Outlines Independent Yellow Pages Directory Strategy
DALLAS, Aug. 5 -"When you put the Verizon brand on your yellow pages, you've just ratcheted up the value." That's how Mike Pawlowski, recently named vice president - marketing and strategic planning for Verizon's yellow pages business, summed up the success of Verizon Information Services' expansion into markets not served by the Verizon telco.
"We have a high-quality product. We have well-trained sales people. We have years of expertise we can leverage as we move into new markets," said Pawlowski. "Plus, we have the Verizon brand.
"No other independent yellow pages publisher has the brand awareness and reputation of Verizon," he continued. "It's a powerful attribute -- and it's serving us well."
Pawlowski, who is responsible for marketing policies, advertising, marketing communications, brand management, market research, strategic product development and strategic planning for the company, which publishes yellow pages and powers SuperPages.com, the nation's best Internet yellow pages, and SuperPages On the Go, the nation's premier cell phone search service, recently discussed Verizon's independent publishing initiative during a company briefing. Here are some highlights.
Q: In 2002, Verizon began publishing directories in U.S. markets where Verizon is not the local telephone company. How is that going?
A: We're in about 40 markets and are rapidly approaching becoming the No. 2 independent publisher in the U.S., based on revenue. We're proud of that, because we've only been in the Independent business three years -- and we're competing for the No. 2 slot with companies that have been around for decades.
Q: Why do you think you made such rapid progress?
A: We carefully selected markets with good growth dynamics and we leveraged our years of expertise as a telephone company-affiliated yellow pages publisher. But, to tell you the truth, I think the biggest factor is the Verizon brand. We know consumers go with brands they trust. Verizon has some of the highest brand recognition in the country -- the fifth most- respected national brand across all industries -- and Verizon has a reputation for honesty, integrity, quality and service delivery. It's only natural businesses and consumers would be interested in trying a Verizon directory.
Q: Who uses independent Verizon directories?
A: The same kinds of folks who use incumbent telco directories or other independent directories -- people who are looking for goods and services and are ready to buy. And, our users have good demographics.
They care about whether the book has the information they need and whether they can trust the information. They trust Verizon.
Businesses are interested in the choices they have in yellow pages; they want a directory that will bring in business. And, they want their yellow pages company to know what it's doing -- and to be a company they can trust.
Q: You talk a lot about results; what if an advertiser needs proof that Verizon's independent directories deliver results?
A: That's easy -- we offer a service called Customer Call Tracker that businesses can use to definitively measure how many leads their yellow pages ads are generating. Plus, we use a leading research firm in many markets to measure how often consumers use the Verizon yellow pages and which yellow pages they prefer.
Q: Aren't all directories alike? Why would a business want to advertise with Verizon?
A: Directories aren't all alike -- and businesses know that. They look for accuracy and reliability; they look for reach and the ability to attract qualified leads; and, increasingly, they look for yellow pages that can meet the multi-pronged search behaviors of most customers.
Q: Multi-pronged search behaviors? What on earth is that?
A: The average consumer looks for goods and services across multiple media: certainly the traditional yellow pages, but also online; often from home, also from the office or the car. So, Verizon complements our print yellow pages with Verizon SuperPages.com, the nation's best Internet yellow pages and the first IYP to get seriously into local search. Plus, we also offer SuperPages On the Go, which offers SuperPages listings via cell phones.
Q: How do advertisers benefit from these multiple prongs?
A: More reach for their ads -- more chances to be there for consumers when they're ready to buy.
Q: Do consumers really use Internet yellow pages? Don't they just use search engines?
A: Lots of consumers do use SuperPages.com; but, you're right, many do use big search engines. What you probably don't know is that Verizon has partnerships with a broad range of search engines. When they search these portals for goods and services, they get SuperPages.com listings -- through, say, MSN.com, and through dozens of other avenues. It truly extends the reach of local advertising.
Q: Yep, let's get back to local; is your target entirely local businesses?
A: No, of course not -- because consumers look for a variety of local and national services when they shop. They'll probably select a local doctor, but they may choose a florist or car rental company with national presence. It's important for national businesses to be in the local book for the consumers who search the yellow pages. And, it's important to be on SuperPages.com for the people who search that way.
Q: National advertisers have a lot of choices. Why would they choose Verizon in a market where you're not the telephone company-affiliated directory?
A: I already mentioned that we have SuperPages.com and SuperPages On the Go to build the value of the print book. We do a lot more community outreach and awareness-building sponsorships and partnerships with local sport teams than even the telco-affiliated directory publishers in those markets. We offer consumer-friendly features like Team Pages, Dining Your Way(R) Restaurant Guides and Golf Guides. These drive usage and build loyalty in each market. But, most important, we have the Verizon brand. People trust Verizon and the use our product.
Plus, they look for a company with proven capabilities. We have the broadest national distribution of any publisher -- 1,600 directory titles in 43 states, the District of Columbia, four countries and a Commonwealth outside the U.S. We have high possession, preference and usage in our markets.
Oh, and by the way, in many markets we have Hispanic directories ...
Q: Hispanic directories?
A: Yes, we're one of the nation's leading publishers of English/Spanish directories. Our Spanish language books are a unique offering in Phoenix, Tucson, San Diego, Denver, Fort Lauderdale, Orlando, Austin and San Antonio.
Q: So, do you offer Verizon directories in every major city?
A: Not yet -- but almost. We publish for the Verizon telco and it serves many of the nation's major cities -- especially in the east. Plus, we have independent books in Phoenix, Denver, Orlando, south Florida, San Diego, Austin, just to name a few.
Q: Didn't you recently exit some Independent markets?
A: A very small percentage. We are expanding our directory presence where it makes good business sense. Since we launched our independent directories, we've continually refined our criteria and strategy. As we've grown, we've learned what works and what works even better. Our brand and multi-product strategy were well received in ALL of the markets we originally selected, but a few markets didn't fit our growth strategy as well as the others.
We are growing in our current independent markets, comparable to other independent publishers. We move quickly based on market intelligence, and going forward, we will continue to expand our national print and electronic presence in selected markets.
About Verizon Yellow Pages and SuperPages.com
Verizon Information Services, a division of Verizon Communications Corp. (NYSE: VZ), is the nation's most advanced provider of yellow pages and related shopping information. It has $3.6 billion in revenues from products including: Verizon SuperPages yellow pages; Verizon SuperPages.com (http://www.superpages.com ), the nation's best Internet directory and a leading online shopping resource; and the SuperPages On the Go information directory offered through Verizon Wireless Get It Now services and on other wireless carriers. The company is the largest publisher of Hispanic directories in the U.S. and the first to provide a Hispanic online shopping resource (http://www.superpages.com/espanol ).
