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Yellow Pages Ads ( part 2 ) Another key factor determining whether your ad will be read is the size of ad you decide to buy. Obviously, the larger the ad, the more attention it gets. Once you select the heading or headings under which your ad will appear -- and they should be headings for the products and services that give you the greatest profitability -- open to those headings and see what ad sizes your competitors have. You can then choose ad sizes larger than theirs, on par with theirs, or smaller than theirs -- depending on budget constraints and the competitive stance you want to take. Once you've decided on directories, headings and ad sizes, concentrate on creating an ad that both attracts attention and stimulates customer response. Experts such as Jeffrey Price, author of Yellow Pages Advertising: How to Get the Greatest Return on Your Investment, say you can achieve those results by including the following in your ad: * Attention-getting artwork. Artwork is the greatest eye-catcher for an ad, after size. You can use visuals from your suppliers or even non-copyrighted artwork you locate in out-of-town or out-of-state Yellow Pages. Stick with illustrations whenever possible, since photographs may reproduce poorly. And keep areas of blank space around your artwork, and throughout your ad as well, so your ad is uncluttered-looking and easy to read. * A headline that says what makes you special. Identify the special or unique characteristic that, for your target customer, puts you ahead of the competition. Write a short, to-the-point headline stating that advantage. If your headline must focus on just one of your products or services, choose the one that is most profitable. * Complete information buyers need to make a purchase decision. Your ad must convince buyers that you're the best source for what they need. So support your headline with information, usually presented in list form, about your: - Reliability (e.g., years in business). - Authorized products and services. - Full range of product line. - Location (with maps, when helpful). - Business hours. - Special features such as parking, credit cards honored, discounts, licenses, guarantees, delivery policy and emergency services. Lastly, try to get your ad placed in the most prominent position possible under each heading. Since positions are assigned on a first-come-first-served basis, it's advantageous to finalize your contracts with Yellow Pages publishers as rapidly as possible. print this post out ( as any of my posts if you wish ) So much to learn. Posted: Saturday 2nd April 2005, 1:17 AM

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