Building Trust Quickly and Frequently

Case Study: 859-888-8ACT

Ultimate Test Prep is the top standardized test prep company in Kentucky. Because standardized tests occur only at specific times in a student’s life, the company must constantly be working to fill the pipeline of new families across the nation. Having a custom phone number supports the company in building strong client relationships quickly and frequently.

Background

Ultimate Test Prep CEO Winni van Gessel founded his company on the principles of student success, strong foundations, and family savings. Through individualized sessions of test prep and college planning, Ultimate Test Prep has helped many families save on their children’s higher education. Thanks in part to their hard work, their class of 2018 received on average, $200,000 in scholarships. In just two years, Ultimate Test Prep has grown to be named as No. 1 in Kentucky’s test prep and college planning industry. The company received the "Best Educational Consultant Award" in Lexington, KY in 2019.

Creating a Constant Inflow of New Customers

One of Ultimate Test Prep’s challenges is the length and frequency of need for their services. Test prep and college planning services are only several weeks in duration. Therefore, the company must constantly be marketing and filling in the pipeline to meet the needed number of new clients to sustain growth. To stand out in the saturated education industry, van Gessel chose the custom local phone number 859-888-8ACT to serve as a contact point and brief introduction to their specialty. The number is both memorable and descriptive. Customers looking for help on the ACT test know exactly who to call in the blink of an eye. Phone calls are important to Ultimate Test Prep because most people do not know how the company’s philosophy and methodology sets them apart from the competition, and that can be difficult to convey in printed materials. Standardized testing can be a high-stress time for families and being able to connect by voice allows for empathy and emotion in ways that communicating digitally can’t. Connecting human-to-human on the phone positions Ultimate Test Prep as trustworthy experts. It helps to build strong relationships with clients quickly and brings a level of comfort to nervous parents.

Results

As a start-up, I needed something to set me aside from the competition. After browsing the internet, I was surprised how affordable a vanity number was,"

– Winni van Gessel, CEO

"The most important test that we deal with is the ACT. It accounts for half of our business. 888-8ACT is a catchy way to remember what we stand for." It also becomes an effective networking tool. "When meeting new people, I often talk about test prep. But I do not always want to make it sound like a business call. Instead of giving them a business card that they might lose, I casually mention, just call 888-8ACT. And they remember!"