Advertising? We don't need no stinking advertising

Last week I got my annual email from a guy with AT&T Yellow Pages trying to talk me into purchasing a big ad for my business in the phone book. I told him I still couldn't afford it. He wrote back and said that I would be surprised at how affordable it could be. I said, the only thing that would be affordable right now would be "free."

We went back and forth for most of the day. He had just about talked me into a $37 a month deal. I told him I would think it over.

About 20 minutes later he wrote back and said, "Hey I was looking at your website, Clay, and I noticed you have done some commercials for some of our clients on yellowpages.com. How 'bout let's get you on there? It's time for us to really vamp up your business. Now, you will need to plan on spending between $300 and $500 per month to see any sort of a return."

I laughed.

Later I started thinking about how God had blessed my business fairly well over the last year with no advertising at all. I do have a website, but that's about it. Yet I get these "out of the blue" phone calls, both locally and nationally to do video work. It really blows me away. They just "stumble" onto my website. It's God. I know that. I have gotten work from California, Boston, Tampa, New York and more. With no advertising.

Now, I'm not a fool. I know advertising could be very beneficial, and I plan to do some. And I'm not saying that I have struck it rich with my business. On the contrary, we are really struggling to make ends meet. But God, in His infinite wisdom has sustained us and provided for our needs over and over again. It has been truly amazing to watch.

Late afternoon on the day of my conversations with the yellow pages guy, I got a call from a local business that may possibly give me some regular work bi-monthly. I asked how he got my name. He said I was recommended by a local A/V company, which happens to be an A/V company for which I do part-time work.

Again... God. You see... that A/V company has an advertisement in the yellow pages. And when people need video taping done, a lot of times they call that company. And a lot of times that company will refer them to me. It works out great. Kinda sneaky on God's part, don't ya think?