Toll-free call tracking numbers are powerful 10-digit numbers that allow businesses to monitor and track every lead down to the source. This is a must for any marketing/advertising manager, director, or executive who is responsible for reporting on their strategy's performance at the end of the day.
Numeric call tracking numbers are perfect for advertising and marketing campaigns that include visual media types, but only if they have a "shelf-life." This includes newspaper advertising, Yellow Pages ads, online ads, and some direct mail. Advertisers can effectively track pay-per-click and SEO ad campaigns, test one direct mail postcard against another, and tracking online conversions from their websites, all with these numeric toll-free numbers.
What these numeric tools cannot do is brand. Only a vanity 800 number can brand your business, like 1-800-NEW-ROOF for a roofer, or 1-800-NEW-RATE for a bank or lending institution.
So, advertising businesses that execute multi-media campaigns need both of these tools. Don't balk, because it is possible to get them at an affordable price. Some vanity service providers offer free call tracking numbers with their service so that businesses can maintain a complete lead-tracking system and monitor every advertisement in their campaigns.
For an effective advertising and marketing strategy, incorporate both of these toll-free options - vanity 800 numbers and call tracking numbers - and you'll capture every incoming lead and be able to source it back to the specific advertisement/media buy that generated that lead. These direct-response tools allow for complete lead-tracking, accurate measurement of ROI, and budget accountability.
Market research study shows that consumers
have recall rates of vanity 800 numbers when they are used in advertising:
·Advertisers
can expect up to 84% improvement in consumer recall using a vanity 800 number
in outdoor and print advertising vs. a numeric toll-free number.
·Consumers
are 9x more likely to recall vanity 800 numbers in broadcast ads vs. numeric
toll-free numbers.
Television Advertising, Toll-free
and Vanity Numbers:
·82%
of phone numbers in TV ads are toll-free.
·64%
of toll-free numbers used in TV advertising are vanity toll-free phone numbers.
Radio Advertising & Toll-free
Numbers:
·Radio
ads featuring a vanity 800 number yield 58% more calls than an identical radio ad
using a numeric toll-free.
·Almost
60% of study subjects recall a vanity 800 number after hearing only one time.
Billboard Advertising, Toll-free and
Vanity Numbers:
·75%
of the total toll-free numbers used on billboards are vanity toll-free numbers.
Remember
these stats when you're developing your next advertising campaign!
Consumers have a 45% higher recall rate of vanity 800
numbers over URLs.
As many as 40% of survey respondents cite "Research the
Competition" as their first step after visiting an advertiser's Web site.
Less than 10% of respondents would communicate with the
advertiser as their first step.
Advertisers will benefit by providing both a URL and a
vanity 800 number in their ad campaigns (based on recall rates and online
research behaviors, it is essential for companies to include a vanity phone
number in addition to their URL in advertising campaigns for optimal lead
generation).
60% of consumers prefer to dial a vanity 800 number vs. a
numeric toll-free to reach a local business.
The Five
Most Dangerous and Expensive Advertising Mistakes Dealers are Making in 2009 - By Bill Park of CBC Ads
Running a
highly successful advertising program has never been more important for your
dealership. Gone are the days when wasting fifty percent of the ad budget was a
running joke, and not knowing which fifty percent was the punch line. Having a
well-planned and executed advertising program is crucial--in fact these days it
can make the difference between failure and survival.
Turning a profit in 2009 is proving to be harder and more complicated than
ever. Owners face obstacles ranging from age-old challenges like finding and
retaining good staff, to new and complex hurdles like maintaining floorplan
financing and becoming Red Flag compliant. Even with a firm handle on those
areas, no aspect of dealership management is more critical--and potentially
treacherous--than advertising.
Tier III advertising always has been a tricky business. But for years,
thousands of dealers have done a perfectly good job handling their own
programs. Now, with the automotive world and the media world both turned inside
out, more and more dealers are making the same critical advertising mistakes.
With stakes this high, the mistakes couldn't come at a worse time--unless you're
the competition!
How can dealers avoid such mistakes? Understanding them is the first step. Then
planning a consistent strategy to avoid them is the next step. Enlisting the
help of a top-flight ad agency also can be an enormous help--but be careful.
Some agencies still promote self-serving interests of their own like
overspending, so caveat emptor.
What follows is a list of the five most dangerous and expensive advertising
mistakes dealers are making in 2009. If one or more of these situations applies
to you, consider taking a long, hard look at your program--and work to change
your ways. You'll be glad you did!
Mistake #1: My Customers Listen to THAT??
Do you really know your customers? Consider for a moment you may not know them
quite as well as you think. Sure, you probably know dozens, if not hundreds of
customers by name. But do you know their favorite radio and television
stations? Do you know how many visited your website prior to purchase, or their
favorite cable networks or their favorite sports? Do you know your dealership's
number one vehicle purchased by women over 45 with household incomes below
$75,000 who didn't consult a newspaper prior to purchase?
You're not alone if you don't have this information at your fingertips. But did
you know you could easily have access this kind of data? Consider the enormous
benefit of setting up a modest, in-house customer research program that would
provide you with all the above information and more. Think about how valuable
this information would be in deciding where to direct your precious advertising
dollars. Is such a research program expensive? Not necessarily, and it's much
more accurate than a dartboard.
With ad budgets tighter than ever--and with more than ever riding on every
spending decision--it's imperative dealers know everything they can about their
customers' demographic profiles and media habits. Imagine discovering where
you're wasting that fifty percent of your ad budget... and where you're not.
Mistake #2: Never, Never, Never Give Up.
An alarming number of dealers these days are deciding their best approach to
advertising right now is to shut it down completely. Bad idea! No matter what
the state of the economy and no matter how slow your sales may be, giving up on
your advertising is a deadly mistake. It's like not watering a plant and still
hoping it grows.
The severe and lasting effects of advertising asphyxia on your dealership brand
can take months to reverse--and you'll probably pay extra in the long run to buy
back the mindshare you gave away for free. The most important aspect of any
successful ad program is consistency. Notice how most successful dealers always
seem to be 'out there' with their advertising? It's no accident. But when you
break your consistency, it's like waving a white flag to the competition and saying,
"Here, come take my customers--you can have 'em!"
Mistake #3: Online Overkill
Without a doubt, the Internet has revolutionized the way people buy cars. And
without question, dealer websites and a growing number of online enterprises
have forever changed the way cars and trucks are sold. What's alarming,
however, are the growing number of dealers devoting most or all of their
budgets to the Internet.
It's a mistake to view your website as advertising--because it's not. Instead,
think of your website as your online sales arm--an electronic extension of your
showroom--a portal for sales, service and financing. Traditional advertising is
what drives traffic to your website--the same way it drives traditional foot
traffic to your front door.
Similarly, online pay-per-click and search engine marketing programs are
legitimate ways to increase your presence on search engines like Google and
Yahoo, and online lead providers like Autobytel and Cars.com match buyers
directly with your inventory (usually for a hefty price). But it's arguable
that even these services aren't really advertising--as technically they're
structural enhancements to your online sales arm.
Regardless, what's important to know is this: dealers who move their ad budgets
'100% online' are essentially canceling their advertising. Moreover, such moves
generally seem to be connected with a budget reduction--as if this maneuver can
completely take the place of traditional advertising while saving fifty cents
on the dollar. No matter what the motive, it's a dangerous and misguided
move--like a major league baseball team deciding to put only catchers on the
roster. If you're thinking about this measure, think twice!
Mistake #4: Media Missteps
Making a killing at the auction is one thing, but getting killed by your own
media buy is something else.
Many dealers are at their best when wheeling and dealing, yet in no way does
this ability automatically qualify them as good media buyers. Skilled media
buyers are highly trained professionals who are worth their weight in gold when
negotiating with media reps.
Why? Simply put, they regularly and routinely save clients thousands of
dollars. They make media buys go further, they bring added value to the bottom
line, and they put precious dollars back in clients' pockets. And the best
buyers make it look easy.
Media buying, however, is anything but easy. More and more dealers have come to
learn this the hard way. What's more unfortunate are the many dealers who
continue to believe they're media buying magicians, when in fact the trick's on
them.
Negotiating with the media is like walking through a minefield riddled with
trade agreements, sponsorships, contracts and packages. One misstep can cost
thousands of dollars--all the more reason to leave the media buying to a
professional. Need one final good reason to hire a media buyer? You won't
believe the time it saves you!
Mistake #5: Playing Favorites
Finally, it should go without saying that allowing personal factors to unduly
influence advertising decisions is extremely ill-advised. Unfortunately, it's
also quite common, and therefore bears mentioning here.
Think twice before devoting a big chunk of your ad budget to a particular radio
or TV station simply because it's what you like. You or your sales staff may
listen to Sports Talk all the time, but how often does your average customer?
The answer just might be never!
Also, set strict, personal limits on accepting tickets, gifts and trips from
the media. After all, why would you want to promote even the hint of a quid pro
quo arrangement?
Be very careful becoming outspoken on political matters as there's no telling
how many people you'll endear and how many you'll anger.
Should you be thinking about hiring a celebrity spokesperson, think twice, then
a third time, then a fourth time. Then proceed with the utmost of caution. Even
with a very popular athlete or entertainer, you must honestly consider the
downside risks of associating this individual with your dealership. Remember,
anybody can look pure as the driven snow today, then tomorrow have compromising
pictures turn up on the Internet, become embroiled in a messy divorce, go
through a lengthy drug trial, or get traded to your team's evil cross-state
rival.
Bottom line, maintaining a creative, consistent and cost-effective dealer ad
program is no small task. Yet having effective advertising month after month is
absolutely essential. Avoiding these five mistakes will greatly improve your
probability of success--and in 2009, success is the only good choice left.
--Bill Park is CBC Advertising's Senior Account Executive and a 17-year
veteran of retail automotive advertising. CBC (www.cbcads.com) is a
full-service ad agency working with dealers large and small throughout North
America.
Toll-free vanity 800 numbers are proven to generate more incoming calls to your business. They are more easily recalled by people, and they are trackable. That means you can measure advertising performance and track return on investment.
You can make the most of your advertising campaigns by incorporating a vanity number as one of the direct-response tools in your creative materials. Combined with a URL, a vanity 800 number makes for a solid ad that will get results.
According to a Nielsen survey from July 2009, traditional media advertising outlets are more trusted by consumers than ads served on search engine results or consumer opinions that are posted online.
Advertising/Media Tactics Trusted by Internet Users in North America Survey respondents replied that they trust: Media: % of Respondents: Radio ads - 61% TV - 61% Newspaper - 66% Outdoor/Billboards - 53% Ads on Search Engines - 37% Online video ads - 33% Banner ads - 24% Text ads on a mobile phone - 18%
Results show that people, regardless of age, still trust traditional media advertising over online advertising.
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.
Please know that apart from businesses, there are enough this benefits to your personal life as well. A toll free number will tempt everyone in your life to regularly contact and stay in touch with you. Even less affluent relatives will find it easy to call you regularly by getting a personalized. The toll-free number benefits both you and all your friends and relatives, as they can stay in close contact. A toll free number will benefit school-going children and college-going children as they will be able to call you at any time, even when they have no money.
Background: A national wireless company headquartered in British Columbia activated a Custom number to use in their advertising campaigns.
Client Profile: The wireless company operates 42 retail locations providing wireless communications solutions throughout British Columbia, Alberta and Ontario. The company provides initial and ongoing sales training to all sales representatives, empowering them to maximize their potential and equip them for success.
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.
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.
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.
The most important thing to do before signing anything is to sit down and think about a short and catchy term or terms for your vanity number. Definitely, this must embody your company ideals and must be interesting and quick enough to be remembered. Otherwise, vanity numbers just won't work.
