Phone Books Dead? Not really!

I recently read the results of a study by Market Authority which shows that phone directories are still very much alive, and need to still be a part of most business's advertising mix. But rather than having me reiterate all that, check it out for yourself at http://www.prweb.com/releases/2013/1/prweb10351426.htm?goback=%2Eanb_2935101_*2_*1_*1_*1_*1_*1 .

I realize all the digital media sales people will get out the torches and pitchforks to kill this monstrous truth, but that doesn't change the facts. As for me, I don't champion one over the other. I wholeheartedly believe in both areas of media, and I provide my clients with outreach in both. There are many factors that determine to what degree and when a business should alter their media mix between traditional media and digital media. And by "traditional media" I mean pretty much everything that existed pre-internet:  radio, tv, billboards, direct mail, magazine ads, yellow pages, etc. Now back to the phone book, the "original search engine".

If you are a business owner who doesn't personally use a phone book, let me ask you: Do you really think that everyone else thinks or acts just as you do? Even if you include your circle of friends as digital-only searchers/buyers, is the rest of your potential customer base all on board to the same degree as you?

If you are a realist, you have no problem answering "no" to those questions. And you have no problem also admitting that you want to reach as many potential customers as possible. You also realize that, over the next few years, even decades, you will need to do some shifting to accommodate changes in the public's search-and-buy habits. And that will mean shifting more of your investment into online venues.

So the new media mantra, "Print Is Dead", is not true. The only ones trying to foist this view on you are either the digital-only companies who don't have (and aren't able to start) a print directory, or those who have drunk the Kool-Aid of those new media companies. It is just as wrong to relegate phone books to the trash heap as it is to ignore the increasing relevance of internet advertising.

My advice is to avoid jumping too quickly into a "new media only" advertising program just because it is new. You'll be unnecessarily cutting off a significant portion of your viable market. There are exceptions to this, but for the majority of locally oriented businesses, the "mom and pop" shops or sole proprietor contractors, you will be hurting yourself by becoming too narrow in your advertising focus. If your business is solely an online sales or ecommerce business, then sure, go all out on the internet. But for the rest of you, try to maintain a proper balance and don't lose your focus on the Big Picture.