Moderators: Neal Polachek, CEO, The Kelsey Group and Steve Marshall, Director of Research and Consulting, The Kelsey Group

Michael Strait - Yellow Pages is working, calls are there, call volume is there. Our message is that it’s OK to be transparent in what we are delivering.

Kerry - Print Yellow Pages is still one of our biggest investments, but I have to defend that every day. Executive management is surprised about the results from the telmetrics call tracking data.

How any of your lines in your advertising are measured?
Kerry - 30% of our spend uses metered lines for tracking.
Chad - We measure 6% of the lines. We’re in 15,000 YP directories. We need help in managing the metering process and have difficulty knowing which directories and headings are performing.

Eric - It’s in the single digits, up from zero lines metered a few years ago. We started out with a test two years ago measuring about 325 lines. From the success of that test, we’ve doubled the test to measure 325 lines on car rental ads and 325 lines on truck rental ads. It’s still not enough. With the data we have acquired, we have stopped the erosion from print. The battle is that the internet gives me so much better data on which keywords perform.

Kerry - Google provides analytics and doesn’t require me to separately buy metered lines. It’s much easier online to get data. Call data is a first step, but it doesn’t tell me what the transaction was worth. Call measurement should be integrated into offline advertising.
Eric - The YP gives us a local feel so that if a customer likes “Jim” at the local office, YP allows that local connection.

Chad - We have challenges with disconnected systems, especially with franchisees we don’t have the ability to close the loop to know what advertising results in a sale.

Steve Marshall - Latest survey of 300 small business found that only 3% of businesses use call measurement services to know the effectiveness of their ad spend.

What about Internet Yellow Pages?

Kerry - IYP is a competitor to the print product. IYP ads are handled by the online team, not the print marketing team. it’s a great option for us and brings in leads as an alternative to the print.

Eric - We’re not seeing the traffic volume from IYP. The big monster that’s eating the ad dollars is Google. IYP is very low on the radar. The performance and measurement on Google is all there, and we see conversions.

Chad - The analytics team can track IYP, but the volume simply isn’t there and it does not replace the print product.

To what extent do the Certified Marketing Representatives help you?

Kerry - Our CMR is spearheading the effort for us and helping to benchmark and pushing us to measure more ads and push the envelope.

What are your dealers and franchisees saying about how to spend their advertising dollars?

Kerry - They want full page ads in every single YP Book, because they see the numbers. Corporate executive management is the biggest Doubting Thomas. Field management sees the results from print and is not pushing online. We constantly have to defend continued spending in YP.
Chad - Our dealers definitely want more online advertising because they can track the response more easily.

What percentage of your leads come from print Yellow Pages vs Google?

Chad -I’m biased toward print YP. Our perception is that YP is delivering 75% of leads vs 25% from Google. Our best cost per call is from print Yellow Pages. Print is also a good customer retention tool. A highly qualified lead who as filled out a form is worth around $100. Our spend on print YP is about the same we spend on direct mail.

Eric - Post 9/11, 7% of our sales came from internet, today, 33% come from Internet. Home grown Internet leads are the cheapest because there are no travel agent fees. We’re now spending more on Internet advertising than print Yellow Pages.

Kerry - 65% of leads come from print vs. 35% online. Conversion rates from internet are significantly lower than leads from print YP. Local calls from the print product are typically more qualified. A very qualified (ready to buy) lead is worth nearly $100. A lot of calls come from current customers, or one shot quote requests. Social media is an interest to us, but it’s not a high priority.