How Does Your Yellow Page Ad Look?

Recently, I've had some Yellow Page directories drop onto my driveway in a plastic bag. Years ago, I used to look forward to seeing these and checking out what my competitors were doing. Now, the book goes immediately into the recycle container.

Yellow Pages, which started as literally, the "yellow pages" in the back of the phone book, used to be a key form of advertising. You had to be there. Now the book amazingly continues to be printed in a variety of small formats. The display ads are primarily bail bonds companies and plumbers, along with criminal and ambulance chaser attorneys.

I haven't used a Yellow Page book for years but their arrival made me think about an old friend who was a top sales rep for the phone book company, the Pacific Bell Yellow Pages in California. Many years ago he decided to quit this lucrative job to do missions work.

I've not seen or connected with him for quite some time, but by random chance I ran into him and his wife in Kona, Hawaii while I was on vacation recently. It seems that after he left his job in California they became involved with YWAM, an organization whose main base is located in Kona. They are now back in the business world in the Midwest, but are still connected with YWAM and were in Hawaii for our chance meeting.

He explained that because of the success he had as the #2 Yellow Pages sales rep in all of California, he was able to take the money and go do the missions work they had a heart for. I'm sure that at the time he couldn't dream that the lucrative job he had selling Yellow Page ads would ultimately become obsolete.

This made me reflect on the marketing we do in our businesses today. How do you reach new clients in today's Internet, social media driven marketplace? Your input is welcomed.