Having a toll-free number improves your professional image, and customers can easily remember and connect with you. Toll-free numbers make small businesses look like a large company, thus increasing trust and sales.
With the FCC’s introduction of the new toll-free prefix in 2017, business owners can now choose from a new toll-free number series. For instance, the 833 prefix provides more vanity numbers and phone number combinations that are easier for customers to remember.
In this post, you’ll learn the important things you need to know before you get a toll-free business number, so you can make an informed decision.
What Is a Toll-free Business Number?
A toll-free number is a telephone number that usually starts with 800. Other exchanges include 888, 877, or 866, and some businesses use 855, 844, or 833. Each call to a toll-free number is routed to a local telephone number. Here’s what you should know:
- The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) assigns most toll-free business numbers.
- This is carried out on a first-come, first-served basis.
- “Responsible Organizations” (“RespOrgs”) can be sought by business owners who want to reserve toll-free numbers on their behalf.
- RespOrgs manage and administer records for toll-free subscribers.
- Many Responsible Organizations provide toll-free services such as Kall8 since they have access to the database of all toll-free business numbers.
Choosing Prefixes from New Vanity Numbers
You can choose from a wide array of 800 toll-free vanity numbers that is suitable for your business to make your brand irresistible to customers. Traditional 800-prefix toll-free business numbers are deeply rooted in the minds of consumers.
While prefixes such 800 and 888 might be already picked, you can also try new prefixes such as 833 for your new businesses. These prefixes are great options for startup businesses that cannot find suitable vanity prefixes in the 800 toll-free series. Here are some examples of vanity numbers:
- 1-800-OUR-FOOD
- 1-833-CAR-WASH
- 1-833-CALL-CAB
Excellent for Service Businesses
Toll-free numbers are useful for local and service-based providers. Customers easily remember toll-free numbers that also provide a simple and easy-recall number for your customers to contact you. Local service-based businesses benefit from using toll-free numbers along with local numbers because these can help in marketing or brand awareness initiatives.
For instance, a customer who is dealing with a landscaper can easily connect if the number of a landscaping company spells out the offered commodity or service. Having a toll-free number as your front door would definitely help market your service-based business.
Strategy in Choosing a Toll-free Business Number
When it comes to choosing a toll-free business number, the most memorable are the 1-800s. It means that if you have a 1-844 number, it’s likely that your customers won’t recognize it as a toll-free business number. Generally, consumers recognize the prefix 1-800 as toll-free. Here are some tips when choosing a toll-free number:
- Prioritize choosing a 1-800 vanity toll-free business number.
- Your second-best option is a toll-free business number with a 1-800 prefix.
- Other memorable toll-free business numbers include 1-888 and 1-877.
It is important to note that clever or intuitive vanity numbers may have some risks involved. For instance, if a customer dials 1-866-CONTACTS instead of 1-877-CONTACTS, they are likely contacting your competitor instead of your business. So you have to choose a unique vanity number to avoid such issues.
How to Choose a Vanity Toll-free Number
In the context of business communications, using toll-free numbers is very convenient for customers. You don’t have to give up just because, for example, 1-800-MATTRESS or 1-800-FLOWERS are already taken. You can still have a vanity number for your business. You have to be creative and ask yourself, ‘What keywords can best represent my business?’
Think out of the box and formulate a unique vanity toll-free number for your business. For instance, if all nouns are taken, use noun combinations (MYLOVER, SOSORRY, BESTDOG) or go for adjective forms (FRESHER, OHGREAT, SOOPURE) or verb combinations (GRABITS, DOGOODS, LUVSYOU). Here are more tips when choosing a vanity toll-free number:
- Determine what numbers are easiest for your customers to recall.
- Find out if the toll-free number can grow with your business. You don’t want to pin your business in a niche if there’s a possibility that you’ll be offering more products or services later.
- Try different keywords until you finally find a great best vanity number that (a) fits your business, (b) is easy to recall, and (c) can grow with your business.
- Ask different people about how your chosen number might be misdialled or confused with a competitor’s number or any other phone numbers.
Takeaways
Before you get a toll-free business number, it’s important to note the nature of your business and your target customers. You want to ensure that using a toll-free number will be for your greatest advantage and won’t turn your customers to your competitors. Use the tips shared in this article to start your strategy when choosing the right toll-free number that will best represent your business and help your customers.
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Interesting related article: “What is Customer Service?“