The majority of consumers who use print and online Yellow Pages sites for local business information are "ready to buy" according to a new study released by the Yellow Pages Association and conducted by marketing research firm Burke.

Approximately 8 out of 10 Internet Yellow Pages searchers were from people who said they were ready to buy, with 36 percent reporting they had made a purchase after finding local business information at an online Yellow Pages site, and an additional 44 percent saying they intended to make a purchase.

"Our biggest value to local businesses is our ability to generate qualified leads from consumers who are ready to buy something," said Neg Norton, president, Yellow Pages Association.

"This means that advertisers see a high return on investment for their advertising spend, which on average, is about $15 for every $1 spent on local display advertising."

The Yellow Pages Association also found 65 percent of consumers said they referenced print and/or online Yellow Pages within the past month when looking for local business information.

Other key findings from the study include:

*40 percent of those who made a purchase said they found and made that purchase from a new company after reviewing local information on an Internet Yellow Pages site.

*Among searches made by people who use online Yellow Pages, 37 percent said they had no company name in mind when they started their search.

"Our products are more than a repository of business phone numbers and Web addresses," said Norton.

"Consumers consult print directories and Internet Yellow Pages sites when they need information to help them make a smart choice when deciding with whom they are going to do business."