There is usually nothing you can do about the cost of your yellow ad. It isn't like negotiating for a car. Rates are generally set in stone. However, there are a lot of variations, options and rebates which you can have that will improve the impact of your ad. It's more like choosing between black-wall or white-wall tires.

When buying your ad, make sure you understand the "program." Know what you are paying for, what is free and what your ad will cost next year. On the first year of a new or larger ad, you generally pay a lower price to "ease the pain." In the second year, you will pay a price that's half-way between the first year price and the full third-year price. To help you plan your strategy, here is a list of common choices you will have. Note: Your area may vary somewhat.

In-Column Ad Programs

Regular Listing: A free small print listing in a section of your choice.

Bold Listing: Puts your name and phone number in bold to help it stand out from the other listings.

Extra Line: Allows you to add a single line to your regular listing as a description of what you do.

Space Listing: These expanded listings are sold in half inch increments, beginning at 1/2 inch and stopping at 3 inches. Half inch ads allow 3 lines of small type, 2 lines of medium type or one line of large type. Each line holds about 25 characters. Use this area like a billboard to tell people what you do. These ads can be upgraded to include bold or italicized type. Bullets help them stand out.

Artwork and Color: Space ads which are at least one inch in length can add color. The options are red, blue or green. Color logos and/or artwork are permitted in 2-1/2 or 3 inch space ads.

Trademark Ad: This is the cheapest way to get artwork or your logo in a small ad. The top one or two inches of the ad is the trademark area. This is typically a recognized brand funded through co-op marketing, but could be defined as your own local trademark. At the bottom of the trademark area, you must have a descriptive line such as "Where to buy." Your name and phone are then listed in a 1/2 inch ad under the trademark area. The trademark can be upgraded to include color.

Display Ad Programs

Quarter Column: One column wide and a quarter page long. About 1/16 of a page. Note: although some yellow pages are three columns wide, most are four.

Business Card Size: This popular size is two columns wide and a quarter page long, less half an inch.

Double Quarter Column: Two columns wide and a quarter page long

Dollar Bill Size: Three columns wide and a quarter page long

Quarter Page: Two columns wide and half a page long

Triple Half Column: Three columns wide and half a page long

Half Page: Four columns wide and half a page long

Three Quarters Page: Four columns wide and three quarters of a page long or three columns wide and a full page in length.

Full Page: Self-explanatory.

Now for the key warning! Many business owners make a common, but critical, mistake on their yellow page ads. They don't plan or give enough careful thought to their ad. In many cases, the business owner just whips up a quick ad when the yellow page sales rep shows up. Often, they succumb to the salesperson's "hurry-up" deadline and either do the same thing as the prior year or go with whatever the salesperson suggests.

Be aware that the deadline the salesperson gives you may not necessarily be true. Most reps are "premise sales people" who move from town to town. They are paid based on the ads they sell before their team moves on. In most instances, the telephone company's actual deadline is much later than you are told. You can find out what the true deadline is by calling your telephone company's central business office. Just keep this in mind ... new ads are placed within the category based on the date the order was received. You may want to place your order as promptly as possible to take advantage of priority placement.