How to Buy a Phone Number Your Customers Can't Forget

Talking to your customers is more important than ever. Yes, despite all the digital communications networks and instant online chat options, what people are asking for above all else is an easy way to connect with your company and have a conversation with an expert. Given a choice, a majority of consumers prefer to call a business to speak to a real person, rather than take that first contact step by e-mail or submitting a contact form online. Recent research by Invoca backs this up, finding that 65 percent of respondents prefer to contact a business by phone. This was compared to just 24 percent who would prefer to fill out an online form, making calls the clear priority for lead generation. There are many ways to improve leads from phone calls. Implementing a new drive to convert more calls goes hand-in-hand with renewed enthusiasm for driving up your inbound call volume. To do so, you will have to understand the various telephone marketing tools available to your business (including the use of custom or vanity phone numbers). What Type of Phone Number Do You Need?

If you always thought you were stuck with the contact number that the phone company gave you, think again! There are several different options available to any business that wants a custom number. These are some of the choices you'll face when it comes to making your phone number more memorable: 

Toll-Free Vanity Numbers

These are numbers made more memorable by spelling out a familiar word, phrase, or using a mix of words and letters, such as 1-877-WINDOWS. Vanity numbers can be assigned geographically, which offers licensees exclusive use within their local market(s). Companies who opt for this type of number are able to project the size and scale of a big brand, without the need to invest in the number on a national scale. Furthermore, that business can continue to license the number in new area codes as it expands. This makes toll-free vanity numbers a marketing tool that aligns with business growth at a pace that makes sense for your business. 

Easy Dial Numbers

These are numbers that improve customer recall by using repetitive digits and/or memorable numerical sequences. Within this category of custom numbers are repeaters, million numbers, and other styles that are simple to remember, such as those with the same final four digits (XXXX) or alternating (XYXY). Our profile on Holdy Realty Team shows an outstanding example of how an easy dial number can be used to create memorable marketing campaigns. Local Phone Numbers

Rather than simply accepting the number that the phone company provides, why not customize a number with a local area code to include a more memorable set of digits? This is a question that more and more business owners are asking themselves, as the need to stand out from competitors becomes ever more acute. Custom local numbers provide a happy medium between a familiar beginning and a more memorable end. Everyone knows their local area code, but the digits that follow are usually all too easy to forget. Using them to spell out a familiar word or phrase - or adopting a sequence that is easy to remember - gives local businesses the best of both worlds. Many companies like to adopt both options, buying a local number for ads in specific area codes and licensing a toll-free number for campaigns that cover multiple regions. 

Tracking Numbers

If your business has calls coming in from many different sources, there is a good chance that it would benefit from a tracking number or two. Companies that advertise a lot use tracking numbers for lead attribution and to calculate the marketing channels that are driving the highest response rates. Accurate tracking across multiple channels is rarely straightforward. With only one number in play, your team has to ask every caller how they found your company. If you've spent any time in customer service or sales, you know that convincing every team member to do so is almost impossible! By integrating unique tracking numbers for each source you want to track, you can connect leads with their original source more precisely. This makes it easier to calculate return on investment, as well as providing the information you need to make more data-driven decisions on your next marketing campaign. 

Pick the Perfect Phone Number For Your Business

With all of those options, which type of number should your business pick? Is it better to focus on one type or do you need several different styles of number to see what works best? In many ways, the answer is as broad as your marketing ambitions. For a local business serving a relatively small market, buying a custom number in one area code could be enough. As long as the final word or phrase is closely linked to who you are and what you do, the additional brand value and increased volume will be realized. The bottom line is that phone numbers are one tool in your marketing arsenal. Improving your number should certainly be a priority, but it must also work in sync with the rest of your marketing mix. [search-tag] The right choice for your firm comes down to the market you serve and how rapidly you plan to expand. If you need to decide immediately, the best idea to offer customers both a local and toll-free dialing option, then let them guide your decision by which one they use most. Choosing the right number is an important decision. From both a branding standpoint and in terms of increased lead generation, this is a choice that should align with your brand and meet the needs of your customers. In the end, any steps you take to make your number more memorable will prove to be a sound marketing investment. In the context of digital channels, which regularly alter their algorithms and formats to keep up with consumer expectations, your phone number is one of the few marketing assets that remains constant.