People in business know that referrals from current clients are effective because a relationship already exists between the client and the referral. The same is true for referrals to your center. However, referrals alone will not reach your entire target market. By using a variety of promotional methods, you can insure a steady flow of clients. Consider commercial advertising. In particular, advertising in the yellow pages of your regional phone books could reach many clients you are not reaching now.

Many local businesses credit their entire success to their listing or advertisement in the yellow pages. But yellow page advertising is completely different from most other types of marketing. Those who use the yellow pages are called "now buyers" because they are ready to make a purchase. "Now buyers" are simply looking for the right place from which to obtain what they want. Very often their decisions are based largely upon what they see in the yellow pages. Following are some other things to keep in mind about advertising in the yellow pages.

Circulation
Virtually every business and every home has a telephone directory. Therefore, nearly everyone has immediate access to your ad.

Usage
Over 85% of adults consult the yellow pages at one time or another. They follow up with a phone call, a visit, or a letter 93% of the time. About 75% of those who use the yellow pages do so at least once a month (statistics from BellSouth).

Disadvantages
There are several disadvantages to advertising in the yellow pages. First, the ads can be expensive. Second, once you have signed the contract, you are locked in for an entire year. Third, the effectiveness of yellow pages ads can be difficult to test and track. Since the yellow pages are printed only once a year, you have infrequent opportunities to experiment with different copy (text) and designs. Fourth, your center's display ad will be placed alongside all your competitors' ads.

Yellow Pages Buyer's Checklist

• Ask for maps of the distribution areas for each phone book you consider advertising in. A particular phone book may reach well beyond the area you need to target. If that is the case, explain this to your yellow pages sales representative and ask for a rate based upon the percentage you will benefit from reaching.
  
• In the text of your display ad, never use a "bait and switch" tactic to attract clients to your center. Be honest about what you are offering through your display ads. For example, do not try to attract a client by appearing to offer abortions then switch your story once she gets to your center.
  
• Ask each person who calls or visits how she found out about your center. This will help you determine what kind of promotion medium is effective, and it will help you make those promotion efforts even more compelling. Track your statistics for each promotion medium on paper. Garnering clients' comments about your yellow pages ad will help you fine tune it.
  
• List your center under the correct headings. Find out what headings your yellow pages provider offers and list under every heading where someone might look for your services. Typically, second and subsequent listings cost extra. Calculate how much it will cost to list under every heading you desire and then rank the headings in order of effectiveness. Eliminate headings that you cannot afford from the bottom of the list. Remember to research where your competitors list and place your listing under those headings too.
  
• Ask for a deal! Negotiate.
  
• When choosing the size of your ad, bear in mind that display ads appear according to size within each section of the yellow pages. The largest ads appear first. You probably won't choose to run a full-page ad, but remember that you want to make your display ad as large as or larger than your competitors' ads.
  
• Write copy that is powerful and focused. Use an arresting headline (e.g., "Pregnant? We Can Help!"). List as much information about your center as you can while maintaining a pleasing visual ad design. More information in an ad stimulates action. In some cases it draws almost twice as much response as ads with lots of white space instead of copy. Yellow pages ads are for information first, image second! Be sure to include copy in Spanish or other languages if your region warrants it.
  
• Take advantage of in-column ads as well as display ads. In-column ads are found in both the white pages and the yellow pages. They appear alphabetically within the listings.
  
• Look into adding a client-appropriate photo or graphic into your display ad. Photos and graphics will attract attention and can help distinguish your ad from competitors' ads.
  
• Consider asking a materials donor (e.g., Pampers, Wal-Mart, etc.) if they would like a mention in your ad in exchange for their underwriting some or all of the cost of the ad.
  
• Finally, judge what ads dominate a page by holding the yellow pages book at arm's length and seeing which ads jump out at you. You want your ad to dominate the page either by size, type, weight, color, or graphics! Color sells. By using color you may be able to decrease the size of your ad and still retain its potency.

Put it all together and you will have an effective, efficient way to guide more clients to your center when they most need you.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Majori Masitto Krause, B.S., is an Account Executive for Marketing Partners, Inc. She can be reached at 800-588-7744 or info@atcmag.com.

Source: At The Center Magazine Online
Web address: http://www.atcmag.com