| My Yellow Page advertising agency has many | | | | but the percent off of full rate varies. In |
| AT&T advertisers as clients, so we faithfully | | | | San Jose the VAP discount is 40% off the full |
| follow discount options for them. The new | | | | rate for your ad size and features. In |
| discount plan is completely different from | | | | Sonoma, the VAP discount is 35%, Bakersfield |
| anything offered before. Up till now AT&T | | | | 30%, San Diego 35% and Simi Valley 45% off of |
| advertisers could negotiate their own | | | | full rate.Value Ad Loyalty (VAL): This |
| discounts with their SBC (now AT&T)Yellow | | | | becomes the de facto full price for all |
| Page sales rep. This would often mean | | | | display ads and in-column ads. All |
| businesses with the same ad size and features | | | | advertisers are offered this discount if they |
| would pay wildly different prices.The new | | | | maintain last years contract revenue. The VAL |
| AT&T discount program is designed to | | | | discount is 15% off of full rate. If the rate |
| standardize the pricing for all advertisers. | | | | you're paying for your ad is 15% or more |
| The discounts can be as much as 50% or as | | | | below full rate, you will be offered a |
| little as 15% off of an ads full price. Most | | | | Loyalty renewal. In other words you will |
| of my clients are in California and Nevada so | | | | always pay 15% off of the full price for your |
| the examples I show are from California, but | | | | ad as long you spend at least $1 more than |
| the pricing policies are the same in all AT&T | | | | last year. If you want to reduce what you are |
| directory areas.The one thing that is the | | | | spending by removing color or reducing size |
| universal in all of AT&T areas is to receive | | | | you will receive no discount and pay full |
| a discount rate for your ad you have to spend | | | | rate for your advertising.If you are paying |
| more than you did last year. You have to | | | | full rate now for your ad you will be offered |
| spend one dollar more for a 15% discount, 10% | | | | a Loyalty (15% off) discount for your ad. |
| more for a 35% discount, or 20% more for a | | | | Does that mean you will save 15% on your AT&T |
| 50% discount (Some discount if you end up | | | | advertising? Of course not. You have to spend |
| spending more.)The amounts of the discounts | | | | $1 dollar more than last year to get the 15% |
| vary from directory to directory. The more | | | | discount. You accomplish this by buying |
| successful AT&T is at selling new advertising | | | | additional advertising in the same |
| and renewing existing advertising in a given | | | | directory.Heading Growth (H.G.): Any heading |
| directory, the less the discounts. Sonoma | | | | not in AT&T's top one hundred |
| County's AT&T directory discounts are | | | | revenue-producing headings with no ad larger |
| considerably less than San Jose's, which | | | | than a DHC (quarter page) receives 50% off of |
| indicates that San Jose is a tougher area for | | | | full rate.The rules to be eligible for any |
| AT&T to sell advertising in. (AT&T has | | | | discount offers:To receive any discount you |
| competition from both Verizon and Valley | | | | have to buy an ad in AT&T's internet The |
| Yellow Pages in San Jose, but only from | | | | minimum cost is $40 a month, but most ads run |
| Valley Yellow Pages in Sonoma.)Here is AT&T's | | | | from $79 to $350 a month. Every discount |
| 2006/07 discount program:Full price: You pay | | | | offer depends upon the advertiser spending |
| full rate for your ad. In every display ad | | | | more every year in the Yellow Pages and |
| size there are three different prices: black | | | | maintaining their internet listing.One thing |
| and yellow with or without spot color, white | | | | to consideration if selecting either the VAE |
| knockout with spot color, and white knockout | | | | or the VAP discount is what will your |
| process color. The only people paying full | | | | advertising eventually cost. There is no |
| price for a display ad are long-time | | | | guaranteed price that either a VAE or VAP |
| advertisers who have not changed their ad in | | | | discounted ad will cost next year. I have |
| at least three years, and advertisers who | | | | asked an AT&T sales manager what the increase |
| have downsized their ad.Value Ad Enhanced | | | | will be next year and he said he wasn't sure. |
| (VAE): This is the largest discount offered | | | | Historically AT&T/SBC has increased first |
| (percentage off of the full price of an ad.) | | | | year discounts by 12% in following years till |
| To be eligible for this discount you must | | | | full rate (now Loyalty rate) is reached.The |
| increase spending by 20% over last year's | | | | problem for all AT&T advertisers is that |
| contract. The amount of the discount varies | | | | there are no price lists available. You are |
| from directory to directory. In Contra Costa | | | | at the mercy of the sales rep to tell you |
| Central and San Jose the VAE discount is 50%, | | | | what an ad costs. Do you think a sales person |
| Simi Valley 55%, and San Diego 45% off of | | | | would fib about a price if it would increase |
| full rate.Value Ad Pricing (VAP): To be | | | | their commission?Before your publisher sales |
| eligible for this discount you must increase | | | | rep arrives you should have a stratagey to |
| spending by 10% over last year's contract. | | | | take advantage of the new discounts. |
| This discount is available in all directories | | | | |