Need quick help with advertising question (yellow pages)

[chp]

Hi everyone,

First of all, what a great forum! I am leaving my captive insurance company and going independent (health and life), and the advice here has been priceless...

I have a quick question and need a quick reply if you all can. I am thinking about placing an ad in the local S.C. yellow pages (verizon) for my health insurance agency. The deadline is TODAY, and I will meet with the local rep later this afternoon. I know, nothing like waiting to the last minute.

My question is....has this form of advertising worked for you? Do you receive many calls? There are a lot of ads already in the phone book, not sure what the return will be.

Also, how much can I negotiate the rate? I assume the rep has a lot of flexibility in setting the price, and I was hoping to get a low rate as this is the last day (last sale for the rep for the year). Any responses will be greatly appreciated.

Thanks Mike

 

[STIBROKER]

YEA I get calls from my YPA....not enough to pay the bills ..probably would get more calls if my ad was bigger....but you have to target the health market to get calls.......will not list under insurance.....I make sure I am under the health insurance section.....and get a DBA with the name starting with a A to put you at the top of the list.......I get about 1 to 4 calls a month from this........

 

[Mr. Bill]

Think about it....who uses these books at all anymore? Everything can be found online. I recommend spend your money elsewhere. There will always be next year if you change your mind.

 

[STIBROKER]

Think about it....who uses these books at all anymore? Everything can be found online. I recommend spend your money elsewhere. There will always be next year if you change your mind.

you would be surprised.....

 

[TXINSURANCE]

Think about it....who uses these books at all anymore? Everything can be found online. I recommend spend your money elsewhere. There will always be next year if you change your mind.

Exactly. We pulled yellow pages years ago - it was like flushing money down the toilet, particularly in the big metropolitan areas.

Not the type of client we are interested in.

 

[Crabcake Johnny]

I laughed out loud when I called a rep to get a price on what I considered to be a small ad. Robbery - Much better places for me to put my money.

I remember when I was a kid getting milk delivered to the house. The Yellow pages is looking at the same fate in a few years. Well...for people in section 8 housing and no computers, they'll still use it.

 

[chp]

Thank you all for your replies. We decided to hold off and take a look at it next year, but I think we will put our money towards something else. We should be up and running as an independent agency here in the next week or so, cant wait!!! No longer a captive agent!!