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I hope you all are doing well, I just have a question and need some help. In my area the main phone book (Dex) is due. I pay $1250 for a ¾ page add and a full page of color coupons. To do the same thing this year it would be $1400 but we only average $1800 on the phone book. So for the question what do other people do? If I could put the $1400 in something else and make more off it I will do that and get out of the phone book. We have done direct mailers with mailing lists purchased from the internet. Has anyone tried this and do you have recommendations on where to get your mailing lists.
Also what options are you guys using for health insurance? My wife is now a stay at home mom, so we are buying it ourselves and its expensive for only okay coverage.
The magic answer is, “it depends”. Some guys stay slammed from the YP’s while others grind out a meager RIO. I do well with Dex and even better with Yellow Book. You need a presence in the YPs, but at what level will be determined by your trial and error efforts.
Good answer Ron, in addition I’d add, that ROI is more than just covering your yp costs. You still have in$urance, ga$, product$, new $hoe$ and on and on. I think, for any advertising done you need to at least double if you are doing the cleaning and triple if an employee is. So unless your $1400 ad is generating more than $3k take a hard look at it. I also agree with Ron, that a “presence” has some value
We downsized two YB books and eliminated coupons for the YP for our county, saving approx $350-$400/ month. Instead of coupons we have ASK ABOUT OUR SPECIALS, instead, inside the ad. This way, we are not locked into any specific number or percentage and will get the call…to find out the special of the month.
You might try to send letters or postcards to neighbors of a customer, instead of purchasing a list…cheap and targeted. Once one has cleaned a home in an area, most of the other homes are of similar age, size and amenities.
Health insurance for me cost $640 a month, on wife’s policy from her work, due to past health issues…like leukemia (14 years ago) and 8 compression fractures and spinal stenosis from several accidents in my distant past…
I switched to a Christian-based plan and the cost for me is now a whopping $120/ month. Not pushing anything, but you might look into:
http://samaritanministries.org/
There are others similar operations available and not all available in all states, however, a physician friend at church has used for for him and his wife and recommended and so do I. Please feel free to call me at 717-898-6340 and I can be more helpful.
Hope this helps someone…
Dave Dilts
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