[PW] Yellow Pages ad prices

[Thomas Arendall-Salvetti]

Fellow Womb at ts,

 

I have a patron who is looking for an estimate of the price of a small
ad in the Yellow Pages of a major US city.

 

Details:  The patron is a college student working on a business plan for
an actual business in Baltimore, MD.  The business wants to take out a
small (roughly business-card-sized) ad in the "Caterers" section of the
Greater Baltimore Yellow Pages.  The student has contacted the Yellow
Pages directly, but the sales representative would not give a price
quote for an ad without more information about the catering business
than the student was able to provide (the business is a start-up, and
still getting set up).  

 

The patron does not need an exact price.  He only needs a ballpark
estimate.  Unfortunately, he does need an estimate that comes out of a
reliable source.

 

Sources consulted: I've checked various SRDS (Standard Rate and Data
Services) directories, and called SRDS directly.  They do not currently
produce a product which tracks prices for telephone directory ads.

 

I've checked several Yellow Pages websites (understanding that there are
several companies that use the "Yellow Pages" brand) and the Yellow
Pages Association website (http://www.ypassociation.org
<http://www.ypassociation.org/> ). 

 

I've flipped through a few issues of AdWeek and Advertising Age, along
with doing a few keyword searches in Business Source Premier.

 

The Yellow Pages sales representative suggested that the patron try book
called "Rates and Data."  WorldCat only shows 5 libraries with Rates and
Data (http://worldcat.org/oclc/17457633&referer=brief_results).

 

I was hoping that an advertising almanac or the Community Sourcebook of
Zip Code Demographics might give an estimate.  Unfortunately, my
university does not have these.

 

Can anyone find a reliable source for an estimate?  I appreciate any
advice you can give.  Thank you.

 

Thomas Arendall-Salvetti

Reference/Instruction Librarian

Langsdale Library

University of Baltimore

1420 Maryland Avenue

Baltimore, MD 21201

410-837-4275

tarendall-salvetti at ubalt.edu