Is your Yellow Pages presence worth it?
Before launching My Hometown Vet this year, we did a lot of research and focus groups with Veterinarians to determine how they currently market their practices. The vast majority of veterinarians we spoke to responded with two things:
Reminder Cards and the Yellow Pages.
Digging a little deeper, we discovered that the average Veterinary Practice spends about $12,000 per year on their Yellow Page ad. However, over 90% of the veterinarians we spoke to agreed that they don't believe they receive any benefit from the Yellow Pages. They maintain that presence not to acquire new clients, but out of fear of what might happen if they suddenly dropped the ad!
Besides referrals from happy clients, new clients aren't coming from the Yellow Pages. Why? Because most people don't use the Yellow Pages anymore when searching for a local small business (that includes a veterinarian).
They're using the Internet.
With this in mind, should you, the veterinary professional, continue to spend your marketing budget on the Yellow Pages? The article below is a good gauge as to whether or not the Yellow Pages is a good investment for you.
Determine your (Yellow Pages) ROI
Is your Yellow Pages presence worth it?
by Peter Fernandez, D.C.
When determining if the return on your Yellow Pages investment is working for you, it's key to look for a 3-to-1 ratio or higher.
Every dollar you spend on a Yellow Pages ad should make you $3 or more. One dollar goes toward your overhead. One dollar pays for the ad. And the third dollar is the profit for your work. There are no exceptions for this rule.
To determine if you are achieving a minimum 3-to-1 ratio, use the following three-step method:
1) Total the number of new clients that were attracted to your practice by your Yellow Page ad over the previous 12 months, and the services rendered to these clients.
2) Determine how much you paid for the ad for the prior 12 months.
3) Divide the amount of money you spent for your Yellow Page ad into the number of services you rendered to these clients and see whether you have a 3-to-1 ratio or higher. If your Yellow Page ad produces less than a 3-to-1 ratio, it's a dog. Don't repeat it.
Note: Don't skip step 3. While it entails a bit of work, it is the only way to determine your ROI. When you don't know your advertisement's ROI, you will be wasting most of your advertising dollars.
This excerpt originally appeared in the online version of the Chiropractic Journal, 11/21/08
By: CJ Levendoski
Managing Partner
CMS
Find a veterinarian near you at www.myhometownvet.com
My Hometown Vet (www.myhometownvet.com) helps dog, cat and other pet owners find a local veterinarian in their neighborhood. Pet owners can also keep us with the latest veterinary healthcare tips and trends with our professional pet tips blog. To find a veterinarian near you, visit www.myhometownvet.com. Myhometownvet.com allows veterinarians to market your veterinary practice on the internet; marketing your veterinary practice website; search engine optimization for the veterinary practice. Veterinary practice management. Veterinary marketing.
Before launching My Hometown Vet this year, we did a lot of research and focus groups with Veterinarians to determine how they currently market their practices. The vast majority of veterinarians we spoke to responded with two things:
Reminder Cards and the Yellow Pages.
Digging a little deeper, we discovered that the average Veterinary Practice spends about $12,000 per year on their Yellow Page ad. However, over 90% of the veterinarians we spoke to agreed that they don't believe they receive any benefit from the Yellow Pages. They maintain that presence not to acquire new clients, but out of fear of what might happen if they suddenly dropped the ad!
Besides referrals from happy clients, new clients aren't coming from the Yellow Pages. Why? Because most people don't use the Yellow Pages anymore when searching for a local small business (that includes a veterinarian).
They're using the Internet.
With this in mind, should you, the veterinary professional, continue to spend your marketing budget on the Yellow Pages? The article below is a good gauge as to whether or not the Yellow Pages is a good investment for you.
Determine your (Yellow Pages) ROI
Is your Yellow Pages presence worth it?
by Peter Fernandez, D.C.
When determining if the return on your Yellow Pages investment is working for you, it's key to look for a 3-to-1 ratio or higher.
Every dollar you spend on a Yellow Pages ad should make you $3 or more. One dollar goes toward your overhead. One dollar pays for the ad. And the third dollar is the profit for your work. There are no exceptions for this rule.
To determine if you are achieving a minimum 3-to-1 ratio, use the following three-step method:
1) Total the number of new clients that were attracted to your practice by your Yellow Page ad over the previous 12 months, and the services rendered to these clients.
2) Determine how much you paid for the ad for the prior 12 months.
3) Divide the amount of money you spent for your Yellow Page ad into the number of services you rendered to these clients and see whether you have a 3-to-1 ratio or higher. If your Yellow Page ad produces less than a 3-to-1 ratio, it's a dog. Don't repeat it.
Note: Don't skip step 3. While it entails a bit of work, it is the only way to determine your ROI. When you don't know your advertisement's ROI, you will be wasting most of your advertising dollars.
This excerpt originally appeared in the online version of the Chiropractic Journal, 11/21/08
By: CJ Levendoski
Managing Partner
CMS
Find a veterinarian near you at www.myhometownvet.com
My Hometown Vet (www.myhometownvet.com) helps dog, cat and other pet owners find a local veterinarian in their neighborhood. Pet owners can also keep us with the latest veterinary healthcare tips and trends with our professional pet tips blog. To find a veterinarian near you, visit www.myhometownvet.com. Myhometownvet.com allows veterinarians to market your veterinary practice on the internet; marketing your veterinary practice website; search engine optimization for the veterinary practice. Veterinary practice management. Veterinary marketing.
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