Marketing in a Down Market: Small-Space Advertising

From the July/August 2008 issue of Resume Writers' Digest:

Fifth in a series of posts on Marketing Your Resume Writing Services in a Down Market.

The Yellow Pages are still a vital source of business for many resume writers, even as more ad budget are being spent online. If your business targets a local clientele, if you are a generalist, and if you work with a wide variety of candidates (from entry-level to executives), the Yellow Pages can be a valuable source of new business.

But while it can be important to have a presence in the Yellow Pages, few resume writers are buying the large ads they once did. Instead, they maximize their space by using the Yellow Pages to drive prospects to their websites.

Remember, however, that not all prospects will have computer access, so you can't omit essential details by driving them solely to your website. Others will want to make a decision based on the ads they see, and not use the Yellow Pages as a stepping-stone to looking online.

Don't forget a strong headline, a benefit ("interviews guaranteed"), your credentials, and a call to action (including a phone number as well as a website address).

As resume writer Jackie Connelly, CDF, advised in a May/June 2001 article, "Know your market!" In Long Island, NY, where she operates Prestige Resume Services, most of her potential clients are blue-collar workers. So keep the size of your ad in mind. "When they see a large ad," she notes, "they feel the service will be more expensive for them."

Your print advertising opportunities aren't limited to the Yellow Pages, however. You can use small space advertisements in free community newspapers, theatre programs, school newsletters, career-oriented newspapers, daily or weekly news publications, neighborhood association newsletters. church bulletins, city magazines, and university and campus newspapers.

Salome Randall Tripi outlined her approach in the same 2001 article on small space advertising. She advertised in her local church bulletin, reaching 400-500 prospects each week.

"For 52 weeks, we spent $435 and gained $3,925 in new business as a result," she notes.

The key to effective print advertising is tracking your response. If you're not achieving at least a 3:1 return on your investment, you'd be wise to use your ad dollars elsewhere.

Addendum to article: If you do work with a local client base, one great thing you can do is register your business on Google Places. Not only will it help your organic search results, but you can measure your traffic and offer time-limited coupons and special offers.

Last part of the series: Specialization and Pricing

Want the whole article? Buy the issue here.

Yellow Pages Decisions

So, it's Yellow Pages time at Image Building Communications. Well, technically, the deadline was last Friday, but my Yellow Pages rep and I have been in contact for about the past month. The "Resume Services" category in our local Yellow Pages (Dex) has changed quite a bit over the past few years, and even after I made an initial decision, I reconsidered.

Over the years, I've had a variety of ads -- ranging from simple "name and phone number" listings to in-column ads upwards of 2 inches in size. The 2007 edition lists a handful of local service providers, and all the ads -- in-column and display, are gone.

I still believe in the value of the Yellow Pages -- I get a couple of calls each week from prospective clients who've found me this way, and I'm ready to reclaim the book by going back to an in-column ad.

But to help with the prequalification process, I'm taking two steps. I'm emphasizing a free critique (I already have a script I use to respond to these, which includes feedback, "how we work" process information, pricing details, and a few fictionalized samples) over a phone call, because I usually ask them to send me their existing resume anyway.

I'm also beefing up my website, including some general pricing information, to deter the "I want a resume for $50" folks. By driving more people online, I hope to capture more e-mail addresses, and use this to create a better dialogue with prospects, either to convert them down the line, or sell them resume distribution services, even if I don't write their resume.

What are your thoughts? What are you doing with your Yellow Pages advertising, and why?

A Quick Note on Closing Your Business

I received a note back today from a resume writer who recently retired. I asked her whether she had tried to sell her business, instead of just closing it, and she was kind enough to respond back to me, and provide this tip for resume writers too:

"It's practically impossible to sell. Or at least I found it impossible. So I just closed it up. In Rhode Island, there's only one other person who really made a difference in the resume writing market, and she figured she'd get people from me simply because I wasn't there, so she turned [the opportunity to buy the business) down.

However, if you're signed up for umpteen months in the Yellow Pages, they have an "Out of Business" office that will allow you not to pay for the remainder of the year if you can prove that you've cut off your phone and are actually no longer in business. It took me a long time to find this out, so I'm passing it on to you."

I believe that it is possible to sell your business, and this is a topic that I will be exploring in the future. If you have insight into the matter, e-mail me! (rwdigest@aol.com).

Why Clients Choose a Professional Resume Writer

Why do people seek out a résumé writer? A couple of calls from prospective clients this week got me thinking about this.

Most of the calls I receive fall into two categories -- calls from the Yellow Pages and calls from people referred by someone. Because I always ask, "How did you hear about us?" I can usually determine what information I need to share with the caller. Those who have been referred are often "pre-sold" on my services and don't require as much education as the Yellow Pages caller.

Callers from the Yellow Pages are often intriguing. At some basic level, they recognize the need for help with their resume, because they've sought out a "resume service" in the phone book.

Yet they often don't know what they need -- or even what a professional resume writer will do for them. Some are looking for someone to "type" their resume. Others know that they can get "help" with the writing part, but don't know how that works.

Remember when working with prospective clients who are calling from the Yellow Pages that you have three goals:

1. Educate them about your services (what you do, how you can help them, how much it will cost)

2. Find out if they are ready to work with you (do they have a focused job target? What is their timeframe? Do they have realistic expectations about what the résumé can do for them? Are they willing to pay your fee?)

3. Demonstrate that you are the solution. This is most often accomplished by asking questions designed to elicit information -- and position yourself as a credible expert to solve their unspoken problem ("How do I get interviews?")

While their reasons for choosing a professional résumé writer may differ from caller to caller, your job is the same: Determine whether there is a match between what they need and what you provide -- and if there is, make the sale.

Better Yellow Pages Ads

What you write in your Yellow Pages ads can make the difference between you getting 3 calls a week -- or 3 calls a DAY. The more calls you get, the more clients you can book, and the more revenue you can make!

Yellow Pages advertising is the NUMBER ONE source of new clients for MOST résumé writers. How can you maximize the money you are spending in this medium?

We examined this subject in the March/April 2000 issue of Résumé Writers' Digest:
http://www.rwdigest.com/marapr00rwd.pdf

Here are some of my top tips:

1. Focus on the READER. Remember, it's BENEFITS, not FEATURES. "Interview-winning résumés and cover letters," not "1- and 2-page resumes".

2. Emphasize CREDIBILITY. Include mentions or logos of associations you belong to. Mention your inclusion in résumé books/publications. Mention how long you've been around. ("10 Years in Business") and include Better Business Logo or Chamber of Commerce affiliation if you've got them.

3. Make it EASY for them to work with you. Mention hours of operation (either specifically -- MON-FRI 9-5 or DAY/EVENING/SAT. APPOINTMENTS).

4. Help them see your services are for THEM. (Mention specific industries or your areas of specialty.)

5. Don't forget a CALL TO ACTION. At a minimum, this is your phone number, but it can also include your e-mail address and web site. Lead them in with "free resume critiques" or "ask for our free booklet, '10 Strategies to Make $1000 More At Your Next Job'" or whatever you can do to get them to CALL you.