Warning: This post could be perceived as a Millennial rant. Sorry, not sorry. If you don’t want to hear/read my “whining,” feel free to move on.
This came in the mail on Wednesday. It’s the Yellowpages (or YP if you buy into their updated “hip” branding). When I pulled it out of the mailbox, I was caught off guard. I mean, why do they still send these out? Who uses them…? I’m just dumbfounded by the entire situation.
As I consider my irritation with the Yellowpages and why a thick book stuffed full of super thin yellow pages would rouse up such anger, I came up with a few core reasons:
- Waste of resources. There was a time and place when the Yellowpages and phone books in general were necessary and useful. It was a decade ago. Now most people carry around the Internet in their pocket. If they need to find local business options, they can Google it. They can go to their social networks to ask their friends (or connections) for recommendations. If they need coupons, guess what, those are on the internet too.
- Waste of resources. Again. I work in marketing. I know the ridiculously high prices YP charges businesses to have listings and ads within their various books (there’s one for each region). Seriously. I know the MONTHLY costs for these listings. If these same dollars were invested in paid search listings on Google, they’d be much more effective. I realize there is a small percentage of the population that doesn’t have a smartphone and may still rely on the Yellowpages, but it’s not big enough to justify that level of cost.
- Be responsible. If YP feels compelled to distribute these free “resources,” they should at least have the courtesy to be responsible about it. It’s not difficult to get demographic information on true YP users. Layer that with geographical data on where they live and only send books out to those folks. It would cut costs for printing (and save trees), cut costs for shipping, and then allow you to roll out advertising prices that are truly reflective of the viewing audience and fair for the businesses placing listings. Additionally, it would save the rest of us from the irritation and guilt of receiving one.
Currently my YP book is sitting on my kitchen counter as I debate what I will do with it… maybe recycle it? Use the pages as backdrop for my children’s watercolor and marker exploits? Send it back to YP as “Return to Sender” and make them deal with it…? I really don’t know. If you have any suggestions, please share.
At 6:55, we go outside with Leo to wait for the bus. This is probably the highlight of my morning. I get to talk with Leo about the things he’ll be doing that day and can sense his excitement for school. I also get to witness the love the boys have for each other and their sister as we go through several rounds of hugs and kisses saying our goodbyes.
Alex on the other hand is like trying to herd a cat into the bathtub. It’s not that he doesn’t want to go to daycare, he’s just not been a big fan of it since he’s moved up to Todd 2. Every single step requires strategy and patience. Somedays I have him hold the keys and unlock the doors as we go into the center. Other days he’s my helper and proudly carries the baby’s bag for me. Every day I have to align myself between him and the day care center’s flower garden so that Alex doesn’t wander through it. And then once we’re inside, I have to stick to his right so he doesn’t take off down the long hallways to other parts of the building or run into the church’s sanctuary.
