What are your thoughts on The Blue Book?

[Fire Alarm]

I've got 2 half page ads that come out this month in Los Angeles. I have no prior experience with this form of advertising. What are your thoughts?

[electricmanscott]

I guess my first thought is what is the Blue Book.

My second would be since I don't know what it is I guess I have no thoughts on it.

[peter d]

My second would be since I don't know what it is I guess I have no thoughts on it.

I second that thought.

[bradleyelectric]

http://www.thebluebook.com/

[Fire Alarm]

This is what I'm talking about: http://www.thebluebook.com/

http://www.winest.com/images/bluebklogo.gif

[celtic]

How much did it cost for the ad/s?

[celtic]

Once more for those in the back row:
Blue Book Building And Construction (http://www.thebluebook.com/)



Since 1913, The Blue Book of Building and Construction has been the construction industry's premier information source. The Blue Book, headquartered in Westchester County, New York, publishes regional construction directories in most major markets throughout the United States.

Online, thebluebook.com provides easy access to continually updated information for each of The Blue Book's regional editions. Construction buyers and sellers also have free access to BB-Bid, The Blue Book's online bid management system.

[mdshunk]

I get my line ad in The Blue Book, but that's about it. Unless you do some specialty, niche trade, that a GC or Architect would have a reason to pull out The Blue Book, I see absolutely no advantage to paying for advertising in it.

[Fire Alarm]

I have an ad under "Alarm Services" for Fire Alarm contracting and and ad under "Cabling Contractors" for data cabling, cctv and other low voltage stuff.

It's a 2 year contract and I'm paying $540 a month.

[mdshunk]

It's a 2 year contract and I'm paying $540 a month.
It will become important for you to now start to religiously track where your new leads come from. Ask each and every new prospect. Otherwise, at the end of your 2-year contract, you might renew for another 5 or 6 hundred without knowing if the first 500 provided any benefit, for sure.

[Fire Alarm]

It will become important for you to now start to religiously track where your new leads come from. Ask each and every new prospect. Otherwise, at the end of your 2-year contract, you might renew for another 5 or 6 hundred without knowing if the first 500 provided any benefit, for sure.

That's good advice. I have a separate phone number that I use only for the blue book so I should be able to track the source of leads easily.

[mdshunk]

That's good advice. I have a separate phone number that I use only for the blue book so I should be able to track the source of leads easily.
That's a good idea. If you have that line set up as one of your rollover lines, and the other lines are full, you should take notice of that and ask during those times.

[ishium 80439]

I have a neighbor that is a PM for a midsize commercial construction company and he suggested I get an ad in there. He said his company uses it a bunch when working out of state where they don't know any local subs. I haven't yet acted on that advice so I don't have any personal experience with it but take his comment for what it's worth.

[mdshunk]

...He said his company uses it a bunch when working out of state where they don't know any local subs. Exactly. The only time I know for sure that I got work from the the free line ad in The Blue Book was a one time job for an out of state contractor. He was building Auto Zone stores. I did the one local to me, but didn't care to go "on the road" with him like he wanted. Apparently, no other EC's over the years wanted to either.

[roger]

I've had one in my office for 8 years and haven't opened it in 7 years 364 days.

Roger

[electricmanscott]

I have an ad under "Alarm Services" for Fire Alarm contracting and and ad under "Cabling Contractors" for data cabling, cctv and other low voltage stuff.

It's a 2 year contract and I'm paying $540 a month.


Holy sweet fried chicken.

That's $12,960 dollars. Good luck with that.
Guess where I will not be advertising.

I hope it works for that kind of money.

[john_axelson]

But, in Minnesota the only time we see much activity is from the Out-of-Town GC that wants to come to town to build their one project and leave again. They send out bid invites to EVERYONE listed in the Blue Book for our Metro area. Usually leads to well over a 100 ECs being invited and in our current market, it leads to over 20 EC's looking at the same job. Not the market I am interested in.

[Fire Alarm]

Holy sweet fried chicken.

That's $12,960 dollars. Good luck with that.
Guess where I will not be advertising.

I hope it works for that kind of money.

My monthly Ad budget is $2000. This is just a small element of it. :smile:

[celtic]

My monthly Ad budget is $2000. This is just a small element of it. :smile:

54% is "just a small element"?

[drbond24]

54% is "just a small element"?

$540 is 54% of $2000? :grin:

[~Shado~]

$540 is 54% of $2000? :grin:

No...thats the math formula for the BIG spender EC that under sales his services.
You know...they go out at night, buy 4 drinks @ $5/ea...tip $20 each time. Then the next morning, brag about the wild night out since they blew $100+......:roll:

[electricmanscott]

My monthly Ad budget is $2000. This is just a small element of it. :smile:


I don't care how big or small your ad budget is. I think $540.00 bucks a month is a lot of money for something like this.

I hope it works out.

[celtic]

It's a 2 year contract and I'm paying $540 a month.
Holy sweet fried chicken.

That's $12,960 dollars. Good luck with that.
Guess where I will not be advertising.

My monthly Ad budget is $2000. This is just a small element of it. :smile:
54% is "just a small element"?
$540 is 54% of $2000? :grin:


Oops...missed the 2yr contract portion

[cowboyjwc]

I've known about the Blue Book for years, but the only time I ever used it was when I was looking for someone to move a building to the local historical park. A very niche market. I will say though that they ended up moving several buildings for us and they were even shown on Modern Marvels when they were moving a 100 year old church for us. We probably gave them about $100,000+ worth of business.

[bradleyelectric]

I've known about the Blue Book for years, but the only time I ever used it was when I was looking for someone to move a building to the local historical park. A very niche market. I will say though that they ended up moving several buildings for us and they were even shown on Modern Marvels when they were moving a 100 year old church for us. We probably gave them about $100,000+ worth of business.

k, I know just where to advertise next time I want to move someones building.

[cowboyjwc]

k, I know just where to advertise next time I want to move someones building.

Sorry, my point was, as I said, he has a very niche market. I would think that you would get more dollar for dollar from the phone book or insert mailers.

[bradleyelectric]

Sorry, my point was, as I said, he has a very niche market. I would think that you would get more dollar for dollar from the phone book or insert mailers.

I liked your post and took it as how you were explaining it. I've just been in a goofy mood since last nights posts. My son kept asking me what I was laughing at while I was reading them.

[cowboyjwc]

I liked your post and took it as how you were explaining it. I've just been in a goofy mood since last nights posts. My son kept asking me what I was laughing at while I was reading them.

Well shoot, If you wanted a laugh I'm usually pretty good at that.:grin: