Are they worth it? Advertising on Internet Directories

Lately, we've been getting calls from clients asking "Are They Worth It?"

Our clients who sell to homeowners are getting sales calls from vendors about opportunities on internet directory sites like Angie's List, Houzz, Yelp, Manta, Yellow Pages and more...  They hear about special deals, typically giving them a very short time to make a decision.  Our clients are concerned about missing the opportunity and later seeing a competitor get those leads, but unsure if it is a wise investment.  

Our answer is John's favorite "It Depends".

Making an investment to upgrade your listing on Angie's List or Houzz may make sense or may not make sense, depending on multiple factors, such as:

1. Your goals
2. Your primary target customer
3. Your past marketing history
4. Your profit margin
5. The competitive nature of your product/service or offering

Even for companies in the same industry that are competitors of each other - this investment may make sense for one business, and may be very costly and not worth it for the other.

When we get these calls, we'll evaluate the situation completely, perform analysis and research, and put together a recommendation suited for that business situation.  If the answer is to invest, we'll recommend how much and how to measure if the test is successful.  If the answer is to pass on the opportunity, we'll recommend alternatives that will be more likely to meet the business need.

If you are getting calls from sales reps for ads on the internet, remember you can call us first to discuss your specific situation.  It could help you grow your sales, or cost you too much money and profit.