Yellow Pages Advertising That Sucks – 10 Examples of What NOT To Do!

Yellow Pages Advertising That Sucks – 10 Examples of What NOT To Do!

I recently picked up the Yellow Pages (hardly ever use it) to find an air conditioning repair company and was surprised to see how similar the Yellow Pages advertising looked. Almost none of the companies differentiated themselves from their competitors. All the Yellow Pages ads were homogeneous. Some even looked as though they had just copied each other’s advertising. Yikes!

I can tell that most of these companies think Yellow Pages advertising is just another way for them to market themselves. And while that is partially true, Yellow Page ads do NOT work like traditional forms of advertising. Oh no, no, no!

Traditional forms of advertising that appear on billboards, newspapers, radio, internet, and television interrupt you in order to convey a marketing message. After all, you don’t read the newspaper for the ads and you don’t watch television for the commercials.

You tolerate the advertising interruptions because the newspapers, radio, internet, and television provide you with valuable news, information, or entertainment. As you know from firsthand experience, most of the sales messages that are conveyed through these traditional forms of advertising are ignored. You look away, click away, or run away from most of the ads that come your way (with Super Bowl ads being one of the few exceptions).

Even if by some chance the traditional advertising message is not ignored – very few people are ready to act shortly after processing the message. I never met anyone that rushed out to buy a car immediately after seeing a car commercial. This is the reason advertising is repeated over and over and over and over and over again.

Big companies know that even though the initial ad didn’t convert you to a prospect, eventually you will see so many ads that hopefully you will be swayed in the future. The big companies are using strategies that focus on the long term. They know that car commercial will not make you go out and buy the car right away. They are just hoping that when you do decide to buy a new car, you will remember their advertisement. They are counting on you to choose the car you saw in their commercial – the one that they’ve bombarded you with throughout the whole year.

With Yellow Pages advertising, you don’t have the luxury of repetition over a long time period. When a person picks up the Yellow Pages, he is already in need of your product or service. He is prepared to take action. He is ready to buy! Right away!

The problem is that you have competitors selling the same products or services you’re selling. That’s why you need to distinguish yourself from your competitors. You want to be the prospect’s first choice and you want him to call you immediately after seeing YOUR ad!!!

The companies I’ve selected below do a poor job of differentiating themselves from the rest of their competitors. On top of that, they do little to call a prospect to action. These business owners need help and they don’t even know it – that’s why I’ve decided to analyze a few Yellow Pages advertisements for their benefit as well as yours. The following Yellow Pages advertisements have been ranked from least awful (10) to the most terrible (1), each with its own pros and cons. Hopefully this article will help you avoid making the same mistakes when coming up with your own phone book ad. Although this article is aimed at businesses who still use phone book advertising, we can all learn some great marketing lessons of what NOT to do from the ads below.

10. J&W Heating and Air

Pros: The picture of the happy family adds a human element to this Yellow Pages ad. The ad is well organized and easy to follow. This company somewhat differentiates themselves with the “Green Friendly AC Units.” The company lists their website address right under the phone number.

Cons: Other than having a color ad (which according to big marketing researchers = no difference in conversion rates) and environmental friendly units, this company does little else to separate themselves from everyone else. It also falls into the trap of listing how long it has been around and makes a weak attempt at a benefit with the ambiguous “Fast Response” message at the bottom of the ad.

9. Taylor’s Heating & Air Conditioning & Refrigeration Inc.

Pros: This company lists what it does as well as some of the benefits of doing business with it. It gives three contact numbers. While it is barely noticeable, this company also includes its website address.

Cons: The name is the biggest part of the ad. The ad lacks a compelling headline. The benefits they list are the same ones listed by everyone else (free estimates, 24 hours service, servicing all models).

8. Estes Heating And Air Conditioning

Pros: The company states its goal is 100% satisfaction. It lists one of the benefits as “emergency service” which is a unique selling proposition. This company also accepts factory warranties, which is something not advertised by the others. Their web address is clearly stated below their phone number.

Cons: They don’t list the 100% satisfaction as a guarantee – which means they don’t guarantee you’ll be 100% satisfied, but hopefully they’ll reach their goal. The meaning of “emergency service” is not defined which weakens that unique selling proposition.

7. Florida Weather Inc.

Pros: This company gives information about what they do…well sort of. If you zoom in, you can spot their message.

Cons: The company name is confusing (Florida Weather Inc. does not sound like an air conditioning repair company). In addition, this ad includes a picture of a serene beach scene which only adds to my bewilderment. Their slogan adds even more confusion, “We Do What The Weatherman Can’t.” Does that mean this company can always predict the right weather?

6. Air to Air Inc.

Pros: Lists a few benefits of doing business with the company. The company has four numbers meaning they have offices in different parts of the city. Also includes a website.

Cons: This Yellow Pages ad has a big title that eats up around 1/3 of the ad space, but does little to prompt the prospect to take action. The benefits are the exact ones as other companies. The goofy cartoon bear does little to help sales – they should use that space to list some of the benefits of doing business with them.

5. Harvey’s Air Conditioning & Heating

Pros: This company makes it clear that it is an air conditioning and heating servicing company. They state that they service “all makes and models.”

Cons: The company lists its name in big bold letters without a headline. The few benefits they do list are very hard to see. The cartoons they use do little for this ad.

4. Air Creations Heating & Cooling

Pros: This Yellow Pages ad lists what the company does in a clear way.

Cons: The ad does not list any benefits of doing business with this company (not even the played out benefits that its competitors list). There are no compelling offers or reasons to call them. If a prospect glanced at this ad, he would assume the company sells three brands of ACs, but does not necessarily provide any type of repair services.

3. Baker Sales & Service Heating & Air Conditioning Inc.

Pros: This company knows what an air conditioner looks like and there is a picture of it in their ad.

Cons: This company lists absolutely no benefits. It doesn’t list any reasons why you should call them other than the fact that they’ve been in business since 1971…well, whoop-tee-dooo!

2. Comfortmasters Air Conditioning & Heating

Pros: This company offers same day service and financing.

Cons: At first I mistook this for a furniture company ad because that is exactly what it looks like. The name, “Comfortmasters” makes me think of couches and beds – not AC units (and I live in Florida). The picture of the owner with the city in the background does little to help this Yellow Pages ad. If you are going to use images, use them effectively. Tie them in with your service! In this ad there is little correlation between the images and the service, other than, “Hey, I’m located in your city.” Thanks, but we already knew that. The “Air Conditioning and Heating” is barely visible, especially to someone who is skimming the Yellow Pages quickly, so I would definitely increase the font on that.

1. Bill Williams Air Conditioning & Heating Inc.

Pros: This company mentions air conditioning and heating in its ad.

Cons: Everything else. This company does not even list ONE reason to call them. They waste over half of their advertising space on an abstract looking company logo. Wonder who sold them on that?

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I hope I’ve given you some insight into what NOT to do if you decide to use Yellow Pages advertising for your business. I personally think there are more effective advertising mediums you can use, but I know Yellow Pages is still favored by some brick and mortar businesses.

In my next article I will discuss some Yellow Pages advertising done right. I’m going to put up ads that do a good job of differentiating themselves from their competitors. It’s going to be tough, but I’m confident I can find at least a couple of businesses that are using their advertising dollars more effectively than the companies listed above.