Telephone Books

The phone books are going to be one of the more expensive options, but they have advantages all their own. Most areas have more than one book, so if you can't be in all of them, the general rule of thumb is to go with the one that has the largest coverage area.

With phone book advertising, you get advertising for a whole year. Your name is out there 24 hours a day, 7 days a week and is available when customers need to find you. If they're not looking for scrapbooking in January, but they need your services in April, you'll always be there as opposed to the paper which is more immediate.

On the downside, once your ad is printed in the phone book, it's there for a whole year. You can't make any changes as your business grows and evolves, so you'll need to be sure that the information you provide will still be timely throughout the course of a whole year.

Be sure you choose your category wisely. Do you want to be listed in "Scrapbooking Services", "Scrapbooking Supplies", or "Scrapbooking"?  Be sure your white page listing with your main phone number stands out. Print it in bold. This way people can find you easier and your name will stand out from the other smaller listings.

One note here, as a local customer, you are usually entitled to a free listing in both the white and yellow pages. You don't HAVE to purchase ads or upgrades. You are entitled to these listings, so if you can't afford to buy advertising, make sure you get your free listings no matter what.

If possible, use color in your ad. Buy the largest ad you can afford and ask your sales rep for any promotions that are going on with their company. Some will offer two categories for the price of one or free color with the purchase of a certain size ad. If you are a new customer, they may also be able to include you in other phone books they have in the area for a discounted or even free rate.