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I had a verbal agreement with the local directory and paid a deposit to place the advert. This directory will post out the directories to 40,000 homes. They do paper directories and website. A very small local family run business with lots of praises from various tradesmen. They use local firms to advertise and it was all singing and dancing local directories along with star rating to enable the customer to choose. One of business I know very well (a gas fitter) recommended it very highly as he got more work through them than Yellow Pages.
Why am I writing this? Simple, I was in agreement for the last 6 weeks getting the advert drawn up, approved, awarded top marks for client’s recommendations with a proven track record and paid deposit. I gave this a high priority because of the deadline. I must point out that I did not miss the deadline! This was due to be released by now, until I phoned them and asked “how are things?”. The reply was that “a small problem” this small problem is a huge problem for me!! A competitor in domestic appliance repair drew up a contract with them saying that they are not to place any other competitors from that trade in the directory. This makes them the only person who get all the business and no one get the work. Funnily enough the directory says that they are avoiding a saturated trade advert – how can it be saturated if it is just one? This competitor taken up all associated categories – cooker repairs, domestic repairs, washing machine repairs thus stopping anyone like me to advertise under the title. I suspect it must be one of the franchise paid vast amount of money to advertise hiding a name that appears to be a local business. I felt that this directory is distorting the competition and not letting others having same playing field, is this legal and what can I do about it?
Re: Tried to advertise with a local directory
twicknix wrote:I felt that this directory is distorting the competition and not letting others having same playing field, is this legal and what can I do about it?
Very legal and part of the directory companies remit on single advertising. Advertising of this nature nationwide is commonplace and best avoided. I sincerely hope that they refund your deposit in full and be done with them.
I’m always sceptical also of their so called circulation statistics and in this instant 40,000 homes is indeed a tempting prospect in reaching new business but often far from the truth.
Also best to avoid advertising in the local FREE directories as the circulation is based of distribution in local corner shops, libraries, community centres and post offices. Good money for those that produce them but you get bu&&er all work out of your investment.
Those per porting to represent Hospital charities, Fire & rescue and Ambulance service charities for a spot in a book/publication that’s circulated to 100’s of 1,000’s of homes is the biggest scam of all….don’t go there under any circumstance! 😉
Re: Tried to advertise with a local directory
As long as the directory refunds you I suggest heave a sigh of relief.
Might pay you to suggest they cover your costs though, but to be honest I would just notch it up as experience & move on.
If there is a rival company out there that are prepared to monopolise this publication, and moreover the directory who has allowed it to happen, they deserve each other.
Think about it, what sort of advertising journal must they be to accept one & only one trader in a specific category? They need to fill their pages, and the more single and diverse adverts the better. Also it will make the publication look thin and biased.
Alex
Re: Tried to advertise with a local directory
dont worry there are better advertising mediums for our trade out there i speak from experience as i have advertised in this type of mag in the past and the response was very poor and the quality of calls not brilliant(mostly integ d w that nobody else wanted) However my wife advertises her oven cleaning business in 5 directories a month for the last 5 years and gets a great response so some trades they are ok for .It seems that some of the mags do operate a closed shop mentality others not ,last year my wife wanted to advertise her business in a new mag and was told that she couldnt as they already had sufficent oven cleaners in there book ,when we got hold of the mag we found at least 5 plumbers ,4 builders ,etc but only one other oven cleaner 👿 so it seems they make it up as they go along :rolls: cras
Re: Tried to advertise with a local directory
I got an email apologising for their poor communication and confirmed that they are returning my deposit. They wanted to explore the possibility of putting my advert under a different title.
This is rather tricky as I said on previous post that all related categories have been snapped up by this competitor, the one and only trader.
I thought of a new title – White goods repair?
I may not want to proceed and try other avenue. Tomorrow may be a better day and bring in good fortunes….
Re: Tried to advertise with a local directory
It’s really very simple. I promise you, advertise in these sort of directories nd you will see no increase in business. Been there, done that, teeshirts…..
The simplest, cheapest and best way to get your name out there is to do a good job at a fair price and leave your customer three or four business cards. They will pass them on. It’s a slow burn, but it’s effective.
If you’re working a nice little cul-de-sac and you’ve got five minutes to spare, shove a business card through every letter box. People chuck fliers, they put business cards to one side. A few months later…..
And take comfort in the money wasted by your competitor. It’s forcing his pricing up for no reward.
After 17 years, the only advertising we maintain now is a small box in Yellow Pages. This is mainly a courtesy to the little old ladies who lose the business cards. I frequently catch Julia on the phone going,
“Yes, he’s small. Yes he’s got a beard, a bit shaggy….”
Works for us.
Chris.
Re: Tried to advertise with a local directory
agree with penguin one of our best forms of advertising is magnetic business cards that we ve been handing out for the last ten years 😀 i have a customer of mine who has one of my wife s oven cleaning leaflets pinned to her notice board that we posted through her door 5 years ago
Re: Tried to advertise with a local directory
Ditto that has been said above.
You have to target women and therefore think like one. 😥
They tend to have a draw/folder or notice board full of papers for when there required, so a business card or other form of ad would work better than a great big directory, which they know from experience they’d never find the company they wanted in the area they’d look.
All the calls I used to get from these directories came from other ad companies lookin for suckers.
Re: Tried to advertise with a local directory
twicknix wrote:I thought of a new title – White goods repair?
No way! That’s merely a trade expression and barely recognised by punters overall. The accepted norm is from this lot…..’Domestic Appliance Repairs’ ‘Electrical Appliance’ maybe even ‘Fridge’ ‘Washer’ ‘Dishwasher Repairers’ and so on.
Slightly off topic as this thread has gone so far but on the subject of stuffing leaflets, flyers, business cards or even fridge magnets, through the letterbox, then they have a very very limited return overall. Though fridge magnets may just have the edge, the result is on average about 0.5{e5d1b7155a01ef1f3b9c9968eaba33524ee81600d00d4be2b4d93ac2e58cec2d}. So for every 1000 you stuff through the letterbox you get just 5 that respond! So if it costs you £40 to get 1000 magnets made you’d best hope those 5 potential customers are going to offset your speculation?
Back on topic and local directories, they for most of us are a very important and vital form of advertising for all local businessess. Their importance should never be overlooked. Even down to local monthly church magazines, a small ad in there keeps you in the frame. People do spot these ads and come back to them as and when they need to. The trick is to realise the best format? To answer that you need to know what’s about? What comes through your door? For example: In my manor the local Chamber or Trade produce a blindingly good local directory full of all sorts of vital local information. So good is the publication that no-one and his friend would ever ignore and/or bin it!
It includes a ‘services directory’ listing various types of trade. Businessess are also listed alphabetically. It’s full of local services info, phone no’s of the local doctor, dentist, councillors, village halls, scout groups, football clubs….etc etc….. And a fantastic local area map with street names index in itself too good to bin! Every copy delivered locally and extra copies left at all the local estate agents, community centres, CAB and even the local take-aways. Comes out every year, cost me £200 for a full page add and I coin in the rewards year in year out. Though I must confess at this final stage…..I’m the only domestic appliance repairer in there…. 😈
The local church mag costs me £55 a year for a 6mm by 6mm block advert and year on year I more than quadruple my investment. At least, those that actually admit to having got my name from the church mag! Chances are that far more just see and recall seeing the ad at some stage should their need arise. So whilst an immediate return is hard to realise, long term it could, just might, give you work from it?
Re: Tried to advertise with a local directory
Thanks guys!
All your comments certainly got me thinking.
I have asked the offending advertising directory to do the decent thing to give me the advert in JPEG format.
Hopefully I will be able to use the jpeg format to advertise elsewhere. I must admit that advertising my service is harder than my previous business as a organic fruit and veg box scheme.
I had a steady number of customers with a regular income but the credit crunch and organic produce was not seen as essential. I know from personal experience that leaflet drops, newspaper ad, mags, word of mouth are all bl@@dy hardwork. I have few tricks under my sleeves, so roll on Monday!! War paints and all the malarky…
What my father used to say – no pain no gain! 😀
Re: Tried to advertise with a local directory
Martin wrote:
The local church mag costs me £55 a year for a 6mm by 6mm block advertWow, you must have one of the meanest vicars in the country!
Martin wrote:Chances are that far more just see and recall seeing the ad at some stage
I guess the ad must be working subliminally. That Martin he’s sneaky clever!
Either that or the parishoners all have microfiche readers. 😆
Mike.Re: Tried to advertise with a local directory
leavemetogetonwithit wrote:Wow, you must have one of the meanest vicars in the country!
Amen to that!
leavemetogetonwithit wrote:Either that or the parishioners all have microfiche readers. 😆
Nah! Nowt so modern and because most of the parishioners can’t afford the 20p price to buy the monthly mag, instead use Ouija boards around here or attend the regular séance’s at their church hall gatherings. 😉 🙂 I then get work through divine intervention……and of course offer extra counselling for those unfortunate parishioners that own any Indesit brand. (There’s a special corner of the parish where their machines are laid to rest) All very dignified! 🙂
Re: Tried to advertise with a local directory
leavemetogetonwithit wrote:
Martin wrote:
The local church mag costs me £55 a year for a 6mm by 6mm block advert
Wow, you must have one of the meanest vicars in the country!
Free magnifying glass with every copy though 8)
Re: Tried to advertise with a local directory
Madmac wrote:
leavemetogetonwithit wrote:
The local church mag costs me £55 a year for a 6mm by 6mm block advert
Wow, you must have one of the meanest vicars in the country!
Free magnifying glass with every copy though 8)
is it a lego congregation? not sure they make lego w/m’s?
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