Masonry Magazine March 1969 Page. 30
LET THEIR
FINGERS DO THE
WALKING!
Mr. Local Q. Homeowner is looking for someone to construct a masonry retaining wall in his garden. Another potential customer, a businessman across town, has decided that his store needs another 10,000 sq. ft. of floor space. Still another prospect, a general contractor, is looking for a mason contractor. Where will they, and others like them turn?
If they're like almost one out of every two Americans who actually bought or sought home building and repair services in the course of a year, they'll turn to the Yellow Pages, according to a recent national independent study conducted by Audits & Surveys, Inc.
The study showed that 46 per cent of adult Americans in this market looked in the Yellow Pages.
And, 92 per cent of the time, they followed up their references with a contact. In short, they took action!
Do you think that these figures don't apply to you, because everyone in your area knows you by name? You may be right, but the study shows that 51 per cent of the references were made by people who could have found the name of the contractor or service they were seeking in the white pages, but chose to look in the Yellow Pages instead.
Among such Yellow Pages users must be numbered people who've been favorably impressed by your other advertising, or have been referred to you, plus some of your past, but infrequent customers. They may have forgotten some vital fact, such as your phone number, or your address. Not only that, but prospects who've decided to buy masonry services, but who haven't decided on a particular contractor, will look there too.
Obviously, not all of the prospects uncovered by the study will descent on you en masse, and many of them aren't interested in your type of service, but the figures should make you stop and think for a moment. Are you getting your fair share of the Yellow Pages users in your area? Or are your overhead costs going on and on, while your crew sits idle all too often?
When these prospects turn to the various masonry headings in your local Yellow Pages, what do they find? Yes, if you have a phone, you're listed there, and you may have an ad, so you should be getting some of their business. But if your ad is like those of all too many, chances (Continued on page 45)