Direct Response in Radio Advertising

Conclusions

Millions of consumers are exposed to toll-free numbers on a daily basis, leading to their acceptance as a common advertising element. Their use in radio advertising will continue to grow.

Of the numbers used, vanity 800 numbers will continue to predominate. The findings of this study confirm traditional wisdom regarding toll-free numbers — consumers are most familiar with the 800 prefix. While consumers have had 30 years to familiarize themselves with 800, they have only been exposed to 888 and 877 for the last few years. The 888 and 877 prefixes, understandably, will never catch up.

With fewer consumers aware of the additional prefixes, the majority of advertisers continue using the original toll-free exchange to eliminate user confusion and misdialing (i.e., dialing 800 instead of 888 or 877). It is likely that smaller and newer advertisers (e.g., Internet service providers) use 888 and 877 numbers because they do not have the resources of national advertisers in securing easy-to-remember 800 numbers, or came to market after these numbers were already claimed. Likely using vanity 800 numbers whenever they can secure one, many choose a vanity 888 or 877 number, so they can at least have a vanity number. There is no question that if the vanity 800 number corresponding to their 888 or 877 number became available, they would use it instead. Indeed, when the 888 numbers were originally made available, many of them were claimed by companies who were already using their 800 prefix equivalent — a safeguard called self-replication. This trend will likely continue as the prefixes 866, 855, etc. are rolled out.

A further reason to choose 800 over other prefixes is that when using another prefix it is necessary to use valuable airtime pointing out that the number is indeed toll-free. The findings of this study substantiate this — both 888 and 877 numbers use the phrase "toll-free" more often than 800 numbers. Similarly, straight vanity numbers require the least clarification (e.g., spelling out the number and/or giving the numeric equivalent), allowing more airtime for the sales message, or another citation of the number.

It is clear that with only 59% of local numbers including an area code that those advertisers are after a very local market. With radio broadcasts being carried over the Internet, these advertisers could easily increase their market if they wanted to.

Toll-free numbers are embraced by a wide range of industries because of their versatility..

Published July 11, 2000
Copyright © 2000, 800 Response. All rights reserved.

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