Golden pages

get on your bike

Hi,

My golden pages entry is due for renewal & don't know can I justify it @€;420 odd for the year. There's still a lot of people on the online book but wondering is it worth it.

Any thoughts?

D

terryhobdell

Very much depends on your business if your customers are young they wont know what Golden Pages are. If they are Oldies some proportion are not on line. Do you ask your customers where they found you? Remember 50% of advertising works its Knowing which 50% it is that matters.

get on your bike

terryhobdell wrote: »

Very much depends on your business if your customers are young they wont know what Golden Pages are. If they are Oldies some proportion are not on line. Do you ask your customers where they found you? Remember 50% of advertising works its Knowing which 50% it is that matters.

I'm in landscaping. No one has ever said they found me in GP

lucky john

Much more important to have a decent web site and spend the money getting it ranking well on google.

M.T.D

I'll second lucky on that.
Doing a search for "landscaping Dublin" Golden Pages are well down page 2 so very little business will come your way from an entry there.
Aside from the website try making good use of the social media platforms FaceBook and Google Places/business etc. If you have a good selection of pictures of garden you have done or even gardens you could do, then Pinterest could be useful as well.
We are finding that a modest website with pages on the already mentioned platforms will both rank better and convert visitors better than a grandiose site with no social media presence.

pedronomix

I have seen very old fashioned sandwich advertising boards generate plenty of local work by tradesmen doing painting/roofing etc . If you do nice work, the neighbours will see your board and your existing customer can be your best salesperson! Just put them at the gate while you are working on-site!!

LordNorbury

get on your bike wrote: »

No one has ever said they found me in GP

There is your answer OP...

zerotell

I just started a hair salon and nearly the first phone call I got was from the Golden Pages. Nearly sucked me in, but thought I would do a bit more research. They seem to have a lot of paying salons on their website, which suggests they are doing something right.

Anyone able to tell me how much you paid and what if any return on investment did it generate?

M.T.D

What GP have (are doing right) is a very good sales team and clients that can't/don't do any research into what works.

Do a little basic research yourself. In Google search try "hair salon" your area, and then vary i.e hair colouring, hair styling, etc.
Make a note of the top sites and where GP appears in each case.
If GP are in one of the top 3 positions in all/most of the searches, then might be worth it, and I only say might as if a potential visitor clicks the GP link they are then presented with the list of all the Hair Salons on GP list.
The price of GP web pages is very high as well, and they will then want you to pay them to do the social media sites as well.

A reasonably well optimised website (with content), Google Business Pages, FaceBook business page and Pinterest will serve you much better

If you need a website or promotion there is a work/jobs sticky on the design forum

jimmii

I would definitely go with AdWords, Social Media & SEO first if I am looking for any service like that google is the first place I look so getting a good ranking there should be a priority!

coxy123

What are peoples opinion of paper based edition of GP?..haven't used myself in years for business look-up. Is it worth it for the non internet based generation.

Buttercake

Roofers, Solicitors, Taxi firms seem to be still on the GP, but the name suits the publication - the print one really is for the Golden generation.

As advised, I'd concentrate on the Internet/social media, I got my gardener from seeing his page on Facebook.

jimmii

coxy123 wrote: »

What are peoples opinion of paper based edition of GP?..haven't used myself in years for business look-up. Is it worth it for the non internet based generation.

I honestly thought they had stopped doing it! I can't remember the last time I even saw one.

pedronomix

Ask panda/greenstar etc how many they collect after local delivery.....they do burn well in a multifuel stove that is already running hot!!