A few times a day I check in to see who’s hitting the blog and where they’re coming from. Nine times within the last few hours someone’s stopped by to check out my post Get Listed Locally – Online about a service called List and Found.
Let’s give the people more of what they want, I thought. So here it is . . . post 2 for you.
Why is this topic so popular? Well, look at this headline’s post: Yellow Pages Wipe Out.
Businesses, churches and organizations blow a huge percentage of their ad budget on their Yellow Pages ad. At one church, that’s about 70% of their entire marketing budget – ouch!
Although I’ve never bought a Yellow Pages ad, I do have two business lines. Getting a single line under a subheading in the area directory alway’s been enough for me. Sometimes too much . . .
Starting out, I decided to be listed with the writers. After a few calls asking me to write poetry, an import company’s contract and a some start over resumes, I switched to public relations counselors. Why? The marketing category was bloated with hundreds of companies that I didn’t care to compete with. And, besides, all of our projects incorporate a public relations perspective – whether or not we ever write "for immediate release."
Being listed in the Yellow Pages – anywhere – never brought me any business. Maybe a few serious prospects called, but they were in shopping mode.
The "found" inquiries we get from our directory listings come from The Chicago Creative Directory where you’ll see:
CORYWEST
407 Turner Avenue Glen Ellyn IL 60137
630/942-9542 FAX 630/942-9541
Spirited Communications since 1990
Barbara Rozgonyi
e-mail: connect@corywestmedia.com
– Translate content into wired writing; reach readers right away
– Publish an interactive ezine; measure results and grow
– Enhance PR; invite media into online newsrooms
– Refine (or rebuild) your site; align Web messaging with marketing
– Integrate all communications; accelerate goal achievement
Free consultation, ezine and group seminars: connect@corywestmedia.com
And, my Independent Writers of Chicago listing:
| Profile | Transformation agent who accelerates marketing with multi-media ramps that bridge the offline to the online worlds. Speaker, consultant and integrated marketing planner. Join our online community at www.betteremailmarketing.com and get free reports and backstage passes to what’s working in marketing’s inner circles. We’ll help you advance your business quickly, profitably and in creative directions. Complimentary 30 minute consultation given away every week. Email or call now to arrange yours. | ||
| Education | University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Marketing 2006 National Speakers Association, Illinois Chapter, Candidate University graduate 2006 Alex Mandossian’s Teleseminar Secrets graduate 2006 Launched Multi-Media Marketing with Blockbuster Video Marketing Secrets |
||
| Years Experience: | 20 | ||
| Years as Independent Writer: | 15 | ||
Areas of Expertise
| Writing Samples: |
By the way, both the Chicago Creative Directory and the Independent Writers of Chicago offer fantastic creative resources. The directories are so good, we use them ourselves when we need some back-up or specialized creative talent.
Here’s how we stack up Google and Yahoo!’s local searches – I entered these listings at least a year ago. . .
On a Google local search, CoryWest Media turns up as the number one PR firm in Glen Ellyn.
On a Yahoo! local search, CoryWest Media is the number one PR firm in Glen Ellyn.
Being the PR person that I am, I just set up CoryWest Media’s Lost and Found listing to 1. give the readers another post to read and 2. let you know that I am testing this service out 3. show you how I presented my business online and 4. to get your feedback.
Our logo wouldn’t upload – have to check with our designer on that. So, I posted a picture of yours truly. It’s always a toss up – a butterfly or me.
But people who find me online aren’t looking for butterfly images (FYI – nicor’s using one of my stock photos in a campaign right now), they’re looking for a storyteller or a transformations agent.
And, that’s what they get when they call.
Here are some tips about how to get the most from your listings:
– submit your information to every group you belong to – and make sure they’re all on your press release and special announcement lists
– be consistent – when you read my collection you’ll see a variety of approaches, that’s because these were all created at different times. Going forward, we’ll set one standard
– get listed online in local directories at least at Google and Yahoo!
– check out your competition and see where they come up, read how they promote themselves and set yourself off in your own way
– if your local competition is a light-weight in their local listing (i.e. no web link, categories, hours, etc.), but their home site is stellar, the complete and well-written local listing site takes the prize in some search contests – especially when people are in a hurry and they don’t want to click around
– try offering a new customer discount in your listing, many of ours promote a complimentary 30 minute consultation every week. It’s true, we do hold that time open and would talk to people who called, but we don’t get called very often. Even so, it makes up look generous for making the offer. (630.942.9542 to set up your consultation)
– sign up for a service like www.listandfound.com for easy set-up and search engine submission
– sleep easier at night because you’re spending way less money on your advertising
– get in touch with a marketing consultant you trust and funnel your savings into their services so that you can take that money and make more with it
– same goes for a financial or computer consultant, if marketing’s not your sore spot, treat what is with your savings
– recycle your Yellow Pages
If you’re one of the listing post folks, share your comments and let us know how you got here and how we can find you online. I’m all for promos . . .
English 