Alameda, CA-based ValueStar Corp., which provides online customer
satisfaction ratings of local service businesses, said it plans a marketing
campaign via newspapers, radio and the Internet beginning in June.
The campaign is being launched with a half-page ad in the Los Angeles Times.
Radio spots in the San Francisco Bay area also are planned.
While increasing brand awareness is the primary goal, another aim is to
increase traffic to the company’s search engine
site, said ValueStar’s Managing Director James Stein.
In addition to the newspapers and radio, ValueStar said it has begun an
advertising relationship with Yahoo! Spending was not disclosed.
Through Yahoo!, ValueStar is able to target local consumers in San Francisco,
Los Angeles, Chicago and Dallas.
ValueStar’s site features a SmartShopper tool, allowing consumers to locate
local top-rated companies within a given area, then enter there own
information regarding the service they require, when they require it and
other pertinent data. This information is automatically e-mailed to all the
top-rated companies meeting the search parameters.
ValueStar provides independent customer satisfaction ratings for e-commerce
sites.
To rate each local company, ValueStar conducts a statistically valid number
of customer satisfaction surveys and audits their license, insurance and
complaint status. Top-rated companies qualify to use the ValueStar Certified
symbol as a marketing tool.