THE YELLOW PAGES AS A SOURCE OF PRODUCT AND BRAND INFO
A Research
Presented to
The faculty of Marketing
College of Business Administration and Accountancy
MindanaoStateUniversity
MarawiCity
In Partial Fulfillment
Of the Requirements for the Degree
Course Mktg. 198
(Marketing research)
By:
Abdul-AzisAmerol
Amir Salman Malatus
February 2010
CHAPTER I
THE PROBLEM AND ITS SCOPE
Introduction
Yellow Pages is the thick directories of telephone listings and display advertisements, represent the fifth most popular advertising medium, attracting 6 percent of total advertising spending. Almost all advertising in Yellow Pages is local advertising.
Telephone book advertising is another way of reaching your market area. It allows you to place your business listing or ad in selected classifications within the book, with the theory being that when people need your product or service, they look up the classification and contact you.
Organization is a collection of individuals seeking common goals. it emerged from group of people whose desire in achieving their common goals is to cater the interest and satisfy the wants and needs of the community.
Telephone Yellow Pages salespeople often employ the technique of selling as large of ad as they can to one company, then showing the companies in the same classification that the one company is doing so that they can make it or beat it.
CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK
This study was based on the cases related to Yellow Pages as a product and brand info. These were: rejection of customer, exposition, question and ad dissatisfaction.
Figure1. Yellow Pages as a source of Product and Brand info.
STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM
This research aimed to know the Yellow Pages as a source of Product and Brand information among the residents of “purok Manuang”, specifically it will sought to answer the following questions:
1. What is the profile of the respondents in terms of the following?
1.1. Age
. 1.2. Sex
. 1.3. Source of income
2. Given the above respondents, what are their preferences in choosing Yellow Pages advertisement?
. 2.1. Attraction
. 2.2. Message
. 2.3. Method
. 2.4. Image
. 2.5. Conviction
3. Customer benefits in terms of using Yellow Pages
3.1. Availability
3.2. Service level
IMPORTANCE OF THE STUDY
The outcome of the study will specifically benefit the following:
Respondents. Findings would serve as the basis of comparison and additional input specifically for those problems which the respondents have not yet encountered.
Marketing Students and Faculty. Students and Faculty in the field of Marketing, would make the findings a very useful reference especially when it deals with related topics
Future researchers. Findings would be a great aid for the future related researches that would be conducted and would serve as the guideline in dealing with the problems that would be encountered by the researcher.
SCOPE AND LIMITATION
This study would involve 10 residents in Purok Manuang, Tubod, Iligan City. Who are using Yellow Pages as a source of product and brand information for at least once every two weeks. Whose personal class in terms of age, sex, and source of income were considered. Particularly, this research tackled the experiences and the problems concerning the following: Determining the attraction, message, method, image and conviction.
DEFINATION OF TERMS
Sales. It refers to sales and revenue
Color. It refers to the color design of advertising
Inject. To be alive on everything you write.
CHAPTER II
REVIEW ON RELATED STUDIES AND LITERATURE
I. NATURE AND SCOPE
Yellow pages advertising is an important medium to consider in our fast-paced, information-hungry society. People really do let their “fingers do the walking” instead of driving around blindly. We should make sure that our Yellow Pages ad is attractive and informative enough to be the one business the prospect actually does select to call. And then make sure you have the resources to deal with the inquiry. After all, there is nothing more annoying than being put “untold” by a busy checker or being served by an uninterested or unknowledgeable employee.
II. Preferences in choosing Yellow Pages Advertisement
Your ad should be large enough to incorporate the vital information the reader needs to contact decision. Be ready to entertain your customer, give sufficient effort in answering the questions given and make sure that you have what is on your ad. Use a variety of techniques to deliver your message and design your ad to promote the sale of your particular product or service. Your ad should attempt to create awareness and try to build loyalty to your product or service.
A. ATTRACTION
When advertising in the Yellow Pages, remember the Yellow Page design maxim: “Where the eye stops, the sale begins.” If your Yellow Pages ad doesn’t leap off the page and grab the reader, you’re squandering money. Your #1 goal is to draw attention first, before any others. Sounds pretty obvious but just take a look in your directory. Most Yellow Page designs fail miserably, giving you an excellent opportunity to nullify the competition
B. MESSAGE
Before putting pen to paper, think about your prospect’s decision-making process. What’s most important to him or her? How will you solve his or her problem better than all of your competitors? This is your Unique Selling Proposition (USP).
When advertising in the Yellow Pages it’s crucial to keep in mind that shoppers always ultimately base their buying decision on emotional factors (benefits), not features, so engage your target audience with an inspiring headline and supporting body copy that speaks to the heart. Use powerful, electrifying words in your Yellow Page designs that ignite their emotions, and you will attract a much larger share of potential buyers.
C. METHOD
When advertising in the Yellow Pages you must be concise! Tell the most complete story while eliminating all “clutter copy”… these are generic phrases or predictable words that bore readers, waste valuable space and only serve to reduce response. Also, dump those bland graphics or photos and replace them with compelling, eye-grabbing images that help you reinforce your USP. Make sure your Yellow Page ad design uses images and words that excite the senses!
D. IMAGE
A successful Yellow Page ad will instantly convey quality, professionalism and value. Take the time to carefully plan your Yellow Page design’s headline, body copy, photography, artwork and typography. Also, keep in mind that your Yellow Page ad needs “breathing room,” so avoid the strong temptation to fill the entire space with information. “White space” will greatly increase the eye-stopping power of your Yellow Page design and will also make your ad much easier to navigate.
Remember, effective Yellow Pages advertising design has only one objective: to bring you new business by generating phone calls. The Yellow Pages are not the proper medium for “branding” your image, reinforcing buying decisions, promoting your Web site, stroking your ego or knocking your competitors. Study your ad piece by piece. If there any ad elements that do not motivate potential customers to call you, remove them.
E. CONVICTION
In order to persuade powerfully, you must build trust, credibility and confidence. Communicate these traits in your Yellow Page designs by including credentials, testimonials, awards or any other honors your business has earned.
CHAPTER III
Research Methodology
This chapter involved procedures that would be utilized in controlling data collected validly, accurately and economically. The research was further divided into Research locale, Research method, Research instrument, Data collection method, and Statistical instrument.
Research Locale
Purok Manuang is located at Tubod, iligan City
The City of Iligan is a highly urbanized city north of the province of Lanao del Norte, Philippines. It is approximately 795 kilometers southeast of Manila. According to 2007 census, it has a population of 308,046 people.
Iligan city is in the southern Philippines, on the northwestern coast of Mindanao Island, capital of Lanaodel Norte Province. Maria Cristina Falls is nearby. A port and industrial center at the mouth of the Iligan River on Iligan Bay of Bohol Sea, the city is in an area that grows crops such as corn and bananas. Having a population of 285,000 during year 2000.
Research Method
The descriptive research method was used in this research. As defined, descriptive studies are designed to describe something present wherein through fact findings and interpretation were gathered. It is focused on the accurate description of the variables on the problem model.
Data Collection Method
The study used both primary and secondary sources of data. The primary data were gathered through distribution of questionnaires, while the secondary data were taken from published and unpublished materials like books, undergraduate thesis and internet articles.
Research Instrument
A structured non-disguised questionnaire was the main tool used for data gathering. Said instrument was prepared in English language involving the combination of scaling and multiple choice types of questions.
It consisted two parts. The first part dealt with respondent’s profile including age, sex and source of income while the second one dealt with the preferences in choosing Yellow Pages advertisement. The instrument was validated and pretested.
Statistical Instrument
In the analysis and presentation of data gathered, the percentage method was used. All other information obtained through the questionnaires that were tabulated and the frequency distribution was determined.
Questionnaire
I. Respondents profile
Direction: Please put a checkmark (/) or write your answer on the space provided for:
1. Age
( ) 20 and below ( ) 25 – 30
( ) 21 – 25 ( ) 31 and above
2. Sex
( ) male ( ) female
3. Source of income
( ) government employee ( ) non-government employee
II. Yellow Pages concerns
Direction: Below are the Yellow Pages concerns. Please indicate at what extent you have met them by encircling the number corresponds to your answer.
4. Highly acceptable
3. Moderately acceptable
2. Least acceptable
1. Not acceptable
A. Preferences of customers
A.1 Size
– Large enough to cater the problems 1 2 3 4
– Problem is easy to find 1 2 3 4
– Convincing use of ad strategies 1 2 3 4
– Long year of existence 1 2 3 4
A.2 Color
– Creative 1 2 3 4
– Eye appealing 1 2 3 4
– Clear 1 2 3 4
– Clean 1 2 3 4
B. Customer benefits
B.1 Customer advantages
– Easy search 1 2 3 4
– Informative 1 2 3 4
– Information is more up to date 1 2 3 4
– Easy to follow directions to the company’s location1 2 3 4
Control No.______
College of Business Administration and Accountancy
MINDANAOSTATEUNIVERSITY
MarawiCity
DEPARTMENT OF MARKETING
___________
Date
Dear Respondent,
Greetings!
The undersigned are BSBA Entrepreneurial Marketing major students who are presently conducting a study entitled “YELLOW PAGES AS A SOURCE OF PRODUCT AND BRAND INFORMATION AMONG THE RESIDENTS OF PUROK GOLDEN MANUANG”, in partial fulfillment of the requirements in Marketing 198 (Marketing Research).
In this regard, they would like to request for your sincere cooperation and honest support in answering the attached questionnaire. Rest assured that your responses and all other information would be treated with utmost confidentiality.
Thank you very much.
Respectfully yours,
ABDULAZIS AMEROL
AMIRSALMAN MALATUS
Chapter IV
Presentation, Analysis, and Interpretation of DATA
This chapter present analysis and interprets the data gathered from the questionnaire to the profile of the respondents prospecting Yellow Pages as Product and Brand Information Sources
I. Respondents Profile
This section includes the classification of respondents according to their age, sex, and source of income.
Table 1.Frequency Distribution of Respondents According to Age and Sex.
| |Sex | |
| | |Total |
| | | |
|Age | | |
| |Male |Female | |
| |f | % |f |% |N |% |
|20 – below |2 |20 |1 |10 |3 |30 |
|21 – 25 |4 |40 |3 |30 |7 |70 |
|25 – 30 |- |- |- |- |- |- |
|31 – above |- |- |- |- |- |- |
|total | |60 | |40 |10 |100 |
Table 1 represents the frequency distribution of the respondents according to age and sex, wherein males aged 21 – 25 years old have a frequency of 4 which comprise the 40% followed by the frequency of 2 or 20% aging 20 and below. While females aged 21 – 25 have a frequency of 3 or 30% and it was followed by the same frequency again.
II. Yellow Pages Acceptability
A. This section includes on how respondents asserts Yellow Pages as Product and Brand Information Sources.
| |4 |3 |2 |1 | | |
|Advertisement | | | | |X |Verbal Interpretation |
|Preferences | | | | | | |
| |f |% |f |% |f |% |
| |f |% |
|1.0 – 1.74 |Not Acceptable |1 |
|– 2.49 |Least Acceptable |2 |
|2.50 – 3.24 |Moderately Acceptable |3 |
|3.25 – 4.0 |Highly acceptable |4 |
CHAPTER V
SUMMARY, CONCLUSION, AND RECOMMENDATION
SUMMARY
General
The main purpose of undertaking this study is to determine the interest of the selected residence of Prk. Golden Manuang at Iligan City towards using “YELLOW PAGES AS PRODUCT AND BRAND INFORMATION SOURCE”.
In this study, qualified from 10 were considered. Questionnaires were distributed to them and gathered data were tabulated. Statistical tools specifically percentage and weighted mean were adopted for data analysis purposes.
Findings
The respondents were composed of 6 male and 4 females, who aging about 21-25 and above, Mostly a Non-government earner.
As to the degree of yellow pages acceptability the results indicate that the respondents are very much interested to the content of the Yellow Page Ad or the message itself as a whole, and followed by creativity of the ad, Image of the picture of any visual aids and conviction that support the ad, and lastly it follows that the method of the ad is the lowest among the acceptability of Yellow Pages as Products and brand Information Source .
As to the benefits that the customers can get out from using yellow pages, wefound that the service level are more convenient , it gives customers a more reasons why they should use yellow pages as product and brand information source, and it is followed by availability of the product and services which is not really acceptable.
Conclusion
Based on the findings of the study the following conclusions are drawn:
1. Residences of Prk. Golden Manuang are not likely fun of using yellow pages as for product and brand information source.
2. Message or the content of the ad is what matter most to them.
3. Followed by the conviction of the ad is somewhat least acceptable.
4. In terms of benefit’s, service level are moderately acceptable than the availability of the ad or services.
Recommendation
Upon evaluating the results, the following courses of action are recommended.
A. To the advertiser
1. The products on your ad must be readily available whenever the customers need or ask for it.
2. The ad should be bold and creative enough for user’s notification and catches the attention at the first glance.
3. Make it sure that your products advertised is enough to cater the demand of customers for the entire year.
4. Be sure that you build trust and confidence to your customers to maintain continue patronage.
B. To the user
1. Be wise enough to look for a good product and brand information source.
2. Be selective and have a background check to the company if they are capable of catering your needs and preferences.
C. To the researchers
1. Follow up study with the MSU faculty and staff as respondents.
2. Conduct a similar study considering other location of yellow pages.
APPENDIX B
Weighted mean computation:
Formula: __
X = fxi
N
Where; i = 4, 3, 2, 1
fx = frequency
N = (10) total number of respondents
2(4) +3(3) +4(2) = 2.5
10
4(3) + 4(2) = 3.5
10
3(3) + 5(2) = 1.9
10
3(4) + 2(3) + 2(2) = 2.4
10
2(4) + 5(3) + 3(2) = 2.9
10
Weighted mean computation:
Formula: __
X = fxi
N
Where; i = 4, 3, 2, 1
fx = frequency
N = (10) total number of respondents
3(4) + 2(3) = 1.8
10
6(30 + 4(2) = 3
———————–
Service level
– Convenience of the customer
– Safety of the customer
– Expected time of delivery
Yellow Pages as a source of product and brand info.
Attraction
– The ad catches your attention at the first glance
-The ad is creative
– The ad is clear and eye appealing
Message
– The message is clear and informative
-The message sells the benefits of the business
– The message uses electrifying words that ignite
your questions
Availability
– All items are readily available
– Accessibility of the company