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Trade Show Etiquette

2011-07-19T17:28:18Z

For those in health care marketing, we are fast approaching the trade show season. This is a great time to network, catch-up with clients and friends, and learn about new services and technologies emerging in the industry. It is also the time to begin stressing out about getting your information to prospective clients and how you are going to avoid the annoying sales rep in the booth next to you. With all of this in mind, here are a few thoughts I would like to share:

· Tradeshows should be FUN. No one is interested in listening to the teacher from Ferris Bueller’s Day Off lecture about cost savings measures or a new software program. You need to spice up your presentation and make it interactive if possible. Humans are social animals that like to interact – and if you are in marketing and/or sales and this is not the case, I suggest you look at a different career – and forge social bonds and relationships. This is how most sales are completed, but if your product is so awesome it doesn’t matter who is selling it, feel free to act like this guy.

· There is nothing wrong with passing by a sales booth if you are not interested in the product or service. Granted, you may not really know much about it, but if you know you will not be buying anything or don’t have enough pull in your company to take the information back and present it to someone, keep walking. The vendors at tradeshows pay a ton of money to rent a booth, and that number doesn’t even reflect the time and money invested in preparing for the event. The worst thing you can do is take up the vendor’s time if you have no interest in the product. That time could be spent by the vendor meeting with a potential client who does need information or a question answered.

· Swag! Some think trade shows and conventions exist solely for this purpose. While most people enjoy a gift, try to think of the consumer when putting your giveaways together. Unless you are paying them, most people don’t want to feel like NASCAR drivers with logos plastered on every inch of their being. Everybody likes a pen, but it is just going to get thrown in the holder with all of the others unless you hand out interesting designs. Other office supplies such as mouse pads and thumb drives better have something entertaining on them. Think about what you would like, and actually use, not necessarily making your logo the centerpiece. Or you can just steal an idea from here.

· Speaking of vendor swag, it is not o.k. to take some from another vendor. If you have struck up a conversation or two and have something of equal value, you can ask to make a trade. And it is definitely not cool to enter into another vendor’s prize drawing or money give-away. True story: at a convention last year, our firm had a money booth – the kind that looks like an old telephone booth with money flying around. A vendor asked if he could take a turn in the booth and grab our cash. While I would have loaded the slot with the tiny glitter that sticks to everything, alas the person operating it that day is nicer than I am and politely said “no”.

· It can be a long day for a vendor working a convention. Remember, they are there hours before and after the attendees to set up the booth and tear it down. Getting to know your booth-mates can make the day go faster and possibly open up opportunities to new clients. However, it is not cool to walk behind someone else’s booth without being invited. And whatever you do, don’t interrupt when they are talking with someone.

· Don’t take it personally if your booth is slow. There are a lot of reasons why this could be, so try to look at the problem from the view of the attendee. Is your information confusing? Are you giving off negative vibes through poor body language? Are you offering a service or product that doesn’t fit with the trade show or convention? Whatever the case, try to figure out the reason from the perspective of the person who you are trying to sell to, as this will save you hours of self-doubt and probably a lot of money.

Mobile Search vs. Yellow Pages

2011-06-30T19:32:39Z

There are a lot of differing opinions as to why the yellow pages industry is dying. Everything from Google, high prices of the print ads, increased competition from the vast number of telephone directories, reduced rates in broadcast media and social media have been accuse. While all of this has helped to create the demise of the yellow pages, a big culprit not mentioned is inefficiency while searching in the yellow pages and access of the web in today’s mobile world.

There are two main reasons searching from on a mobile device is faster than searching in the yellow pages: increased web navigation speed and confusing design of yellow page directories.

As the majority of mobile devices have transitioned to 3G or 4G cellular networks, search times have greatly decreased. Additionally, with web browsers optimized for mobile devices, and businesses designing the digital platform with mobile in mind, navigating the web from a hand held unit has never been easier than it is today.

The technological increase in search capability is juxtaposed against yellow page directories creating more niche categories in an attempt to increase revenues. This was a fine idea at first, but when yellow page publishers began creating more detailed headings in an attempt to have advertisers list in more headings, they began laying the groundwork for confusing searches. (This strategy would have been great if advertisers had not decided to begin moving their budget away from the yellow pages too.) What ends up happening is the consumer searches for a doctor in the main Physician & Surgeon heading but the doctor’s information is in the Physicians & Surgeons – Family Medicine heading, or something even more ridiculous such as Physician & Surgeon –Neurology-Surgery. This leads to a frustrated consumer who ends up abandoning the directory all together because it is no longer fast or efficient to look in the telephone directory.

With the increased access to mobile web devices and faster mobile search, telephone directories are finally the slower way to search for a simple telephone number or address of a business. One of the big advantages a telephone directory had over online search for a long time was the amount of time it took to get to your computer, long on and then run a search. Even the next step in web search, mobile, was not a clear cut, faster option as download speeds over cellular networks varied when available, and sometimes not an option at all. At this point though, a person can conduct a mobile search faster than they can go to the cabinet and search through a cluttered telephone directory.

Understanding The Motivation Of Your Yellow Page Sales Rep

2011-06-24T22:17:56Z

Have you noticed you have increased your ad size each year or added new headings, but your advertising bill only increases slightly? There is a reason for this and it is not because you have a kind and benevolent sales rep who ‘really likes you’. Ever try to decrease your ad size with the yellow page rep?

No matter who you are dealing with in life, if you understand what motivation they have, you can figure out the best way to work with them. This sounds like an obvious thing and we all know what motivates people…money. Understanding how they get their money is the important part though.

The most common type of motivation, or way to incentivize someone, is to give them a commission. A common example everyone is familiar with is the restaurant server who is paid primarily on tips. Since most people tip a percentage of the bill, you can look at this a receiving a commission. The server’s motivation for offering you an appetizer or dessert is obvious when looking at it this way… the greater the bill, the greater the tip, or commission.

I mention this example of motivation because it is clearly different than the way a yellow page sales rep is motivated. This rep has a different incentive plan to work with and they are not going to get paid the same amount like the server who just has to sell something to make a commission. Now imagine if you only tipped a server if your bill for tonight’s dinner was larger than the last time you ate at the restaurant…this is the way a yellow page rep gets paid. A yellow page sales rep goes into their sales meeting needing you to purchase the same amount of advertising, or more, as you did last year to make a commission. This is why you find yourself being pitched advertising programs that are bigger each year, even though the consumer’s reliance on the yellow pages dwindles each year. With their starting point for commissions starting at the amount you spent last year, the yellow page sales rep is heavily incentivized for you to spend more, and this is why they are willing to ‘sweeten the deal’ as long as you spend more.

It is human nature to want to get a good deal on anything. It sounds like a great deal increasing to a half page ad for a couple extra dollars a month. But ask yourself - do you really need an ad that size?…or do you even need one at all? When you understand that your rep’s bottom line is the amount you spent last year, you can begin to understand some of the reasoning behind their proposals. It is not uncommon for yellow page reps to offer increases in ad size, white page listings or internet yellow page listings for free or heavily discounted as long as you maintain your spend. Even though they may be giving away everything it seems, what they are really doing is keeping their commission.

Dex One Partners With Google

2011-06-24T22:09:18Z

Some of you might have heard the news that Dex One announced they became a Google AdWords “Certified Partner” this week. This seems to be the trend all major yellow page publishers are moving towards as their print directory ad sales are decreasing each year. The question many wonder though, will a partnership with almighty Google be enough to stave off eventually going out of business.

Becoming a Certified Partner is a good step for Dex One and all of the other publishers. However, I believe they are putting a bit too much hope in this one service to help them grow their digital revenues by 50% for the next two year. The partnership is not as exclusive as Dex One would lead you to believe (take a look at the entire list of available ‘Partners’ in your area here). Additionally, not everyone is ready to jump on the SEM bandwagon just yet when there are so many other options to explore. Believe it or not, most SMB are still trying to get a handle on establishing a strong web presence while simultaneously exploring all of the less expensive and/or free options such as social media.

I will be the first to admit that Dex One and other publishers such as Super Media, Berry and AT&T have one built in advantage working for them; the yellow page publishers already have yearly appointments scheduled with their advertisers wherein they can bring this option to the advertiser’s attention. (See an earlier post on how yellow page sales reps are positioning their new products) This annual sales call will give them an inherent advantage over all of the other SEM firms that may or may not be a Certified Partner of Google. Now, if you have ever tried to implement your own AdWords campaign, or even hired another firm to do so for you, you know that setting up the account and getting it started is the easy part. The difficult aspect AdWords or any other SEM is the ongoing management of your campaign and tweaking your keywords to achieve the maximum ROI. This brings us to the inherent problem the publishers have to face; selling the product will be easy but managing it to the point the advertiser is happy and renews it next year will be difficult.

The danger zone for the directory publishers is going to be maintaining their advertiser’s SEM account to maximize ROI while maintaining cost margins to make offering the product sensible to them. Look at this way: Dex One has to pay the sales rep who sold the product a commission, pay the digital consultant to set up the account, pay the outside vendor (someone like Marchex for example) to manage the account because they don’t have the capital to hire enough knowledgeable account managers, cover the salaries of their top heavy organization, cover the losses from the print advertising side of the business and still show a profit. That is a lot of money that could go to buying more clicks for the advertiser who will be disappointed that it is being spent other ways. If you like to see sales reps squirm, here is a fun activity for you: ask your yellow page sales rep what percentage of your budget they keep if you purchase an SEM product from them. Every SEM firm I have spoke with has been very open with their margins and how much they actually spend – usually 10-12% of your budget. I have never gotten an answer from a publisher rep. (If you can provide this answer, with verifiable proof, this author will treat you to fancy lunch at the local Mexican restaurant just down the road from his office! How can you pass this offer up?)

If these new ‘multimedia’ sales rep can get the advertiser to see them as more than a print rep, selling an SEM product the first year should not be a problem. In fact, it should not be unexpected for Dex One to go beyond the sales projections for the first year. Having the customer maintain their ‘digital spend’ will be the difficult part as the publishers are not currently designed for ongoing management of an advertiser’s SEM account. What will eventually happen is the advertiser will see that SEM works but becomes unhappy with the true cost of each click, thus turning to an outside SEM firm with lower cost margins.

Why Yellow Pages Can't Compete With The Web

2011-06-16T16:27:00Z

Everywhere you look, experts are predicting the demise of the yellow page directory. As far back as 2007, Bill Gates said the telephone directory is dead. Each year comes with another prediction the directory is finally making the downward spiral to obsolescence. Much of this is true, but what is actually causing the demise of the directory?

It boils down to the fact that a yellow page directory cannot offer the amount of information at the expected immediacy consumers demand today. If a consumer is looking for a new doctor, he/she can turn to the yellow pages and find the contact information, maybe a picture of the doctor or their office, and some other ad copy like specialties and office hours. If that consumer turned to the internet they could find that same information in a local search in addition to: practice website; physician bio; information about the specialty they practice; a video introducing the doctor and practice; patient forms to expedite the office visit; consumer reviews; verify accreditation and credentials; papers published detailing expertise; verify their insurance will be accepted at the practice; latest updates/technology if seeing a specialist; what questions they should be asking the doctor when they do schedule an appointment (online).

Online	Feature	Yellow Page Directory
As much as you can write	Ad Copy	Limited to your ad size
As many as you want	Pictures	Limited to ad size and publisher specs
Real time and can bundle from multiple sources	Coupons/Incentives	That is another type of ad you have to buy
Whatever you want to come up with	Keyword Search	Limited to established headings. Have to buy in each
One of the best things about the web.	Video	Nope
All good videos have it, but can also be stand alone	Audio	You could read aloud to yourself
Flash anyone?	Enhanced Graphics	Do you consider pie charts enhanced?
Worldwide, hence the www part of a URL	Geographic Area Covered	Local only, unless you went online to order more books
Desktop, laptop, phone, PDA, Tablet – everything that surrounds you daily	Where you Can Search	A book that you never have with you
You are not flying to China to to place that order, are you?	Ability To Purchase Instantly	At best you can call and place an order
Every minute of every day if you really wanted to	Ability to update	Once a year, if you are not auto-renewed

Is this a pain for marketing, media buyers and other advertisers? Without a doubt, as they now have to maintain a presence in so many different areas to stay competitive. But consumer/business relationships have evolved so that the consumer has just as much information as the business. One of the reasons the yellow pages industry is failing is it is not able to deliver the knowledge and information the consumer demands now, thus driving consumers elsewhere to find that information. Being a directional media has severe limits in today’s world.

The Yellow Page Sales Rep Is Calling

2011-06-08T20:11:00Z

We all know the dreaded sales call from the yellow page rep –

Rep - “Hi Mr. Client. The directory you advertise in is up for renewal and I want to schedule a time to stop by and review all of your advertising options for next year.”

Client – “No need. We are moving towards a digital strategy this year. Just give me a listing in the same headings we had last year.”

Rep – “We can definitely do that if you want. I still need to stop by as we have some great new products this year that will help you reach more customers. It is part of our new consultative approach and you will be very happy with the results.”

The rep stops by, asks some questions about your business; shows you some products that align with your new goals; you sign a contract for one more year spending more than you were the previous year. And that is when it hits you…How the heck did that just happen?

This seems to be the new approach by all of the yellow page sales reps. They position themselves as local media specialists and can produce numbers on Internet Yellow Pages (IYP), radio, television, billboards and newspaper advertising. Most reps no longer beat you over the head about usage numbers because those numbers have fallen and are no longer in their favor. Instead, they approach their clients as media consultants. The problem is, all of their solutions point back to the limited number of products they have to offer.

I will be the first to say, there is nothing wrong with a sales rep pushing their product. Any good sales rep will believe in the product they sell and advocate for it until they are blue in the face…or you throw them out of your office. What has irked our clients the most is time wasted with these reps when nothing new is brought to the table. What reps are neglecting to notice is that advertisers have more information at their disposal in today’s world than they ever had previously. Gone are the days when a sales rep's data and information had to be taken at face value – a quick Google search or question posted to a social network will generate more information than a rep can hope to overcome.

So what should you do when your yellow page rep calls this year? Go ahead and schedule that consultation they want to set up (but only if you can really say “No” when needed). But make it a consultation, a meeting where you learn as much as you can about ALL of their products so you can choose what fits YOUR needs. Don’t let the rep walk you down a pre-determined path to a cookie cutter solution that does not fit your specific needs. Make sure the solution offered comes from a solid understanding of your business and advertising needs and not a need to close a sale.

How Will New Opt-In Laws Effect Yellow Pages

2011-05-25T16:27:06Z

With the recent approval by the San Francisco Board of Supervisors of an ordinance requiring residents of the city to opt-in to receiving a yellow pages directory, advertisers have one more reason to shift their advertising budget to other areas. Why should you, the advertiser, be aware of this change? According to the analysis conducted by the city, there would be an 80% reduction in the number of directories distributed. If you are buying advertising for your company, and your targeted audience was slashed by 80%, wouldn’t you expect a reduction in advertising rates? Since yellow page sales are based on distribution, the logical answer to that question is yes, rates would have to come down because not as many people would receive a directory and therefore the views of your ad would decrease.

It will be interesting to see how the yellow page publishers respond. Some are already shifting away from their print products, moving towards digital options such as SEM and building websites for their customers. Others are segmenting into niche markets geared towards certain lifestyles or ethnic communities. This segmentation is what Neg Norton must mean when he says the San Francisco ordinance “is a slap in the face to San Francisco’s… Hispanic, Chinese and LGBT communities, the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers, and seniors.”

If opt-in laws spread throughout the country, how will advertisers respond? Is a simple reduction in rates from the publishers incentive to keeps business moving? Or does all of this just place one more nail in the proverbial coffin for the yellow page industry.

New Yellow Resolutions

2009-01-02T19:26:00Z

As our marketing budgets continue to shring we need to take a closer look at how we are spending our dollars in the Yellow Pages. Now don't run screaming, if you are armed with the correct information the renewal process will be a lot less painfull.

A quick tip to save money - list PCP (Family, Internist, Pediatric, OB/Gyn) individually in the Business White Pages in their primary service area as well as under the general Physician & Surgeon heading as a RL (Regular Listing - upper and lower case) or a SL (Semi-bold Listing - all upper case) offering differs between publishers. When the opportunity arises utlize SRL (Standard Regular Listings which are free). There is no need for BLN/BL (Bold Lisitng & Number or Bold Listing - apears larger with heavy ink) or color (adding Red, Blue) to a listing; your phone will not ring louder or faster!

For more tips on Saving Green in the Yellow Pages take part in one of our FREE monthly Webcasts - http://www.yellowpagerx.com/webcast.aspx.

Welcome

2008-10-13T14:59:02Z

Welcome to my blog. Please check back soon for new entries.