Prepare yourself. Before you talk to your Yellow Page sales Rep again, you need to know the terms that will be tossed around. Being informed reduces the change that you’ll be manipulated into spending more for your Yellow Page directory listing than you need to.

Never lose sight of the fact that this is a battle of wits. And if you lose, you’ll pay—month after month. Be armed by facts in the psychological skirmish. Read Yellow Page Smarts before the next Directory closing date arrives.

Alphabetical Section    White Pages  Every business is entitled to a free listing in the alphabetical section (the White Pages)

Anchor Listing    A reference line that directs the reader to a display ad

Bold Listing    The company name is printed in bold, capital letters

Business-to-Business Directory    Provide information to assist business purchases

Cooperative Advertising    Advertisements that are funded jointly by the manufacturer and the retailer

Core Directory    Has the largest reach and greatest usage; includes information for the entire market

Directional Media    Point consumers in a direction where their purchases can be made, include telephone directories, newspaper classifieds grocery store

Display Ad    A quarter-page or larger Yellow Pages ad which may include graphics and logo, color or special design options

Foreign Advertising    Yellow Pages advertising that’s place in directories other than the one that Represents the area where the advertiser’s business is physically located

Four Color Printing    See Process Color

Gutter Ad    Display ad that falls along the fold; easier to overlook than other ads on the page

In-column Ad (in yellow section)    Ads that are place alphabetically within the column, regardless of size, under the appropriate classified heading

Independent    Non-utility Publisher; directory companies that aren’t affiliated with telephone service providers

Internet Yellow Pages (IYP)    Online version of the Yellow Pages; is accessed online by computer; national in scope

Local Search    Service provided by some Internet Search Engines (Google, Yahoo) to provide information about local businesses, even those without a Web site

Local Yellow Page Sales Rep    Work one-to-one with businesses in placing their ads in the local directory

Lone Display Ad    Ad that falls before or after the section it belongs in, so isn't seen by visitors to that section; such ads are essentially worthless

Niche Directory    Targeted to special demographic groups, like foreign language, universities, or women

Process Color    Four-color printing; used for four-color color printing process, composed of percentages of cyan, magenta, yellow and black, which creates a full-color look

Spot Color    Using two or more non-contiguous colors in an ad

Suburban Directory    Neighborhood directory; covers a small localized area

Trademark    A legally registered symbol or mark, representing a particular brand, product or service

Traditional Media    Magazines and TV, compared to directional media, like the Yellow Page directory

Utility Publishers Produce directories for telephone service providers, like the Baby Bells, which make up 87% of the Yellow Page revenue; compared to the Independents

White Knock-Out    A printing technique that gives display ads a white background

White Pages Directory    The white section of the phone directory that lists businesses alphabetically; every business receives a listing at no charge_________

Read my article, Local Search and Internet Yellow Pages—A Whole
    New Vocabulary for Small Business Owners

       See other useful Yellow Page Resources