Advertising

System
System Posts: 100,537 🤖 Admin 🤖
edited June 9 in General accounting discussion
Hi everyone

I've just had a call from Yellow Pages asking whether I would like an advert, it is quite reasonable, and I was just wondering if any MIPs do this, and how effective it is. I am a fairly new MIP so I don't want to waste money if it isn't going to generate much business, but I do need to attract more clients. There is also the option of going on Yell.com as well (for an extra charge) and so I am wondering whether to just do this, or advertise in the book as well, or neither.

Any help would be appreciated!

Jo

Comments

  • System
    System Posts: 100,537 🤖 Admin 🤖
    Re:Advertising

    Hi Joanne
    I had a free listing in the Yellow Pages and on Yell.com last year, which yielded one client. I was persuaded to take out an advert within the AAT promoted space within YPs this year at a cost of £120, but have had no response so far from this. I would recommend advertising in local newspapers and parish magazines/newsletters or try dirct marketing via flyers etc to local businesses.
  • System
    System Posts: 100,537 🤖 Admin 🤖
    Re:Advertising

    Hello Jo,

    While I'm not a MIP myself since I'm still at Technician level, I do have a heavy involvement in our companies advertising policy.

    We had Yellow Pages around a few months ago touting for our business but we decided not to go with them for several reasons;

    1) I no longer believe that the Yellow Pages/Thomson local are mediums widely used by people browsing for services, and have now largely been replaced by the internet or local commercial radio. £10,000 for no firm promise of any business was not on!

    2) Once it's gone to print, you're committed to the expenditure for a considerable period of time, maybe for up to eighteen months or longer. Even if it's not working for you, you've still got to pay for it which may stick in your throat!

    3) Despite overly optimistic promises offered by the advertiser, you're still in the same melting pot with all your competitors and it's complete luck of the draw how, if or when you get picked by a potential customer

    4) I don't like their aggressive attitude, which may be a result of their declining market. Plus, once they have your name, you may find they'll constantly harrass you until you get aggressive back with them and tell them to leave you alone.

    Although we're a manufacturer, the best form of advertising for us was the local radio. As they say, "You can't turn your ears off"! Once we did that, our business exploded and we've never looked back. It was a fairly major investment but was absolutely worth it, and is still ongoing now. Plus you can pull the plug at short notice meaning you are still relatively in control of it. Of course, this all depends on your budget, but it may still be cheaper than the Yellow Pages.

    I would take the Yell.com advert though - I think they even do a free one, with better ones available at a price. Maybe even consider getting a small website too?

    Regards,

    Robert
  • System
    System Posts: 100,537 🤖 Admin 🤖
    Re:Advertising

    I think someone put a post on here a few months ago about MIP's going along to local small business events for networking purposes.

    Word of mouth is the best advert for anyone providing a service.

    I know there's an MIP near me who advertises in the community magazine (delivered to 3,500 homes) and she is the only accountancy professional in it.

    You could always stand outside your local HMRC office with flyers for anyone looking a little stressed!


    :wink:

    Helen
  • System
    System Posts: 100,537 🤖 Admin 🤖
    Re:Advertising

    Hi Joanne

    The only response I got from advertising in the Yellow Pages, was a lot of telephone calls from people trying to sell me things, along with a few free pens in the post.

    A few people have posted on the forum in the past saying they have done quite well, so I suppose it is just luck.

    Thompson Directories - be very careful they won't take no for an answer and they are very pushy trying to say you have to make a decision straight away as they are about to publish (I'll still got phone calls for another month after they told me this). I had to put the phone down on them several times and in the end I programmed them into my phone as 'do not answer' luckily they always rang from the same number!!
  • System
    System Posts: 100,537 🤖 Admin 🤖
    Re:Advertising

    A tip that I was told that works effectively when dealing with all these people is to say that the price is too high, and outside your advertising budget. When they get really desperate they will often accept a vastly reduced fee.

    Personally, I only advertise in a couple of local magazines and have never gone down the yellow pages/yell.com/Thompsons route - you are one of literally hundreds.

    Also, for some bizarre reason Jo Public seems to think that people who advertise in church/community magazines are more honest than the "sharks" in YP :shock:

    Claudia
  • System
    System Posts: 100,537 🤖 Admin 🤖
    Re:Advertising

    Thanks for all your advice, it was as I thought, I wouldn't imagine a lot of people use the book Yellow Pages now with the availability of checking on the internet. I have a free listing with Yell.com at the moment which I may upgrade to a better ad, and am in the process of setting up a website now (not easy when you aren't very technical!!) :roll:

    Thanks again

    Jo
  • System
    System Posts: 100,537 🤖 Admin 🤖
    Re:Advertising

    I've just got the free listing in YP and have had maybe 5 calls from it in the past year - 2 turned out to be 2 of my biggest clients! I think I've also got 1 or 2 other small clients from it.

    And Claudia's right about negotiating with newspapers etc - I've not advertised like that but one of my clients does - he had a call the other day from someone trying to get him to pay £200+ for an ad - he replied 'well, I'm not in desperate need to advertise noe but if you're having problems filling the space you can put in my ad for £30'. she phoned back 5 mins later to say yes, £30 was fine!! Play them at their own game!


  • System
    System Posts: 100,537 🤖 Admin 🤖
    Re:Advertising

    Hi Helen

    I was interested to read your post, as from previous messages you have posted on the forum I suspect I live very near to you.

    I put an advert in the Blackmore Vale Magazine each week, but there is quite a few other Accountants/Bookkeepers that also advertise in there, so I was wondering if you were willing to disclose the community magazine that you said there is only one Accountant that advertises in? Or is the person a friend of yours and you'd rather not share the information?

    Sue
  • System
    System Posts: 100,537 🤖 Admin 🤖
    Re:Advertising

    It's the Dot.com - Sturminster Newton area.

    I'm one of the editors, so take an interest in the content more than most.

    http://www.sturminster-site.net/unitycom.htm

    There's also the Blackmore Vale Tele-Directory - but that's a bit hit and miss. Nice idea, but I live here and don't always get the new one delivered to me.

    Just a thought, but if you are near to me I know there are a good number of sub-contractors that might be interested in the new CIS. Potential there for new clients?

    Helen
  • System
    System Posts: 100,537 🤖 Admin 🤖
    Re:Advertising

    Hi Helen

    Thanks for the info.

    Sorry I didn't respond before, it's really busy at the moment, I think Clients have suddenly realised it's a short month and are expecting me to be available at the last minute!

    I'll see if I can get hold of a copy of the magazine.

    Sue
  • System
    System Posts: 100,537 🤖 Admin 🤖
    Re:Advertising


    Let me know if you can't and I'll get one to you.

    :)
  • System
    System Posts: 100,537 🤖 Admin 🤖
    Re:Advertising

    Ok thanks.

    Are they available to pick up from shops locally?
  • System
    System Posts: 100,537 🤖 Admin 🤖
    Re:Advertising


    The newspaper shop called 'Candys' has them (along the narrow part between NatWest and Lloyds. The Community Office also has them - next to Candys.

    They are very careful not to overprint, so the best time to locate one is in the first week of the month.

    I'm editing the one that comes out in Feb - so avoid that one!

    Melanie in the Community Office would let you have one by post if you mention the golden password of advertising!

    :wink:

    Helen
  • System
    System Posts: 100,537 🤖 Admin 🤖
    Re:Advertising

    Just to rekindle the thread..

    I have always been a bit anti-yellow pages but I was speaking to a fellow MIP at a branch meeting this week and she swears by her advert in Yell.com and has found it to be very good for acquiring new clients in her area.

    So good in fact that she is expanding her advertising to more areas in her region.

    It may be worth doing a search for accountants in your area and see how many pop up. I find it is usually a lot less than the hundreds of adverts in the book.

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