If you're lucky enough to have a vanity phone number for your business, you know how beneficial it is. In addition to being easy to remember for customers and sales leads, it is also a critical part of your business's brand and marketing strategy.
In this blog post, we'll present information on what these numbers are, what advantages they can bring to your business, and how you can go about getting one.
A vanity phone number is a phone number that spells out a specific word(s) or that has a specific sequence of digits in it. Vanity numbers are highly coveted in the business world because they are customized numbers that are simple to remember. Some examples of these numbers include: 1 (800) FLOWERS, 1 (800) CONTACTS, and 1 (888) BEACHES.
Typically a toll-free number, virtually all of the 1 (800) vanity numbers have long been acquired. You can, however, search for vanity numbers in the other 6 toll-free area codes in use: 833, 844, 855, 866, 877, and 888.
While vanity numbers are useful for all businesses, they can be especially helpful for cafes, hotels, law firms, accounting firms, delivery providers, and taxi services.
Data from a recent study illustrates the effectiveness of vanity telephone numbers. One provided statistic states that "advertisers can expect an 84% improvement in recall rates for vanity 800 numbers vs. numeric phone numbers shown in visual media (TV, billboard, print) – and a much more significant 9-times higher recall rate in the case of audio (radio) ads." Vanity numbers can additionally offer these important benefits to your business:
Obtaining a vanity number varies by phone provider. Most cloud phone systems enable you to purchase phone numbers through web-based admin portals. For a vanity number, you may have to submit additional paperwork, pay a higher setup fee (when compared to purchasing a toll or toll-free number), and wait a couple of days to have the number provisioned to your account— if the number you're looking for is even available. Check with your specific cloud phone provider for further instructions.
If you're an OnSIP customer, your Account Administrator can request a toll-free vanity number right from the Admin Portal. In the Account tab, there is an option to Request a Vanity Number. Simply fill out the short form there with details of the phone number(s) that you want and submit your request. An OnSIP representative will work with you and let you know if the number is available for purchase.
In addition to business phone numbers with prominent area codes (like 310 for Los Angeles and 212 for New York City), a vanity number can be a significant business asset. Check with your phone provider about how you can acquire your own vanity number: you'll find it will be valuable in more ways than one!