Just Returned from Yellow Pages Association Convention & Exhibition

Have you ever eagerly anticipated an event only to realize it has come and gone?  Well, that’s exactly how I feel about the Yellow Pages Association (YPA) Conference held in Las Vegas, Nevada April 6-8.  After the initial continental breakfast, the conference kicked off with a high-energy, Gloria Estefan look-alike and we knew the sessions were going to be upbeat!  The theme for this conference, “New Tools-New World” was definitely a good fit.  This year’s agenda answered a lot of questions relative to topics such as the status of Yellow Pages print usage, the impact of online marketing, how local mobile search fits in the marketing mix and the state of the Yellow Pages industry as a whole.  It’s an exciting time in the Yellow Pages world and certainly a time for change!

In moving forward and applying what we heard, we realize we need to continue to build on the core business model of the print directory while utilizing some of the new opportunities, tools and vertical market applications for businesses to reach their customers.  That might mean referencing the print book for a mover, searching online for a restaurant or something to do, accessing a marketing message via an online video, or receiving coupons on your cell phone.   It’s all about connecting quicker and in ways that satisfy consumer needs.  It’s about having options and accessing information when and where potential customers want it.

The conference was great and we’re looking forward to doing our homework.  We will continue to find new ways and new tools to maximize our strengths.  It was a pleasure to see old friends and contacts while developing some new relationships as well.

An interesting side note…..when we checked in at the YPA registration desk, we were asked if we wanted to provide our cell phone number and contact information to one of the speaker companies.  We were told that this would be a great platform to “test” their product.  Well, I did participate and received key conference reminders on my cell throughout the entire conference and got an online coupon to Starbucks as a “thank you” for participating.  You can’t go wrong with that!   And that’s the forward-thinking we all need to exercise to stay a step ahead of our competition.  Give your customer what they want, even if they don’t realize they want it….just yet.  Then, they’ll wonder how they ever lived without you!