I had the Verizon Yellow Page ad person come by my office yesterday. While she was a bit to pushy for my liking, it did get me to wondering if anyone has success with Yellow Page ads. I told her upfront that I was a big yellow page skeptic, I haven't looked in 'the book' for years. I look up everything on line now.
Of course, being in the book supposedly gets you better placement in the 'online' version of the yellow pages as well. I couldn't get a real clear answer on how this part worked.
Based on the numbers she presented to me, I would get 34 leads a month (not guaranteed) by having a display ad. This would make my cost about $11.75 each, which just seemed way, way, way to high. Now, she did have the statistic that for every dollar spent, for insurance agents, they earn $20. I did point out to her that this was based on total premium, not commission dollars, which on auto, meant that using her numbers, the stars had to line up to pay for the ad. Also, I would have a year commitment.... ouch!
So my question is simple.... Who has a yellow page ad, and has it worked for you? Will you renew it?
I had the Verizon Yellow Page ad person come by my office yesterday. While she was a bit to pushy for my liking, it did get me to wondering if anyone has success with Yellow Page ads. I told her upfront that I was a big yellow page skeptic, I haven't looked in 'the book' for years. I look up everything on line now.
Of course, being in the book supposedly gets you better placement in the 'online' version of the yellow pages as well. I couldn't get a real clear answer on how this part worked.
Based on the numbers she presented to me, I would get 34 leads a month (not guaranteed) by having a display ad. This would make my cost about $11.75 each, which just seemed way, way, way to high. Now, she did have the statistic that for every dollar spent, for insurance agents, they earn $20. I did point out to her that this was based on total premium, not commission dollars, which on auto, meant that using her numbers, the stars had to line up to pay for the ad. Also, I would have a year commitment.... ouch!
So my question is simple.... Who has a yellow page ad, and has it worked for you? Will you renew it?
Dan
Depends on what you sell and where it is listed.....I have this listed under health plans....not insururance and it coast me $55 a month and have written enough biz of of it to pay for 3 years with out another call...also....I tried to get as close as I can to the top of the list by using broker and have found I am always the first secnd or thrird when called and when I ask if the other guys answerd the phone before they called and 9 out of 10....no.....just placed a yellow page client yesterday and now wants me to mail her cards for people she thinks I need to talk to....
depends on what you sell and where it is listed.....I have this listed under health plans....not insururance and it coast me $55 a month and have written enough biz of of it to pay for 3 years with out another call...also....I tried to get as close as I can to the top of the list by using broker and have found I am always the first secnd or thrird when called and when I ask if the other guys answerd the phone before they called and 9 out of 10....no.....just placed a yellow page client yesterday and now wants me to mail her cards for people she thinks I need to talk to....
Now I could probably handle the $55 a month. The price given to me was 10 times that. Bigger ad, and I have the privilege of being in the area with the largest circulation in the US for a regional phonebook (not sure I believed this, but it is large). My sales lady was pretty adament that these smaller ads will get lost in the book. I actually agreed with her, based on the pages that currently exist.
I like your ad though, and may consider cloning it for some advertising... It addresses 2 big concerns, you use 'top-rated' companies, and have multiple carriers. You'll do the shopping for me
What do you sell.....life....health ....auto......
Originally Posted by djs
In the brokers section, selling auto insurance. Actually, she wanted me to go with life insurance, but I can't see that working out very well.
But did they list in the health insurance/plan section.....I would not put this in the insurance section....would get lost....but have found when people need health insurance that is the first place they look.....
Originally Posted by john_petrowski
Experiences vary. I only have two agents friends who put small ads in the Yellow Pages in MD. Both have yet to receive a single call after a year.
I'm sure at all $55 a month it's probaby worth it. But I'm still not gonna place one.
Back in time when I thought that every dollar you spend on advertising you got back tenfold.......
.......Or was that just my manager telling me that?
I bought a yellow page ad for over $2000, it got me nothing at all other then calls for P & C, even then that was about 3 calls.
Fastest waste of money ever for me, a close 2nd to internet leads.
I've found that there are better ways to spend your money on.
Try to be lean and mean with every dollar you spend on marketing and advertising, you can spend thousands of dollars in this business and get nothing at all back.
Our ad comes out in late June. I'll let you know how it goes. But I'm not optimistic. My past experiences with yellow page ads have not been good. But the partners wanted to do it so we are.
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Steph
My job is so secret I don't even know what I'm doing!
You might as well put your ad in the automotive section, since all you are going to get are "tire kickers". By the time you run the quote and call them back, they have found it already, and won't return your call.
I'd rather play naked Twister with the Golden Girls
I'm not sure I want to client who still uses the Yellow Pages
Yer killing me....you don't like yellow page leads....you don't like telephone sign leads....you don't like internet leads....trying to do a mailer is a waste of time....so....were do I get the fell out of the sky with a check in their hand leads.....
I have done YP ads in the past. Didn't get much bang for my buck. Another I know locally advertises everywhere (or so it seems) and has for years. Gotta figure it must be working.
I have seen his advertisement for "Bottom Line Insurance" on telephone poles, in the YP, on buses and in the coupon envelopes in the mail & newspaper.
If you are going that route, plan on spending some $$$ and you may have to play with it to find something that works.
I suggest you go to a library and pull out last years YP and see what is in there. You might also go to Reference USA (in the library) and do a search for agency's that do what you do. See if any of them have YP ads. Look for agents that have used the YP for 5 years or longer, then look up their ad.
Better to copy what works than fall for a pitch from someone hawking ad space.
I've done a lot of avertising locally - papers, magazines, etc...Generally very poor results. The people who call - which isn't often - are uninsurable broke tire kickers. Not to say I didn't get the occasional deal, but not worth it enough for me to keep renewing those ads.
I mean it's no great secret that out of the top 5 reasons for failing in this business 1 through 4 are an inability to generate quality leads.
I've long since figured out that there isn't much new you can do in this business. If you think its new, almost always somebody else has tried it before and it didn't work. There are also no shortcuts. I keep looking for them, but in the end, good honest hard work is what pays the bills.
I've tried newspaper ads, wasted money, I've tried hiring telemarketers, wasted money, I've bought internet leads, sometimes good, sometimes not, I've tried mailings, wasted money, I've tried giving away gas cards, wasted money.....
Now, it's been suggested that I rent some prime retail space, get some girls from the local 'Hooters', and have them hold a free car wash in front of my retail space.... While this would probably be a total waste of money, it would probably be the most fun waste of money I could do
And yes, I can't see me paying for the yellow page ad. I was hoping a few would step up and say they had ads and they were highly successful. Unfortunately, this isn't the type of thing you can try and tweak as you go, once printed, you're done....
P&C will get the most calls. Health will also get some calls. Beyond that, you won't get much from it. Depending on the size and presence of your agency it can be worth it, for credibility purposes, whether it pays for itself directly or not. In the small town (15,000) area I'm in outside of Pittsburgh, there is nobody that has been in business any length of time without a YP ad.
Yellow Page Ads - Worth it or not...
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