#Recap: Success through partnership with Yellow Pages Canada

A few weeks ago, we had the honor of sharing the stage with our partner, Yellow Pages Canada at the SIINDA LocalComm conference. Mono and Yellow Pages Canada have been partners since 2016, and the session focused on how Yellow Pages has succeeded through their most recent company transformation via contagious collaboration across the board, including with their select partners - namely Mono.

Embracing corporate transformation

Live on-stage was our Director of Business Development - Matt Matergia, and he was joined by Julie Sanchez, Vice President of Marketing at Yellow Pages Canada.

It’s no secret that traditional media companies have struggled to make the transition towards a more digital and diversified business, and with roots in print directory, Julie acknowledged that Yellow Pages Canada experienced the same challenging transition. Yet today, more than 77% of their business revenue is based on digital products and solutions, and it helps them serve 198,300 businesses across Canada. So why have they been successful, when so many others have failed?

As part of their transformation, Yellow Pages Canada also underwent a corporate restructuring to re-focus their go-to-market intentions and efforts on digital solutions, as well as become a more agile organization. What’s more, Julie attributes their company culture of Contagious Collaboration as a core strength in their company’s transformation. Julie noted: “Transformation is about contagious collaboration. It’s about rethinking collaboration and rallying behind one strong idea”. But as the company transformed, it also meant downsizing and her team transitioning from 100 team members to only 20.

Rethinking collaboration

Julie explained “We had to take a pause. Reset. Rebuild.” Yellow Pages Canada had to rethink collaboration across their organization. It meant rethinking collaboration:

1. Within the team: They needed to be resilience and re-build confidence that their small team could effectively reach out and communicate with their customers.
2. As a company/brand: They needed to stay true to their brand promise of ‘Creating Local Opportunities’, and continue to act as the best SMB marketing expert advisors. 
3. With their partners: They worked closely with the Mono team to rethink their website product and leverage their existing data in combination with automation to more efficiently and cost-effectively produce rich five-page websites. Beyond optimizing their website offering, Yellow Pages Canada collaborated closely on the development of new offerings, including Mono On-Site Engagements and Mono Scheduling. By challenging their technology partners, like Mono, to innovate and deliver more intelligent solutions - Yellow Pages was able to offer their small business customers even stronger solutions.

Back to the website 

As a way to highlight the value a website provides for small businesses, Yellow Pages Canada also readjusted the price of their website offering. Combined with a campaign on websites, Yellow Pages was able to refocus their sales on websites and leverage the onboarding of new small business clients to develop an emotional connection. This allowed them to extend their services beyond that of a ‘solution provider’, and act as true digital experts advisors, dedicated to the success of the SMB. 

Yellow Pages Canada is a success story from traditional media to digital media, but what about the future? Well Julie said, “It’s tricky but we need to find a balance between doing what we are good at (go-to-market) and working with our partners, like Mono, and leverage their insights on technology and SaaS”. Ultimately, it’s about creating a connection with the small business clients you serve, and working together to build and manage a digital presence. 

About Yellow Pages Canada

Yellow Pages Limited (TSX: Y) is a Canadian digital media and marketing company that creates opportunities for buyers and sellers to interact and transact in the local economy. Yellow Pages holds some of Canada’s leading local online properties including YP.ca, Canada411.ca, 411.ca and Bookenda.com. The Company also holds the YP, YP Shopwise, YP Dine, Canada411, 411, Bookenda, and mobile applications and Yellow Pages print directories. For more information visit www.corporate.yp.ca.