R.H. Donnelley 1998 Annual Report

Directory Advertising Services

The "Force" Behind the Sales Force

R.H. Donnelley's Directory Publishing Services is the most sophisticated print and multiple-media support organization in the yellow pages advertising industry. Publishing Services creates print yellow pages ads, directories, Web sites, and specialized CD-ROM-based directories. Clients include both large and small telephone companies, as well as independent directory publishers.

"Publishing Services is about providing services and systems that drive sales growth, and that's a subtle but important distinction," says Alex Marasco, executive vice president, Corporate Development. "Our ultimate goal is to help our clients sell to local businesses, whether it's yellow pages print advertising or Web sites. Our sales-oriented culture, technology and processes are all geared toward that fundamental objective, and that's what sets us apart."

For Ameritech, Sprint, Yellow Book USA, CFW Communications and RHD's own independent directory in Cincinnati, Publishing Services delivers a full range of directory sales and publishing support services, from information and tools for effective sales-force deployment, to ad graphics execution, to sales-order processing, and in some cases, billing. For Thomas Regional Directories, a new client in 1998, Publishing Services creates specialized directory advertising on CD-ROM for purchasing managers.

RHD Publishing Services was the first print and multiple-media support organization to operate in a totally digital environment, electronically transmitting completed directories to the printer. More than 200 directories a year are prepared by RHD Publishing Services.

RHD Publishing Services also creates the Web sites sold by the RHD sales forces serving Sprint's Las Vegas directory and The One Book Yellow Pages in Cincinnati. In addition, the publishing team is providing initial support to Donnelley's joint venture with China Unicom.

Growth Strategy

Based in Raleigh, North Carolina, and Dunmore, Pennsylvania, Publishing Services historically was part of RHD's overall product offering. Going forward, Publishing Services intends to leverage its industry-leading capabilities to serve new customers, including both traditional yellow pages publishers and non-traditional customers, such as Thomas Regional Directories.

"We have a significant opportunity to capitalize on Publishing Services' unique capabilities and available capacity," says Marasco. "What was once primarily an internal service function within RHD's business is fast becoming a business itself."

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