Why I Threw The Yellow Pages In The Garbage
By Anna Johnson on January 22nd, 2009The other day I did something that would have been unthinkable 20 years ago. I threw the Yellow Pages book into the garbage bin (the recycling bin of course)!
There it lay, unsought and unwelcome on our doorstep. I gave it about 5 seconds thought before throwing the thing out.
I don’t expect everyone to show such disdain towards the Yellow Pages directory as I did. And, in case you’re wondering, we have, in previous years, asked the Yellow Pages people to take the book back. But they wouldn’t do so.
Actually, last year we saw the Yellow Pages delivery guy drop off the book and my husband ran out to give it back. But the guy refused to take it back!
So this year the Yellow Pages was going into the bin.
But I wonder… is my ‘evolution’ in terms of using the Yellow Pages a sign of things to come?
Twenty years ago, the Yellow Pages was an essential household resource.
Ten years ago, I began using it to stabilize the front wheel of my racing bike, when I choose to do stationary cycling (‘spinning’) at home.
Now, we don’t have any use for the paper directory at all. We use the Internet to find the resources, products and services we want.
And I suspect the Yellow Pages will become less useful to more people, as we ALL increasingly look for products and services – especially local products and services – online.
In particular, therein lies the harsh reality for both the Yellow Pages and local newspapers… and the opportunity for everyone involved in local search.
Not just the likes of Google, but also marketing consultants and local businesses that embrace the opportunity to, among other things, attract and channel local search traffic to their websites.
Of course, Sensis, which publishes the Yellow Pages in Australia, along with local newspapers and the other Yellow Pages publishers from around the world, are focusing more and more of their attention on their online offerings.
Which is just as well.
While they still have an audience now – predominately among households that don’t use computers much or at all – this audience is declining, and I honestly don’t see how the Yellow Pages book will survive.
Online is where it’s at. Which means if you’re interested in local search marketing, now is a great time to get involved.
January 22nd, 2009 at 3:52 pm
Yes, the Yellow pages are less useful now than before the internet explosion. And, that might be a good thing, if there websites are written so the information is easily found. I’ve looked in some yellow pages on the internet and they are not quite up to snuff yet.
Also, as for the delivery people not taking back the book, please realize that they ARE NOT employees, they are independent contractors that are paid ‘by the book’. They make the effort of delivering the book, using their own vehicle, paying for the gas, insurance(yes, the companies require them to have insurance), etc. So, if they take back the book, they lose more than the 15 cents paid for delivering each book.
I delivered books for 11 years, and it was a good income until the illegals were hired to do the job. The contractor company (middle men) that managed the delivery people liked the illegals because the books were distributed fast, even though they were just thrown onto the porches and driveways. And, they gave more than book. Can a one man barber shop really use 4 books? That’s the kind of stunts the illegals were doing.
But then some of those contractor companies lost their contracts, and the Good drivers lost out because the new contractors were not allowed to rehire the good drivers along with the bad.
Thanks for letting me get this off my chest.
January 22nd, 2009 at 5:20 pm
Hey Anna,
Great Article! And it is a true sign of the times to come
where everything will be done online.
But it doesnt solve my addictions
Each year I go to my local post office and just before they
throw out all their old yellow pages books…I collect all of them!
Yep…every single yellow pages book for Australia.
Lets just say that bout 3 trolley loads is all it takes
Why do I do this?
I do it because some of the best direct response marketers
\"Still\" use the yellowpages as \"Another\" place to advertise
their business.
I mean, all you have to do is look at the carpet cleaning
section of the yellow pages to find some really good examples.
I dont have a yellow pages \"Swipe File\" I have a \"Swipe Box\"
and you can imagine how big it is after a few years.
So, if you keen on copywriting…atleast tear out some pages
of great ads before you chuck it
Take Care,
Michael Silvester
January 22nd, 2009 at 5:24 pm
Wow Hal – thanks for enlightening us! Now I understand why the delivery guys wouldn’t take the books back… and how the system can be gamed (i.e. giving the barber shop 4 copies). It’s probably a good thing to be out of that business, though. I might be wrong, but I really can’t see how it can survive long term…