It was just 10 years ago that the local Telephone Yellow Pages in every town was the first place every business put their advertising dollars.

For as little as $25 a year, a small business could be listed in this amazing reference book, which every consumer reached for first in locating the business services and products they needed. A consumer even had to call their local Better Business Bureau to get information, which took time and was very inconvenient for most individuals.

Many local businesses paid individuals to put circulars on windshields and door knobs in their targeted marketing area. This was the best and most effective method of mass merchandising. Many of you reading this, including myself, earned some great spending money in our teens this way.

Small businesses never thought about doing business outside a 10 mile radius from their shop or their small town. The “Mom and Pop” business was content to service the customers in their geographic area and did not conceive they could compete outside their market area for any number of reasons. Many small retail establishments were more interested in doing everything they could to use their City Council to keep Wal-Mart from entering their market. Small manufacturing companies were watching their product being produced in China and Mexico and not being able to compete with these new manufacturers.

(see complete article at MANTA)

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