Advertising
and media channels are ever-changing. This makes finding the right advertising
mix a moving target. All the while, many businesses still rely on their sales
teams, gatekeepers and receptionists to track where their leads are coming from
- not the best way to accurately measure advertising response in an
increasingly complex advertising environment.
To
effectively track response rates your advertising needs to include a response
measuring tool. There are several out there, and some are easier to implement
than others.
Here are
five tricks to easily ensure that you will be able to track your ad response,
and hone your marketing efforts to generate more leads and sales.
1. Include
a Timely Offer and Strong Call to Action
Give people
a reason to call you and get them to act fast! Include an offer that will make
prospects and customers call you right away. Put a deadline on a current
promotion, or tell them what they will get right now from your service. For
example: "Call 1-800-NEW-FLOOR to receive $100 off your first order."
2. Use a
Phone Number as the Direct Response Tool
It is
imperative to the success of your business to give people an easy way to
contact you at once after hearing a commercial, viewing a billboard, or
watching TV. The best way to do this is with your phone number. Getting someone
to call means you are one step closer to making a deal. By offering a phone
number, you are offering a one-on-one customer experience - giving prospects a
direct route to your selling team.
3. Feature
a Vanity 800 Number as the Direct Response Tool in all Ads
The phone
number will not be much help if folks cannot remember it (really, who has a pen
handy when hearing a radio ad, or seeing a billboard?). Get a vanity 800
number, and make it memorable, like 1-800-NEXT-HOME. A vanity 800 number that
relates to your business, in this case real estate, will assist in reinforcing
your brand, delivering a consistent message, and will always give consumers the
ability to contact you immediately (and is also great for word-of-mouth referrals).
Plus, someone who hears your radio ad featuring 1-800-NEW-HOME may be looking
for a house three months down the road. They will recall your vanity 800 number
from the radio ad and call you before they call your competition!
4.
Prominent Placement of your Direct Response Tool
Feature
your vanity 800 number prominently on the screen, and leave it there throughout
a television commercial. Mention it at least three times in a radio ad, and
make it the focal point of a print ad. Make sure it is easily heard and
understood - visible and easy to read - and your ads will pull higher response
rates.
5. More
Impressions will Pull More Responses
One-off ads
will not work. Make sure you (or your agency if you use one) have a moderate to
heavy ad schedule, whether it be radio, television, print, outdoor, or a
combination of many of these channels. Buying more time or space will decrease
the cost per ad, and your vanity 800 number will increase your ability to
generate leads and sales. Delivering a consistent message multiple times will
ensure consumers remember you.
Finally, if
you can find a vanity 800 number that correlates with your business type, for
example a real estate agency and 1-800-NEW-HOME, or an auto dealership and
1-800-NEW-AUTO, then snatch it up quickly! These numbers are rare - and hard to
come by. They can cost your business as little as a few hundred dollars a
month, and they can increase your incoming call volume two or three-fold. And,
we all know that more calls equals more opportunities for sales.
Laura
Noonan has 16 years of experience in the vanity 800 number and
telecommunications services industry. She coaches hundreds of clients each year
on using toll-free vanity 800 phone numbers as direct marketing tools to
increase advertising response rates. Laura can be reached at
lnoonan@800response.com or by calling 800-NEW-SALES.
Article
Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Laura_Noonan
Advertising
On The Radio - Keep It Simple
Let's say
you spent good money on a brochure. Several pages filled with features,
benefits, facts, figures, call to action, contact info...oh yeah, paragraphs
about who you are, what you do....the different services you provide, your
product offerings...and the list goes on and on. Everything you believe a
potential client would need or want to know about your business. Now you are
interested in advertising on the radio.
Here's a
great radio advertising tip -
Don't let
your radio commercials end up like your brochure.
Advertising
on the radio works best when it is simple and effective.
First...a
given. If you are going to advertise on the radio, make sure you have a product
that has demand. In another article we discuss the topic of Direct Response
Radio Advertising Mistakes: A Product No One Wants. With that said, lets move
on to advertising on the radio assuming there is demand for your product or
service.
Simplicity
is the key to effective direct response radio advertising. Face it, when you
are buying fifteen, thirty, even sixty seconds worth of radio advertising, you
don't have the time to create an audio brochure. Radio advertising is a
powerful advertising medium, but can it work for you?
Yes it can.
You just need to make sure your direct response radio advertising campaign is
just that...DIRECT. When advertising on the radio, get right to the point. What
is the problem your potential customers face? What is the solution? (Hopefully
this is where you have inserted your company name). What benefit does your company
provide that solves the problem? And most important of all...what would make me
choose your company? Here is where the irresistible offer comes in. Direct
response radio advertising is rooted in a foundation of "what's in it for me".
Give me reason to call. A free offer...free sample...free estimate...deep
discount...money back guarantee...whatever your feel is important to your potential
customer. This offer helps "grease the skids" and provides a strong incentive
to call or click.
And
speaking of calls and clicks - If you are advertising on the radio, you must
make your call to action clear, concise and memorable. In other words, if you
are driving to a toll free number, make sure you are not advertising some
random ten digits that are difficult to remember. Use vanity phone numbers.
Vanity phone numbers provide sticking power in the listeners mind. What will
you remember more - 1-800-I-ATE-A-BUG or 1-800-428-3228 (plus the extra useless
digit)? You can use a combination of vanity numbers or words and number for
tracking purposes. If you are directing your radio advertising campaign to a
URL. Make sure it's a simple domain name. No long URL's with dashes and slashes
and long strings of weird variables. Simple works better. And again, you can
use a variety of simple domains for tracking. And make sure you mention your
number or URL at least a couple of times throughout the radio commercial.
So what
have you learned here?
When
advertising on the radio, keep it simple. Get directly to the problem, the
solution, the benefit, the irresistible offer, and the clear call to action.
Keep this simple structure in mind, and your chances of success when
advertising on the radio dramatically increase.
Toll Free
Number Tricks: Preventing Prefix Misdials
By Nick Gowdy on February 26, 2010
We've all
misdialed - swapping a couple digits or mashing multiple numbers by accident.
We get connected to some random stranger who sounds nothing like who we were
expecting, and we fumble for an embarrassed explanation before hanging up.
With 866,
877, and 888 prefix toll free numbers, the main cause of misdialing is in the
prefix. 800 numbers have been around considerably longer than these other
numbers, so "8-0-0″ is the default in the minds of your customers. If they
don't have your contact info handy, there's a risk they might fill in the blank
with the wrong prefix.
Here are
some easy ways to prevent prefix misdials.
1. Split
the Prefix Up
There's a
growing trend among businesses that use 866, 877, and 888 toll free numbers to
strongly emphasize the second two digits by breaking the prefix into two parts.
This way, customers can't gloss over it and go straight to 800 in their minds.
For example, instead of reading a number in a tv commercial or radio spot as
"1-866-555-1212″, instead use, "1-8-66-555-1212″ (one, eight, sixty-six,
five-five-five, one-two-one-two).
This
practice does add a little complexity, so it typically works best when used
with an attractive word-spelling or repeating-digit vanity toll free number
that is already easy to remember.
2. Get an
800 Number
Occam's
razor - the easiest answer is often the best one. If you're worried customers
might be misdialing your toll free number because it's not an 800 number, the
simplest solution is to, well, start using an 800 number. You'll need to update
your advertising, your website, and anywhere else your toll free number is
floating around, but once you do you'll be worry-free moving forward.
The supply
of available 800 numbers is as low as it has ever been, causing some toll free
providers to start charging outrageous premiums or stop selling them
altogether. Not to worry, we've made it easy for you to choose an 800 number of
your own for just ten bucks.
3. The
"Superfecta"
Some
businesses are really really worried about misdials because they fear
competitors might pick up a similar number with a different prefix to try and
confuse customers. To prevent this from happening, they pick out a toll free
number that is available in every prefix and get them all. For example, why
stop at just getting 800-555-1212, if you can get 866- 877- and 888-555-1212 as
well and point them all to the same virtual phone system? Some might call this method
overkill, but it definitely works.
Year after
year people make the same mistakes in direct-response
copy and advertising. You can avoid the most
common and costly blunders by following the following
proven tips...
1. WRITE IN
DIRECT RESPONSE LANGUAGE:
* Use short
paragraphs and short words. This article has 68%
short words-five letters or less. Strive for at least
65%-75%. Never go under 50% unless you are writing to
Ph.D's.
* Make your
sentences and paragraphs flow like a breeze.
* Keep the
bucket brigade going: Start paragraphs with And, But,
So you see, However...
* Use the
freshest concepts and the most colorful language you can
without disturbing the flow.
* Use hot
words: free, profit, new, now, secret, easy, save, guarantee,
today... and the hottest word of all: YOU!
* Use
bullets... lots of them.
2. WRITE
LOTS OF HEADLINES.
Always
think up dozens of alternative
headlines. Put your strongest benefits in them and test your best alternatives.
When writing headlines for web sites make sure they include key search words
and phrases along with the benefits.
3. DROP THE
WARM-UPS...
You'll
destroy your entire letter/ad by starting off, "As a homeowner, you know how
maintenace costs are climbing every day...". Take your first draft and try
cutting out the first two to three paragraphs... you'll usually find the real
"meat" starts to appear in your copy after you have started to "warm-up" to the
writing.
4. STAND
OUT.
Separate
yourself from the competition as clearly as you can. Discover, isolate, and
dramatize all the reasons for doing business with you...today..., instead of your
competitor. Build your entire package or ad around these reasons (benefits).
5. SELL
BENEFITS, NOT FEATURES.
Readers
don't buy products or features of products. They buy the benefits-of-use of the
product or features. Be
humble enough to realize that a buyer will not give you one red cent for any
product or feature until you convert the features into benefits-of-use.
6. LEARN TO
GIVE.
Most
advertisers and charities think of direct response strictly as a device to
"get". Unfortunately, most readers also want to get. So, to succeed, you must
adopt a "give" attitude... beyond what you offer in the product or service. Give
them something immediately in your ad, your letter, your web page. Give them
news, business tips, interesting stories, resources, freebies, special deals.
7. USE
TESTIMONIALS.
They're
proof that you're as good as you say you are, and that you'll do what you say
will do. Like...
Joe Smith,
President, Smith Corporation
The more
specific the testimonial the more power it has. Give full attributions whenever
possible. Testimonials give you believability and credibility.
You can't do successful direct-response without these two essential factors.
8. OFFER A
MONEY-BACK GUARANTEE.
9. CREDIT
CARDS, TOLL FREE NUMBERS.
Credit card
purchases and toll-free "800″ numbers can increase your response by as much as
50%. If you're on the web make sure you opt for secure on-line transmission
(SSL) of
credit card orders... or allow other means for your customer to provide their
credit information to you.
10. ASK FOR
ACTION.
It's
amazing how often otherwise good copy never gets around to asking for the
order. If you don't ask for action... you won't get any.
11. BUDGET
YOUR TIME.
Devote
about one third of your writing time to the lead elements, headline, subheads,
teasers, opening paragraphs.
12. KEEP CURRENT.
Direct-response
is more scientific than other types of advertising. Like any fast-moving
science, it has it's discoveries daily. This is especially true of writing for
the Internet/World Wide Web. Subscribe to industry trade journals such as
Target Marketing, DM News, Direct, and other relevant publications.
For more about toll-free vanity numbers, visit 800response here.
New Survey from 800response Reveals Consumer Recall Rates of Advertisements
800response
(www.800response.com), the leading provider of vanity 800 numbers and web-based
call tracking and recording services, announces the results of two recent
surveys conducted in conjunction with an online survey firm and research
experts. The surveys focus on consumers and measures their recall rates of
vanity 800 numbers compared to consumer recall rates of numeric toll-free
numbers when featured in advertisements.
The study
findings reveal that vanity 800 numbers improve consumer recall rates in visual
ads by up to 84%, and yield a nine times higher recall in broadcast ads versus
numeric toll-free numbers.
"The
results of the two surveys confirm the overwhelming value of using
unforgettable phone numbers as consumer response tools particularly in
television, radio, outdoor, and print advertising where they are significantly
easier for consumers to recall after even just one exposure in
advertisements," says Laura Noonan, vice president of marketing at
800response.
84% Improvement
in Recall Rates with Vanity 800 Numbers in Visual Advertisements
Data shows
that when vanity 800 numbers are used in visual media (i.e. television, print,
billboard) advertisers can expect to see an 84% improvement in recall rates
over numeric phone numbers. Sixty-five percent (65%) of consumers were able to
correctly recall a vanity 800 number that was featured in a visual image -
simulating a billboard or print advertisement. In comparison, only 31% of
consumers could correctly recall the numeric toll-free number in a visual
image.
Consumers
Are 9 Times More Likely to Recall Vanity 800 Numbers in Broadcast
Advertisements
A second
survey measuring phone number recall shows that an audio file featuring a
vanity 800 number yields a nine times higher recall rate compared to an audio
file featuring a numeric phone number. Of the survey respondents, 72% correctly
recalled the vanity 800 number, with just 5% correctly recalling the numeric
toll-free phone number in otherwise identical audio clips.
"As ad
spending continues to grow, the use of toll-free numbers will also rise because
advertisers will continue to look for increasing response rates to their
advertising, and will need to track their media spending and ad campaigns.
Through this study, and past research, vanity 800 numbers are proven to
generate higher recall rates. Based on the statistical data we expect the
activation and use of vanity 800 numbers to grow as well," says Noonan.
Additional
data from survey #1 reveals that the majority of consumers continue to
associate the 800 prefix as a toll-free phone number, and survey #2 also shows
that consumers prefer to dial easy-to-remember vanity 800 numbers when reaching
a local business in their market.
'800' is
the Most Widely Recognized Toll-free Prefix
Results
confirm that 800 is by far the most widely recognized toll-free prefix among
consumers, with a 94% recognition rate. Recognition of the 800 prefix is
consistent from 2002 to 2007. However, the 2007 study data shows a decline
since 2002 in the recognition rates of 866, 877 and 888 prefixes with just 55%,
56% and 70% recognizing 866, 877, and 888 as toll-free respectively.
When Given
a Choice, Consumers Prefer to Dial a Toll-free Vanity 800 Number to Reach a
Local Business
After
viewing an image that simulated a Yellow PagesTM advertisement, survey data
also shows that 58% of respondents prefer to dial a vanity 800 number to reach
a local business, rather than dialing a local or toll-free numeric phone
number.
"Knowing
that consumers can better recall vanity 800 numbers in multiple advertising
media, and that 58% of consumers prefer to contact a local business by dialing
a vanity 800 number, further proves the benefits available to advertisers who
utilize a vanity 800 number. These surveys demonstrate that vanity 800 numbers
are the strongest consumer response tools available according to recognition
and recall rates," says Noonan.
Details of
the Surveys: Two electronic surveys were distributed to 1,500+ opted-in
respondents. Both surveys were executed through a market research firm,
Infosurv, Inc. and e-Rewards, an electronic survey provider. Data analysis was
conducted in conjunction with Scott Stevens, Associate Professor, Mathematics
Division of Information Technology & Sciences at
About
800response: 800response maintains the widest selection of Custom 800 numbers
available today, and offers these dynamic lead tracking tools to optimize
advertising expenditures for businesses nationwide. Custom 800 numbers are
proven to substantially increase response rates. For more information, visit
www.800response.com or call 1-800-NEW-SALES.
Call Tracking for Website Optimization by Elan
While
Google Website Optimizer is an extremely powerful tool, it has certain
limitations which online marketing agencies must find ways to work around. One
of these limitations is its ability to track phone calls as conversions.
Here is one
creative example of how WiderFunnel, an online marketing optimization agency,
was able to run a landing page A/B test for a client with a phone call as the
main conversion goal.
Saint Jude
Retreats, an alternative addiction recovery program, engaged WiderFunnel to
increase the number of website visitors who contact Saint Jude by phone. They
specifically wanted to optimize their site for phone calls because a higher
percentage of phone calls turn into sales than do web form inquiries.
WiderFunnel designed several different landing pages, but since the conversion
goal was a phone call they couldn't depend on a standard web analytics tool for
identifying the optimal design variation.
To track
phone calls, WiderFunnel placed a unique Call Tracking Number on each page. By
viewing real-time call tracking reports, they were able to identify the
landing-page version with the highest phone call conversion rate.
"Ifbyphone
is easy to use and affordable. It's an easy addition to our online tracking
tools, helping us capture the leads from multiple channels," said Chris
Goward, Co-Founder of WiderFunnel.
What was
the result of their experiement? A 42% increase in phone inquiries!
You can
read their full case study or our press release. Additionally, I highly
recommend watching Ifbyphone's Call Tracking Video.
Call
Tracking Is Easy and Produces Great Results
21 Feb 2010
• 07:08 AM • Business
Tracking
business incoming and outgoing phone calls helps companies in many ways, is
easy and inexpensive to set up, and provides proven results in several areas.
Many different businesses from a wide range of markets are using a call tracking
service. Realtors, hotels, mortgage companies, and lawyers have used the system
and increased customer loyalty as a result. Working with available technology
can be of great benefit to large and small businesses alike.
Using this
call tracking system permits the company to maximize investment returns and
change mere leads into increased sales. It also measures customer response to
the various advertising techniques being tried, breaking it down into data that
can be managed and compared, line by line. Doing these things will support
decisions based on cost per lead and avoid waste. Another benefit of this
strategic tracking is to measure staff performance. The owner can easily listen
to sales pitches given by workers to increase constructive criticism for
improvement. This can multiply motivation and productivity within the company,
and also eliminate staffing problems.
Capturing
data from phone system usage is easy and requires no special equipment. This
does not require changing your phone service, either. Simply request the toll
free numbers you would like to use and insert these numbers in your print
media, website, TV spots, coupons, and radio advertising. Next, when customers
respond to your advertising the calls are smoothly forwarded to the business
owner and the ad and call data is collected without any involvement of the
proprietor. Then, when it is convenient, log into the account, listen to calls,
analyze data received, and make better decisions for your company.
All of this
provides the results you need. Easily follow trends in your industry, identify
issues with employees, see which ads are the most profitable, know where your
calls are coming from, and receive an email alert when you have missed a call.
These gain the trust of your clients and improve your conversation ratings.
Generate more effective leads and stop wasting money on campaigns that don't
work, all while using the same equipment you've always had.
Call Tracking software comes with toll-free vanity 800 service. Set up a Custom 800 number, like 1-800-NEW-CARS, which is easier for people to remember than a numeric toll-free, access call-tracking data, and improve your overall advertising campaign performance and easily monitor your ROI.
By The
Posted: 02/18/2010
01:00:00 AM MST
Updated: 02/18/2010
02:04:06 AM MST
It didn't take long for
scammers to latch on to the recall troubles at
The scam relies on
consumers misdialing the car company's toll-free telephone number by a single
digit. Instead of the vehicle-recall folks, callers get a recorded message
quickly telling them of a surcharge they'll pay for calling yet another number,
the Better Business Bureau warns.
The scammers grabbed the
toll-free number that ends with 4431, hoping some callers would simply misdial.
They are directed to
another number because of the volume of calls. The other number charges them
$5.96 and asks for personal information such as a Social Security number.
BBB officials warn consumers to
ensure they have the right number.
David Migoya, The
Call 1-800-NEW-SALES to learn more about how a vanity number, like
1-800-NEW-PARTS, could have saved
Courtesy of Ezine Articles
Everyone becomes a consumer at some point in our complicated lives. We share the same experiences when it comes to buying products and services. We may get dissatisfied at times with a specific product or service, get confused on how to use a product or we may just simply want to know more about a particular product or services.
When we are having these experiences, what do we do? Our first instinct will be to contact the company or their customer service department and raise our query, concern or whatnots - basically contact their toll free number, right? Wouldn't it be very inconvenient for us if we have to memorize a lot of numbers if we have different concerns? For instance, if our concern is about "how to use a product", we have to call a certain number, or if our concern is about billing then we have to call another number. Wouldn't it be confusing to memorize a lot of different numbers? It's not only time consuming but it's also frustrating on our part - consumers part that is.
Toll free numbers are the best reward a company can give to its target consumers. Why? Because they are easily remembered, like vanity numbers for example, where in we don't have to memorize a number, we just have to remember the name of the company or anything of that sort. Companies who get vanity numbers, more often than not, receive more consumer response than companies who don't have the former. Being a consumer, I feel that companies give me more importance by making use of these vanity numbers. It just means that they care for their consumers.
Courtesy of Ezine Articles
You are driving to work in rush hour traffic, half listening to the news on the radio. You hear the date and realize that today is your sister's birthday. Mildly panicked, you grab your cell phone to order flowers. What number will you dial? If you are like most, you will dial 1-800-FLOWERS. Most people do not have the local florist on speed dial but everyone can recall 1-800-FLOWERS.
A toll free vanity number combined with strong branding statements can help your company stand apart in a competitive marketplace. Sit N'Sleep Mattress maximized their memorable slogan, "We'll beat any advertised price or your mattress is freeeee" with a 1-800-FREEEEE vanity number.
Toll free vanity numbers optimize advertising efforts by providing an easy to recall number for customers to follow up which facilitates direct response. There are three types of response times in advertising:
1) Immediate. Customers hear the advertising message, want what is being offered and buy it.
2) Delayed. With delayed response, the customer hears the message but is too busy to take immediate action. They want what is being offered and plan to take action later.
3) Long Term. You hear or see the marketing message and you are interested but may not take action for a week, month or even a year later.
Vanity numbers provide an effective follow up solution for all response types. Customers will remember how to reach you whether they need your services today or long after they have heard or seen your advertising message.
The immediate customer can effortlessly move from hearing to buying with a vanity number. The delayed response customer does not have to hunt for pen and paper or stop their activities to write down a phone number. A customer in need of flowers will remember 1-800-FLOWERS even if responding hours later.
Courtesy of Ezine Articles
From a marketing perspective, it can be said without fear of contradiction that any advertisement - be it on electronic or print media - a toll-free number is sure to attract a larger response. Businessmen who use toll free numbers are fully aware of the benefits of it, but others are blissfully ignorant how much business they are losing by not using the toll-free number.
Marketing professionals are convinced that advertising with a toll-free number can bring in 30% more orders than advertisements that carry no toll free number. Additionally, statistics show that product return rates can be decreased by as much as half. Interestingly, it is learned that customers call in to resolve their problems after buying rather than return the goods if a toll free number is provided.
There is no denying that numbers are a great boon for the business community. The 800 number by itself motivates consumers to readily respond. Vanity numbers - in other words, the toll-free numbers that spell out a word or words associated with a product or brand, are far more productive though some may consider it not cost-effective. A market survey was conducted to compare the impact of numeric toll free numbers versus toll free vanity numbers in radio advertising. Half of the ads mentioned a numeric phone number, and the other half mentioned a vanity number. The results: The vanity number received a whopping 14 times more responses than the 800 numeric.
Here are some valuable tips on how to fully take advantage of toll free numbers:
1. When you print sales promotion materials like - business cards, pamphlets, brochures, and catalogs, make sure to prominently print your toll-free number preferably in a couple of places.
2. Make a habit of coloring or bolding the words - "toll free".
3. When you advertise in print medium, mention your toll-free number and preferably use the phrase "Contact us TOLL FREE at...".
4. Customers must be firmly reassured that the phone call to your business will cost them nothing.
5. Make sure you display your toll-free number on your website in several areas and be sure to include your email address so customers have two options for contacting you.
6. If your business can afford it, create a vanity number, so that people easily remember your business and contact details.
Further, toll free numbers attract customers to your business because they give it an air of professionalism. They also increase the customer's confidence in the security of financial transactions with your company. You can also create a virtual office in your home-based business. A huge benefit of your toll-free number is - calls can be forwarded to your cell phone, pager, email address, and even you home phone - thereby no longer tying you down to your office desk. Its numbers also carry a lot of features including audio conferences, professional voice announcement feature, call screening, call recording, call forwarding, auto attendant etc.
Background: A national wireless company headquartered in
Client Profile: The wireless company operates 42 retail locations providing wireless communications solutions throughout
Challenge: The cellular company was looking to improve their advertising response rates. They had been using a numeric phone number in their advertising, but consumers could not recall the number when it came time to order wireless service and products.
Strategy: Place their Custom 800 number in all forms of advertising media to measure response rates and closely monitor the performance of each media buy.
Results: "Our Custom 800 number has brought a lot of value to our advertising program," says the wireless company's marketing manager. The company uses a mix of advertising vehicles to reach consumers, including radio, direct mail, flyers, and newsprint ads.
Eighty percent of the company's advertising is national, with 20% targeting consumers in specific markets. The marketing manager says, "By referring to the call tracking reports we have identified the types of advertising media that deliver the greatest return for our national outreach program, and we are able to track region-specific events and promotions."
She goes on to share that the company also uses 1-800-NEW-CELL to reinforce the wireless company's brand. "Since activating the Custom 800 number with "NEW-CELL we are in the process of adjusting our logo slightly to highlight the word "Cell" and link the Custom 800 number to the company's identity."
The company also has the recording feature active on their account. The marketing manager explains how they use the service, "The general managers of each retail location use the recordings to monitor the performance of their sales representatives, train reps to overcome customer objections, and deliver more incoming leads for the reps to convert into sales."
Going from a numeric phone number to an unforgettable Custom 800 number has proven to be a valuable learning process for managers and other executives at the company. They now have a tracking process in place to monitor the performance of their advertising, and tie the performance directly to specific media expenditures.
]]>Courtesy of Ezine Articles
If you're a businessman, you surely know the value of your business name. This is how people know you, remember you and think of you enough for them to buy something from you. In other words, as long as people know you're around, there is a possibility that they will consider you for something they need which you offer.
In other words, when you want to compete in a market where similar products and services are offered by different vendors or providers, you have to stand out with your brand name. Anything you do that strengthens your market presence by way of strengthening the impact of your brand name on consumers is called branding. Of course, you've heard about the multimillion dollar branding campaigns of such multinational companies such as Coke or Gillette. And you've heard about the advertising agencies who are notorious for their insanely and exorbitantly priced services. What if you were to get as much branding edge for a comparably negligible price? What about a vanity 800 number?
A vanity number is a regular toll free number except that you have your business name spelled out on it. Or you can have any term relevant to your business spelled out on it. So instead of your number being 1-800-1234567, it could be 1-800-FLOWERS if you're in the floral business or 1-800-COMPUTE if you're dealing computers. Imagine how much easier it would be for people to reach you just because your vanity number is so much easier to remember. Now imagine if that vanity number were all over your radio, TV, print and online ads. That's great branding edge for so much less expenses.
If you're convinced you need a vanity number, it's not that simple getting one, though. In fact, it can get a little serious. First, you need to research which companies offer the cheapest 800 numbers. You also need to look into how you will be billed. Some will charge a flat amount while others can give you more freedom by charging per amount of time used.
Vanity numbers also have different features so you need to look into each one to know what you need or don't need. This way, you avoid spending for something unnecessary. And then, of course, you need to consider the quality and accessibility of customer service you can expect from the company that provides you the vanity number. This is essential because if and when you run into problems, you should be able to resolve it as much as possible. Some companies will give you a free trial for a certain period, say, 30 days. This is for you to decide whether or not you would like to continue their service. Obviously, it's wise to take this trial and see for yourself.