In an increasingly Web-centric business world, it’s easy to forget that many people may still actually use the (gasp!) telephone to contact your business, whether for information or to place orders. A toll-free “vanity number” that spells something – maybe your business name or special keywords – can be a great branding and marketing tool.
Vanity numbers are easy to remember and can send a message that you’re a “player.” And it won’t cost much. One business owner calls his number “an instant recall, toll-free trigger” for his customers.
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True “800” numbers that spell something business-related are rare; most were snapped up long ago. But catchy “vanity” numbers for the newer toll-free prefixes 888, 877 and 866 can still be found if you know where and how to look.
The right vanity number can help your business stand out in a crowd and give you an instant edge over the competition. Here are three things to keep in mind:
1) Unlike vanity license plates that cost a lot more, vanity 1-800 numbers cost the same whether they spell something or not, if you get the number directly from a phone company. You can even “bank” numbers that you might want to use in the future, and pay only a small fee to hold them indefinitely. Special numbers through third-party vendors, however, will carry extra fees.
2) Sometimes an easy-to-remember number trumps a number that spells something. Don’t automatically assume a vanity feature that spells you name is better.
3) When using a vanity number in your marketing materials include both the letter and number versions. Customers are easily frustrated having to pick out the proper numbers to push if they only have the letters.
Think beyond 7-letter words. While the number is only 7 digits (i.e. 1-800-123-4567), the word or phrase you advertise can be longer by a letter or two (like 1-866-BICYCLES). When a caller finishes dialing the first 7 digits, the number will connect.
Online toll-free number search tools – free and easy to use – are a great way to find your perfect vanity number. Search tools let you quickly tryout different combinations to see what’s available in 800, 888, 877 and 866 – all at the same time. Phone companies draw numbers from the same pool, so you can check availability anywhere then sign up through a different company, if you like.
I’ve found the search tool at AT&T’s small business site to be one of the best. Go to www.ATT.com/tollfree and click on “Find the perfect toll-free number.”
Some firms with inventories of toll-free numbers available to small businesses include: TollFreeMax.com, OurTollFreeNumber.com, RingCentral.com and Telename.com. •
Daniel Kehrer can be reached at editor@business.com.
