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Who uses yellow pages

Started by Crossroads, November 01, 2018, 04:56:01 AM

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Crossroads

A friend of mine told me that when he started a tree service business a few years back, he paid for one add in the yellow Pages and his phone is still ringing from that add. I have a website and use Craigslist and Facebook, but since I've moved to Idaho my phone has been dead quiet. What are your thoughts? Have you used the yellow Pages and did it work for you?
With the right fulcrum and enough leverage, you can move the world!

2017 LT40 wide, BMS250 and BMT250,036 stihl, 2001 Dodge 3500 5.9 Cummins, l8000 Ford dump truck, hr16 Terex excavator, Valley je 2x24 edger, Gehl ctl65 skid steer, JD350c dozer

Jeff

When is the last time you personally looked in the yellow pages for anything? Or even a phonebook?  We treat phone books around here like junk mail now. File 13.
Just call me the midget doctor.
Forestry Forum Founder and Chief Cook and Bottle Washer.

Commercial circle sawmill sawyer in a past life for 25yrs.
Ezekiel 22:30

DWyatt

My boss who's ~65 will be sitting at his computer in his office and holler for the secretary to bring him the phone book to look someone up (also does the same with the dictionary and thesaurus :D). Even with the amount of technology today, there are some that still use the phone book.

I am not one of them, internet all the way.

YellowHammer

I bet it's been 10 years since I've even looked at a paper phone book.  

Many years ago I placed an add in the local electronic Yellow Pages, which is the same as the paper version, but I don't think it did anything.  I would have starved if I had relied on it.  In contrast, we get many thousand web hits a week, about half from first time visitors to the site.  If even 1% of those hits turn into new customers, it's a good day.  

So, in my experience, much more productive are web sites, FB, CL, etc, places where high volume electronic searches can find you. If you have an on line version of the Yellow Pages, then Google would find it.  

YellowHammerisms:

Take steps to save steps.

If it won't roll, its not a log; it's still a tree.  Sawmills cut logs, not trees.

Kiln drying wood: When the cookies are burned, they're burned, and you can't fix them.

Sawing is fun for the first couple million boards.

Be smarter than the sawdust

terrifictimbersllc

Early on I talked with YP callers several times.  They wanted a couple hundred per month then to list me.  

Now I tell callers that my budget for advertising is $15 per month. I haven't yet had anyone with a good comeback for that line.  :D

Seriously I think the most effective and least expensive avenue is to optimize the keyword attributes on your web pages to make sure that your website comes up in the top half of the first internet search page for someone searching in your area. Maybe some here can tell you how to do it yourself. I would try some of this for you but since I'm not in your area I wouldn't trust the results.

Something I also did for a while and suggest you might consider is  enrolling with Google in their pay per click advertising.  It is not that expensive and you can easily control how much you spend.

When I was doing it, that program lets you deposit some money (say $100), then choose how much you are willing to spend each day, for example $1-$2 per day, and they charge you per click for those who click on your ad. You make a little 4 line ad for this program which will appear at the top of the search page each day until the daily budget is exhausted.  You can choose your area of advertising by different methods such as your state, etc, AND you can also draw a map to define where the searchers must come from.   This keeps people from the rest of the world from clicking  on it and costing you 35 or whatever cents.  :)

DJ Hoover, Terrific Timbers LLC,  Mystic CT Woodmizer Million Board Foot Club member. 2019 LT70 Super Wide 55 Yanmar,  LogRite fetching arch, WM BMS250 sharpener/BMT250 setter.  2001 F350 7.3L PSD 6 spd manual ZF 4x4 Crew Cab Long Bed

FloridaMike

Quote from: terrifictimbersllc on November 01, 2018, 07:42:23 AM....
Seriously I think the most effective and least expensive avenue is to optimize the keyword attributes on your web pages to make sure that your website comes up in the top half of the first internet search page for someone searching in your area.

Something I also did for a while and suggest you might consider is  enrolling with Google in their pay per click advertising.  It is not that expensive and you can easily control how much you spend.
....
This is the best advice available! 
Do a search from someone else's computer ("sawmills in YOUR TOWN & STATE"), if you are not in the first 2 pages of results... your web site is not working for you.
Mike

Magicman

Absolutely internet search.  25 years ago Yellow Pages was the go-to way to search but not in today's world.
Knothole Sawmill, LLC     '98 Wood-Mizer LT40SuperHydraulic   WM Million BF Club Member   WM Pro Sawyer Network

It's Weird being the Same Age as Old People

Never allow your "need" to make money to exceed your "desire" to provide quality service.....The Magicman

Raider Bill

I still run a YP ad every year although it's toned down a bunch. Reason is here in Florida many of the older population still reach for it and it still has a positive return for us.
I am not in the sawmill or wood business.
The First 70 years of childhood is always the hardest.

Resonator

Fewer and fewer do use it, many new houses don't even have land lines to be listed. The first phone book was only one page. Ahoy, Ahoy! Alexander Graham Bell here... no, no my number is 1, you must want 2. Two I say!
Under bark there's boards and beams, somewhere in between.
Cuttin' while its green, through a steady sawdust stream.
I'm chasing the sawdust dream.

Proud owner of a Wood-Mizer 2017 LT28G19

Magicman

Phone books are as scarce as pay phones but they both served well during their time.  :o
Knothole Sawmill, LLC     '98 Wood-Mizer LT40SuperHydraulic   WM Million BF Club Member   WM Pro Sawyer Network

It's Weird being the Same Age as Old People

Never allow your "need" to make money to exceed your "desire" to provide quality service.....The Magicman

thecfarm

Superman has no place to change now. :o 
Model 6020-20hp Manual Thomas bandsaw,TC40A 4wd 40 hp New Holland tractor, 450 Norse Winch, Heatmor 400 OWB,YCC 1978-79

terrifictimbersllc

In Maine he can change wherever he wants :)
DJ Hoover, Terrific Timbers LLC,  Mystic CT Woodmizer Million Board Foot Club member. 2019 LT70 Super Wide 55 Yanmar,  LogRite fetching arch, WM BMS250 sharpener/BMT250 setter.  2001 F350 7.3L PSD 6 spd manual ZF 4x4 Crew Cab Long Bed

thecfarm

He better do it quick in January. :D   :o
Model 6020-20hp Manual Thomas bandsaw,TC40A 4wd 40 hp New Holland tractor, 450 Norse Winch, Heatmor 400 OWB,YCC 1978-79

Crossroads

Hmmm. I never even thought to mention that I was talking about the electronic version. I hadn't thought of my friends story until last night when I was trying to do a search for my business and the electronic YP came up. Thank you for the input
With the right fulcrum and enough leverage, you can move the world!

2017 LT40 wide, BMS250 and BMT250,036 stihl, 2001 Dodge 3500 5.9 Cummins, l8000 Ford dump truck, hr16 Terex excavator, Valley je 2x24 edger, Gehl ctl65 skid steer, JD350c dozer

Magicman

I searched for a portable sawmill in Idaho and quickly found you.  Maybe this time of year folks are more concerned with getting their firewood than having logs sawn into lumber.

Are you listed on Wood-Mizer's Pro Sawyer Network?
Knothole Sawmill, LLC     '98 Wood-Mizer LT40SuperHydraulic   WM Million BF Club Member   WM Pro Sawyer Network

It's Weird being the Same Age as Old People

Never allow your "need" to make money to exceed your "desire" to provide quality service.....The Magicman

Percy

Quote from: Magicman on November 01, 2018, 08:43:14 AM
Phone books are as scarce as pay phones but they both served well during their time.  :o
I think  the muscle guys tore them all in half..... ;D ;D
GOLDEN RULE : The guy with the gold, makes the rules.

terrifictimbersllc

Google searches

"portable sawmill idaho".  you're in the top few hits
"mobile sawmill idaho" ditto
"portable sawmill plummer idaho". first hit
"logs to lumber idaho". don't see you anywhere

When I try these searches I think of a lot of different words , also I ask customers how they found me or ask others what words they would use, this gives more ideas. I put such keywords into the appropriate place on my website, at a place which search engines search, it's been a while
DJ Hoover, Terrific Timbers LLC,  Mystic CT Woodmizer Million Board Foot Club member. 2019 LT70 Super Wide 55 Yanmar,  LogRite fetching arch, WM BMS250 sharpener/BMT250 setter.  2001 F350 7.3L PSD 6 spd manual ZF 4x4 Crew Cab Long Bed

KirkD

Quote from: Crossroads on November 01, 2018, 09:02:10 AM
Hmmm. I never even thought to mention that I was talking about the electronic version. I hadn't thought of my friends story until last night when I was trying to do a search for my business and the electronic YP came up. Thank you for the input
Yes yp.com is alive and well and works good if your looking for something local or regional. Will they let you do an ad in just the electronic version?
Wood-mizer LT40HD-G24 Year 1989

Crossroads

You could very well be right MM. I am listed in the Woodmizer pro Sawyers page. Thank you and Denise also, for taking the time to run those searches. It's very much appreciated.....
With the right fulcrum and enough leverage, you can move the world!

2017 LT40 wide, BMS250 and BMT250,036 stihl, 2001 Dodge 3500 5.9 Cummins, l8000 Ford dump truck, hr16 Terex excavator, Valley je 2x24 edger, Gehl ctl65 skid steer, JD350c dozer

Crossroads

Quote from: KirkD on November 01, 2018, 11:24:18 AM
Quote from: Crossroads on November 01, 2018, 09:02:10 AM
Hmmm. I never even thought to mention that I was talking about the electronic version. I hadn't thought of my friends story until last night when I was trying to do a search for my business and the electronic YP came up. Thank you for the input
Yes yp.com is alive and well and works good if your looking for something local or regional. Will they let you do an ad in just the electronic version?
I believe so
With the right fulcrum and enough leverage, you can move the world!

2017 LT40 wide, BMS250 and BMT250,036 stihl, 2001 Dodge 3500 5.9 Cummins, l8000 Ford dump truck, hr16 Terex excavator, Valley je 2x24 edger, Gehl ctl65 skid steer, JD350c dozer

maple flats

I think the last time I had an ad in the YP it was about 1994 or so. In the 80's it paid, but slowed too much in the 90's.
Get a website and then buy a "shameless link" on this forum. That will get you hits, but also search your site using Google or any other popular search engine and scroll down until you find your site, then click on it. Each time it gets clicked on your site will move up in the list. A few years ago, I actually did that for about 10 minutes every day, clicking on my site, then closing it and searching again over and over again for almost a month. At that point my site was showing up on the first page. Since then I have had all the business I want and have not done it again.
If you are in a business selling a service or product to the public.
Raider Bill's experience may be different because so many of his clients are senior citizens who grew up with the YP.
logging small time for years but just learning how,  2012 36 HP Mahindra tractor, 3point log arch, 8000# class excavator, lifts 2500# and sets logs on mill precisely where needed, Woodland Mills HM130Max , maple syrup a hobby that consumes my time. looking to learn blacksmithing.

Jeff

Maple flats,  clicking on the link pretty much only moves it up the list for you unless many many people are clicking on your link too, or as you said, you are linked to a popular site like the Forestry Forum.  Most of the search engines return information relative to what it thinks you are interested in. It uses your internet search history to remember these things and return what it "thinks" you would want to see first. It kinda works, because you want to see your site higher in the rankings. You may think your are doing better than you are unless you are searching with a completely clean cache. No cookies, no history, and going signing into google and deleting your search history there to if you happen to have an account (android users have to have one)
Just call me the midget doctor.
Forestry Forum Founder and Chief Cook and Bottle Washer.

Commercial circle sawmill sawyer in a past life for 25yrs.
Ezekiel 22:30

terrifictimbersllc

Quote from: maple flats on November 01, 2018, 02:00:08 PMscroll down until you find your site, then click on it.
Just don't click on your own Google ads!!! :D :D :D
DJ Hoover, Terrific Timbers LLC,  Mystic CT Woodmizer Million Board Foot Club member. 2019 LT70 Super Wide 55 Yanmar,  LogRite fetching arch, WM BMS250 sharpener/BMT250 setter.  2001 F350 7.3L PSD 6 spd manual ZF 4x4 Crew Cab Long Bed

maple flats

It worked for me about 10 yrs ago, shortly after I set up my first website. I did not have nor never had a Google ad, likely never will, I'm just trying to get the spam calls from Google and everyone else to stop.
Must be I was just seeing it move up on my computer. I guess I was fooled. On the other hand, an ad in the Forestry Forum truly does help, since so many use the forum it seems to multiply your results. Even for people just doing a search and the answer is on the FF which happens frequently.
On that subject, I have at times run a search for maple related questions only to see a post I made on a maple site as the first answer to the question. That makes me smile but does little to help me research a topic.
logging small time for years but just learning how,  2012 36 HP Mahindra tractor, 3point log arch, 8000# class excavator, lifts 2500# and sets logs on mill precisely where needed, Woodland Mills HM130Max , maple syrup a hobby that consumes my time. looking to learn blacksmithing.

hturner12

When you are  setting up you keyword search do not forget common misspelled  words
Hugh
Ezbordwalk Jr

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