Workplace

If you're like many roofing contractors, you probably spend a large amount of money on Yellow Page advertisements. Roofing contractors rank eighth in Yellow Page spending out of all business categories. However, even with the $278 million roofing contractors spend annually for Yellow Page advertising, results continue to decrease as the cost per lead increases.

During the past few years, Yellow Page references have slipped nearly 25 percent. Most of this is because of online references and "fragmentation," meaning results are diluted as more information media are made available. On average, five new business directory books are added in the U.S. each month.

So the problem with Yellow Page advertisements may not be underspending or traffic shortage. The problem likely is the advertisement itself. Now may be an opportune time to take a good look at your Yellow Page advertisement. To get the most from your advertisement, you should focus on the following elements.

Layout

To get the most out of business directory advertising, use your layout space wisely. Human comprehension experts list many "don'ts" in advertisement copy layout: Don't exceed five to seven words per line. Don't center more than three lines in a row. Don't have more than eight to 10 words in a headline. Pay attention to these don'ts, and see how much business you can do.

Headline

An advertisement's headline represents 80 percent of its effectiveness. It's "the ad for the ad" and commands attention more than any other element. A headline should be a strong, clearly stated benefit for potential customers. Without one, your advertisement will blend in with every other advertisement.

Body copy

To get main points across in a clear, compelling way, bullet points should emphasize what a customer will gain, not your company's greatness. You often can shift the emphasis simply by inserting "You get" instead of "We have." Line up bullet points in a cohesive manner, using "you" or "you get" four times as often as "us," we" and "our." List services as benefits, not as features. Also, boldly state your guarantees—the stronger, the better.

Call to action

If your advertisement is not going to ask people to call your company, pull the advertisement and save your money. There is no point in paying for a Yellow Page advertisement that has no call to action. To drive leads, you must tell readers what to do and provide the means to call you to solve their problems. You generally should put your telephone number at the bottom right corner of your advertisement.

Remember what you're selling

The point of directory advertising is to get telephone calls.

Readers want fast, informative, credible evidence that calling you is a smart decision. Good advertisement design, copy and layout can provide readers this evidence.

If you're spending a lot for Yellow Page space, it is important to make sure your advertisement works. Effective advertisements should tell your prospects exactly how they will benefit from your services.

Adams Hudson is president of Hudson Ink, Montgomery, Ala., a creative marketing firm for contractors.