 for a new customer. Look at it as the carnival barker - you must inspire them to enter.