Step1
I will use my area as an example to better explain myself, however depending on what state you live in, the books may be different but the advice is generally the same.
Step2
Know Your Book Order in all the areas you are willing to do business in!
example: VA beach, the order is Verizon, Talking Phone Book, Yellow book. But in Suffolk, the order may be Talking phone book, verizon (yellow book is not in that area.
Step3
Usually the Utility book (in this case Verizon) is the most expensive, but they have the most advertisements than any other book as where the Yellow book may be moderate and the Talking Phone Book may be very low in comparison.
Step4
Find out where you will get the most bang for your buck.
Where you fall in the heading may deeply impact the success of your business with advertisement.
example: If you were a plumber and they have 5 full pages 3 half pages and 2 quarter pages in The Verizon book, but there were only 1 full page, 2 half pages, and 2 quarter pages in the Talking Phone Book, If you wanted a Full page, It would make more sense get a full page in the least expensive book and you will be only one page behind than to get a full page with Verizon and be 5 pages back if you can't afford both
Step5
KEEP IN MIND THAT CONSUMERS DO NOT CARE WHICH BOOK PICK UP! AS LONG AS IT HAS A YELLOW PAGE SECTION!
This makes it important to have some type of representation in each book so a person doesn't think you went out of business because they saw you once in the yellow pages and then by surprise you disappeared .
THEY DIDN'T KNOW THAT THE FIRST TIME THEY PICKED UP THE YELLOW BOOK AND NOW THEY ARE LOOKING AT THE TALKING PHONE BOOK.
Some people keep one type in their car, one type in their home or some spread them out by each phone they own.
Step6
The larger the better! THE LARGER YOU ARE MEANS THE CLOSER YOU ARE TO THE FRONT OF THE HEADING!
people usually only look at the first 5-6 ads before they start calling.
Enthusiast 
Comments
pmoncoeur said
on 3/19/2008 Thank you for writing this article. It's a good thing to think abou.
As an advertising/marketing representative, I ask all my clients to not look at price but to look at the return on investment.
Yes some directories are cheaper than others - usually it's because the usage, distribution, and the return on investment (ROI) is much lower. The old fashion saying 'you get what you pay for' is true in advertising.
A good way to think about it is - if an ad investment is $2000.00 a month, however it renders you $2500.00 a month, then that was a SUCCESS. The word of mouth and return customers the ad renders is not calculated as a customer that the directory created.
All I am saying is look at all of your options, don't look only to price, and figure out your ROI. The ad should pay for itself and then some!
:~)