These days, you can place ads in a growing number of channels, but many small businesses still rely heavily on yellow pages ads to reach potential customers. Such ads can come with a hefty price tag, however. Depending on its size and location, a yellow pages ad can cost as much as $20,000 per year.

The key is to make yellow pages advertising dollars work harder by building a better ad, and making sure to display it in the right place. Following are some quick tips and examples of how to make an ad stand out from all the rest.

Lay the Groundwork

Just like any other advertisement or marketing material, an effective yellow pages ad takes thoughtful planning. Your message andyour audience will guide all decisions about content, layout and placement.

Such considerations take time to work out, so begin work on the next year’s ad at least three months before the deadline. You will need enough time to come up with various approaches and eliminate less effective ideas. Before deciding the first word of the ad, answer these key questions:

• How would you describe your product or service in one short sentence?
• Who is your target audience or customer?
• What three key characteristics about your product/service do you want to convey to the customer?
• What aspect of your business sets you apart from others in the industry?

If you have these answers in hand before you begin, they will guide the process of building an effective ad that differentiates your business from the competition and appeals to your customers and yellow pages users.

Write and Design your Ad for your Customer

To develop an effective ad, you must approach it from your customer’s point of view.

For example, when are your target customers most likely to be looking in the yellow pages for a business like yours?

People looking for appliance repair or plumbing services probably need to reach someone urgently, in which case a high-impact ad could be a good investment.

On the other hand, most people searching the yellow pages for a dry cleaner are likely scanning by the dry cleaner's location, in which case paying extra for a large, color ad could be a waste of money.

Take a look at existing ads for your competitors and try to make your ads stand out using different colors, shadings or borders. The following elements of an effective yellow pages ad can help you highlight the best of your business:

Headlines
An effective yellow pages ad starts with a headline that emphasizes the main selling point of your business. Headlines take up valuable real estate in your advertisement, so use them wisely. If you’re a bakery specializing in wedding cakes, say so in the headline of your ad.

Descriptive Text
When writing your ad, select one theme and emphasize the facts that support  that theme. Be detailed in describing your business or service, and don’t assume that everyone knows what your firm does. Make sure the copy focuses on  the specific product of interest to your customer.

Double- and triple-check the ad’s copy to make sure it contains contact information such as your firm’s address, phone number and e-mail address (if you check e-mail frequently). The most creative ad in the world is useless if you list your phone number incorrectly.

Finally, don’t over promise in your ad. It can destroy your customers’ trust in your business and generate bad word of mouth.

Clear Design
Keep your ad visually interesting but easy to read. Vary type size and font to emphasize the most important parts of your ad but avoid ornate or distracting type styles (also called “fonts”). Note, you may be tempted to put your ad in all capital letters, but be aware that this makes it harder to read.  Use all caps and italics to highlight key words or phrases.

You can  make your ad stand out by using reverse type, or “white” (in this case yellow) text on a black background. Use the reverse type strategy with caution, however. Such ads can be hard to read, particularly if there is a lot of reverse type in a small space.

You also can make the telephone number dominant at the bottom of the ad. Finally, make sure your ad is clean and uncluttered. A crowded ad is unpleasant and hard to read, and a little bit of breathing space in your ad is more important than unnecessary text.

Images with Purpose
Any illustrations, photos or other images should directly relate to what your business does. Whether the image is your logo or an illustration of your product, the best ads utilize copy and graphics to specifically address the product or service.

Color and Size
It's a fact: Bigger, more colorful ads get noticed. Of course, it’s also a fact that bigger, more colorful ads are more expensive.

When considering whether to upgrade on color or size, think again about your customers’ needs and how important it is to grab their attention immediately.

In general, ads on the outside edges of the page get better readership. You also should request a page proof to see how your ad meshes with those around it. If placement is bad, demand a new position.

Color can definitely help your ad stand out, but some small business owners say if budgets force you to choose between size and color, size is the better buy when it comes to attracting customers.

Get Feedback

Once your ad is developed, get feedback on the ad’s readability and effectiveness. Even if you produce your ad with help from a design firm, take an active role in choosing the theme and content of your ad and afterwards in getting outside feedback before the ad goes to print. Over time, don’t hesitate to fine-tune the ad to see if you can increase its effectiveness.

Track your Progress

Once your ad is running in the yellow pages, track how many leads the ad has generated.

Ask all new customers how they got your name and if — or where — they saw your ad. Some markets have several yellow pages directories from different publishers and not all are in wide distribution or use.

Keep a consistent tally of new leads, and if possible, ask your customers what they thought of your ad and how it affected their decision to choose your business. Customer feedback to the actual ad can help you fine-tune your ad in the next year’s yellow pages directory.

One often successful strategy is to include copy to prompt customers to “mention this ad,” in exchange for a discount or other premium. Such a message should only be included if it does not clutter the overall ad.

Identifying what works and what doesn’t is a crucial part of a successful advertising and marketing strategy. Tracking the effectiveness of your yellow pages ad can help you determine whether you are spending your advertising dollars wisely.