July 2009 Archives

Occasionally we see the question, "How do I dial a toll-free vanity 800 number from my smartphone?"

Our response is, "Easily!"  Smartphone devices that come with numeric and QWERTY keypads definitely have the ability to dial a vanity 800 numbers.

For example, from Blackberry devices, the user starts to dial a phone number, which automatically launches the phone application.  They dial "1-800" and then press and hold the ALT key to continue using the qwerty pad to dial the letters of the vanity number, like "NEW-CARS."  The device will automatically transpose the letters into the appropriate digits on the keypad that correspond with the letters of the vanity phone number that they are dialing.  Other devices may operate differently, however there is certainly a way for them to dial vanity 800 number.  Check the user guide of your device for further instructions.

As device manufacturers develop new technology, they should take into consideration that vanity 800 numbers are not going away.  Fortune 1000 companies like 1-800-Flowers, 1-800-Contacts, and 1-800-Got-Junk have developed their entire business around a brand name that includes a vanity number!  So, even though the ability to dial vanity numbers DOES exist today on most smartphones, we'd like to see the manufacturers develop user-friendly devices that allow their customers to EASILY dial toll-free vanity 800 numbers.

One of the easiest ways to solve the problem of leads not converting to sales, is to take a look at how your business is handling incoming calls.  If not done using the art of fine customer service, then you're leaving potential sales on the table.  And, if you don't fix the problem now, then future missed opportunities will continue to occur.

Here is an article in Dealer Marketing Magazine, an auto trade publication for auto dealers, that addresses four ways that dealerships may be mishandling sales calls, and how to turn those calls around into profitable sales.  This article may be in DMM, but the theory applies to all businesses.

Take a read - it's good information to file away for future sales and customer service training programs!

Four Ways Your Dealership May Be Mishandling Sales Calls...and the Secrets to Turning Those Calls Around.  Dealer Marketing Magazine, July 29, 2009

A study conducted at the beginning of 2009 reveals that consumers among all age groups have higher recall rates of vanity 800 phone numbers, compared to recall of URLs.  More on study methodology below...

CONSUMER RECALL FINDINGS by AGE GROUP:

1.  18 - 24 years have a 32.2% average higher recall rate for toll-free vanity 800 numbers, compared to URLs.

2.  25 - 34 years have a 31.4% average higher recall rate for toll-free vanity 800 numbers.

3.  35 - 49 have an average of 45.2% higher recall for toll-free vanity 800 numbers.

4.  50 - 64 have an average higher recall rate of 62.5% for toll-free vanity 800 numbers.

5.  65+ have a 98.2% average higher recall rate for toll-free vanity 800 numbers.

Overall, each age group had a higher recall rate for the toll-free vanity phone numbers in advertisements, than they did for the advertisers' Web site addresses.  The demographic data and recall results demonstrate that although there is a broad perception that the younger population tends to be more Internet focused, 61% of those ages 18 to 24 correctly recalled the vanity 800 number presented in an advertisement, while only 46% could correctly recall the Web address. 

METHODOLOGY:

An online research survey was distributed to 1,000 opted-in respondents. The survey sample was evenly distributed across all age group.  The online survey consisted of approximately 35 questions spanning a variety of topics outside of the toll-free arena. The first portion of the survey included four sets of questions focusing on consumers' recall of vanity 800 numbers and Web site addresses when presented in audio and visual advertisements. The visual elements of the survey included two sets of questions following two presentations of visual images to simulate outdoor or print advertisements. The visual images were displayed on the screen for seven seconds and followed by two open-ended recall questions, asking the respondent to enter 1) the vanity 800 number, and 2) the Web address, which were featured in the advertisement. The order of recall was transposed throughout the survey, asking for the vanity number first and then the Web address, and asking for the Web address first and then the vanity number.  The market research survey was executed through an online market research firm, and all survey data was compiled by the third party.  Research was conducted by Infosurv, Inc.

Many businesses currently use a lead-tracking system to monitor the route or path of a lead, and to trace sales all the way back to the original source.

Every business has a phone system set up so current and future customers can contact them.  So, a call tracking system is critical to monitor and trace incoming callers back to their original source, whether it be an advertisement, promotional flyer, or a piece of your marketing materials - like your quote forms, or service sheets.

The easiest way to trace your incoming calls is through a toll-free number (preferably an easy-to-remember vanity 800 number) with a tracking system in place.  Call tracking reports capture everything from a caller names, addresses and demographics, to key data that reveal which advertising efforts are most successful in generating sales.  Call Tracking reports present businesses with precise call data that helps fine-tune advertising campaigns and provides a monitoring tool to track how effectively advertising dollars are being spent. 

As a business owner or manager, you can use Call Tracking reports to:

• Build a database of sales leads
• Access demographic information on callers (average HHI, average household value)
  
• Monitor advertising campaigns and trends
• Analyze ad campaign results

Asking a caller for their contact information is great for relationship building, but you need a backup system to combat the inevitable occurrence of human error.  Incoming phone leads can be tracking with call tracking software to provide you with a back up of caller information, and you will be able to gain invaluable insights on your ad campaign performance and ROI.

Tracking reports slice and dice call data for analysis so that you can fine-tune advertising and promotional campaigns to make sure your media dollars are working to get your business the most exposure in your market, incoming leads for your sales team, and more profits to add to your bottom line.

Are you looking for a cost-effective way to boost sales, billings and profits?  Do you want to become the "go-to" business in your area, for the services you offer? 

 

Advertising and building a consistent brand is a key factor in achieving these goals.  Just look at some of the well-known businesses that currently use vanity 800 numbers...1-800-FLOWERS, 1-800-GOT-JUNK, and 1-800-PICK-UPS (UPS).  These brands successfully relay to consumers what they sell and who they are, and they are now the "go to" companies for flowers, junk removal, and shipping services. 

 

By selecting a toll-free vanity 800 number that makes sense for your business you are scaling one of the highest hurdles of increased response and effective lead generation.  Numbers like 1-800-NEW-ROOF or 1-800-GOOD-ADVICE tell people exactly what you're offering them.  And, because it is unforgettable, a mnemonic (vanity) phone number makes it effortless for people to contact you for roof repairs or legal advice. 

 

Once you have a powerful advertising response mechanism and a strong, consistent ad campaign, the three simple steps to growing your business will fall into place. 

 

1. Improve your advertising performance:

You only have seconds to make an impression and words are much easier for people to remember than a string of ten random numbers.  When you use a vanity 800 number in your advertising you'll see 30-60% more incoming leads. A recent study from InfoSurv, Inc. shows that vanity numbers improve consumer recall in print advertising by 84% compared to a numeric number.  And, when used in radio and television vanity numbers yield a 9x higher recall rate than a numeric phone number.  

2. Capture details of your incoming calls:

All of your advertising efforts are incomplete if you're not analyzing how well your marketing efforts are pulling.  Call tracking reports provide data on your incoming calls - what days and times are busiest, and where your callers are located.  Tracking reports also provides caller names, addresses, and average home values and household incomes.  You'll discover where your best prospects live, and where those customers are that may need some extra attention and incentive to buy.  This information is immensely helpful when you develop targeted mail and advertising campaigns by geographic location and demographic profile. 

 

3. Record incoming calls:

Recording calls is the best way to monitor how employees are handing your incoming calls.  Play back recordings and use them in training sessions to demonstrate how to build relationships and get people to buy. 

 

What's the take-way from this? 

One pivotal tool brings you more incoming calls and allows you to track and monitor advertising effectiveness and ROI, all in support of growing your business.

Dealer Marketing Magazine (an auto trade publication) has published an article with tips for General Managers, Business Managers, and Dealership Owners to refer to when creating or approving advertising campaigns.

The tips guide dealers on getting the best results for their ad spends, and improving their ROI by using the right direct response tools in their advertising - like a vanity 800 number with call tracking.

Nine Ways to to Get More Out of Your Dealership's Advertising:  July 1, 2009
Read it at the Dealer Marketing Magazine website.

Often there is confusion around what shared-use toll-free services are exactly, how it all works, and how it benefits businesses.  Here are some points of clarification:

1. Shared use and bundled toll-free services are innovative telecommunications technologies for advanced call processing.  The shared use concept was developed to facilitate the provision of complex routing arrangements. These features enable service providers to optimize the use of scarce toll-free numbers, and provide their customers with creative methods of meeting their specialized telecommunications requirements. 

2. Each customer using a shared use toll-free number receives calls routed from that dialed toll-free number based upon a predetermined set of criteria.  The basis for routing the calls among unrelated business customers is typically geographical, meaning the calls are directed to a business based on the caller's area codes or area code/exchange combination.  Shared use customers with interrelated remote locations can set other routing criteria such as time of day or day of week; or customize the routing application based on the caller's touchtone responses to a series of voice prompts.

So, for example, a group of auto dealers under common ownership (i.e. Jeanne's Ford, Jeanne's Honda, Jeanne's Toyota) may all advertise a single toll-free number like 800-NEW-CARS.  Callers to this vanity 800 number then choose from a voice menu to reach any one of the affiliated store locations.  As a result, a single toll-free 800 number may simultaneously serve as the primary advertising response tool, customer service, or technical support contact for hundreds of individual businesses or business locations nationwide. 

3. Toll-free service providers, like 800response, provide small and medium size businesses with toll-free long distance services bundled with advanced communications and reporting features, in conjunction with easily recallable vanity 800 numbers.  Using the shared use concept, these service providers are able to make scarce toll-free vanity 800 numbers available to multiple businesses throughout North America.  When businesses use these shared use toll-free 800 numbers in their advertising, they typically see 30-50% higher advertising response rates - meaning more calls coming into their business which translates into more sales opportunities.

Visit these links for more information on shared use toll-free services, call routing, and vanity 800 numbers.  Or, email any questions to Laura Noonan!

There are a few simple ways to leverage a call tracking system to get the most out of your incoming calls.

First, any call tracking system worth its salt will provide you with caller details, like name, address, and average demographics like household income and value (based on caller's market area/area code).  All of these details will help you build a lead database, so load them into your CRM system, and add them to your mailing lists.  You can use the demographic information to target promotions and hone in on which products or services may sell better in certain areas.

Second, the call details will also show you the busiest times of day so you can staff accordingly, and will show you the markets where the bulk of call traffic comes from (as far as number of calls from specific area codes or local phone exchange) so you can focus your marketing dollars in those areas.

Third, most call tracking systems offer a recording service.  Recorded calls are extremely helpful when it comes to analyzing the objections your sales team may come up against on a regular basis.  This information can help you fine tune call scripts to address those objections early on, but they can also help you monitor your sales and customer service staffs so that you can improve training programs and give guided direction to those who may need it.

And, fourth, call tracking providers usually also offer additional monitoring tools so that you get the most mileage out of all the leads you generate.  For example, there are tools available that will alert a business of a missed call, which inevitably translates into a missed sales opportunity.  Missed call monitors proactively alert you when a caller has made an attempt to reach your business but got a busy signal, your phone rang off the hook without being answered, or if they hung up in a specified amount of time - before you've answered the call.  The alerts are sent to you by email or SMS message and include the caller's name and phone number so you can call them back to recoup that missed opportunity and take them down the path to a sale.

But, if you don't have a call tracking system in place then you can't take advantage of any of these benefits.  So, research call tracking providers today to learn who provides the most accurate system for your business with an adequate amount of data and reports that breakdown the data for you.  One last tip, make sure the tracking reports are easy to access, available with real-time call data, and easy to understand!

 

Hope everyone had a great Fourth of July!

Here in Vermont, we had spectacular weather over the weekend, reminding us all of why we live here.

We want to give everyone the opportunity to learn more about the vanity 800 number business, and the operations of 800response.  So, we've created a page about our partners to give you some background of our knowledge of the toll-free industry, shared-use routing, IVR platforms, and advertising with vanity 800 number to bring your business, or your client's business, more leads and improve their return on investment.  Read up on 800response partners today to learn more about us!

Many businesses are successful at using toll-free vanity 800 numbers in their advertising campaigns.  Rather than using a numeric toll-free number, businesses who use easy-to-remember numbers, like 800-Roof-Pro, can see a 30-50% increase in their ad response, which improve their lead generation and return on advertising investment.  This contributes the overall improvement of a business' ROI, and makes reporting and justifying ad budgets do-able.

If your business, or your clients, create advertising campaigns that are direct to consumers, then they should be using a vanity 800 number for easier consumer recall, and improved advertising response rates.

To see what these numbers look like, and sound like, in all types of advertising media, view some sample radio, tv, print and outdoor ads.