About Look Guide

The Look Guide was designed and developed in 1991 by The Concept Factory, a business consultancy in Pretoria. The core business of this consultancy was advising small to medium businesses in the area of business strategy, business plans, marketing plans and advertising strategies.

Through continuous exposure to a wide range of small, localized businesses, it soon became evident that most of these businesses had a very similar objective – to promote themselves in their local area of influence.

Once this requirement was matched with the need of the public for information regarding local service businesses, the Look Guide was born.

The Look Guide was designed as a service to the public, but which at the same time achieved the objective of local small and medium businesses. The concept proved extremely successful, and areas such as distribution have been perfected over the last 32 years.

The Look Guide is a localised mini directory containing approximately 60 most-used contact numbers of essential local services, designed for ease of use for the public and as an effective promotional medium for local businesses, services and medical practices. The categories are alphabetically arranged in an at-a glance format, printed in two colours on 300 gram white card. The content is restricted to a simple tabular layout to facilitate ease of use and simplicity of usage. It has proven to be highly effective in stimulating incoming calls and new business. In addition to this effective advertising method we provide our clients with total exclusivity by only allowing one client per category, per area, which is unique to the Look Guide.

The Little Look Guide is based on a localised distribution, which ensures blanket penetration of selected local markets. Circulation average 15 000 copies per area, and we currently have 8 areas in Pretoria, 1 area in Midrand, 5 areas in the northern suburbs of Johannesburg and 5 areas in the East Rand with a total distribution of 285 000 copies every three months. Distribution takes place via house-to-house distribution, which makes up the majority of the distribution and ensures that 93% of surveyed respondents receive the Guide. We also partner with Spar, Food Lover’s Market, Blue Basket Foods, PostNet, West Pack, Petzone, Schools, Retirment Centres, Old Age Homes, PNA, Pharmacies, Shopping Centres, Garages & Security Estates to make The Look Guide available at their locations.

The Little Look Guide is an established publication, and as such the public are familiar with its usage and content. Surveys have shown that 79% of persons keep the Guide and that 55% have used it. It is typically kept at the phone or on the fridge, for quick and easy reference, providing advertisers with prominent exposure and excellent response.

In addition to an entry on the guide, clients receive a free entry on the Look Guide website. Here you will receive a basic listing similar to that on the printed guide. The Look Guide also adds a More Information page where information about your business, your values, your operating areas and your contact details will be displayed including an interactive map to your location. The More Information page gives the client the capability to link their own website on their Look Guide page for viewers to click on and go to with a responsive e-mail link. The website also features a Client Testimonial page. On these pages viewers can read the positive feedback that our clients have received from their clients. The Look Guide website is compatible on multiple platforms i.e. mobile and tablets, giving it an even broader reach.