Picking the right phone number for your business can be tough, but it doesn’t have to be. If you keep a few simple concepts in mind when choosing the vanity number for your company, it should be both effective and memorable. On the other hand, if you don’t choose your number wisely, you might find that it isn’t having any effect on sales or advertising. So what is the secret?
While this might sound a little too obvious, the truth is that a lot of companies make the mistake of picking a Number Hybrid. A hybrid combines letters with numbers in order to produce something that is not quite a vanity number, but not exactly a regular number either. For example, 1-800-947-LAWN isn’t exactly as catchy or memorable as 1-800-MOW-LAWN.
Whether you’re attempting B2B or B2C marketing, you can’t expect people to be able to remember an additional few numbers. Everyone knows what a 1 800 number is, but it’s not quite as easy to recall an 800 number with extra digits. The function of letters should be to make your contact information so effortless to remember that a glimpse will do the trick.
It’s incredibly important to reach the right audience with your new number. If you’re looking to create something memorable that consumers can easily recall, then you need to consider where you will be advertising your phone number. In certain locations, this form of contact information can be somewhat useless. However, when properly placed, you will find that you are being connected with more consumers and businesses.
This is precisely why the vanity number is so valuable, because it works as both an advertisement and a toll-free form of communication. Some of the better locations for advertising include billboards, vehicles, radio, television and packaging. These are all places where the viewer isn’t likely to be within reach of a phone, or they aren’t going to be using a phone any time soon. The easier it is for them to remember how to contact you, the better. You’re more likely to stick in the minds of your audience if you know when and where to reach them.
Although you may be tempted to use the name of your business in your number word, it might make more sense to avoid doing so. For instance, if the name of your business is “Harmony” and you provide loans, you should probably shy away from a number like 1-800-HARMONY. The name of your company doesn’t exactly describe what services you provide, so you risk getting calls from people who do not know what you are offering. On the other hand, a number like 1-800-GET-LOAN fully explains what your company is all about, immediately giving your audience exactly what they need to remember your contact information.
If you want your vanity number to send the right message, it will be important to craft it based on the services that your company provides. If your business happens to have a name that perfectly describes what it offers, then perhaps it will be the perfect choice for your number word. However, if that name is in any way disassociated with the services you provide, it will be necessary to chose a word or two that gives your audience the information they need.
In addition to these concepts, it will be important to avoid names based on phonics. While it might be fun to sound out what a jumbled up vanity license plate is trying to say, nobody is going to try and remember a license plate. Your main goal is to craft a memorable form of contact information, so you can’t expect your audience to remember that your vanity number ends with a “Z” instead of an “S” just because you thought it would look more interesting. Potential customers might end up calling the wrong number, which could be disastrous for your company.
If there is anything to take away from these tips, it is this: simplicity is your best friend. When businesses try to get crafty or save money on their vanity number, they end up picking something that won’t serve them well. If you keep your phone number simple and memorable, chances are that consumers and businesses alike will remember it.
