Are Custom Phone Numbers Worth It?

There’s a reason custom phone numbers are all the rage even though businesses today have so many ways and avenues of communication. They’re easy to remember and provide a direct link between customers and companies.

Even with all digital communication channels, more than half of customers surveyed feel that talking to a person over the phone is reassuring and boosts confidence while buying an item.

If you still don’t have a memorable business number, now’s the time to get a custom phone number for your company. Of course, you can maintain responsive telephone communication within your business without incorporating custom phone numbers, but there are unique benefits you’ll miss out on.

This article explains what custom phone numbers are, their pros and cons, and whether they are worth it. 

 

What Are Custom Phone Numbers?

A custom phone number, also known as a vanity phone number, is a business telephone number you select, often with simple, catchy, and memorable digits.

This type of telephone number is usually preferred for marketing reasons because there’s a better chance your customers and prospects won’t have to look up the number or take note of it when they see an ad. Plus, your customers can relate the phone number to your business or slogan, thus reinforcing your products, services and perhaps even referring other potential customers.

Let’s look at some examples.

 

Examples of Brands That Use Vanity Phone Numbers

The following are some big companies with highly recognizable vanity phone numbers. Some of these companies use phone words to help you remember their products or services.

According to research, phone words are 5x more memorable than numbers with random digits.

The others use all numerical digits with noticeable patterns that are easy to remember and memorize.

 

Company	Industry	Phone-number
1-800-Flowers.com, Inc	Gifting (Flowers and Food Gifts)	1-800-Flowers
Gentle Giant Moving Company	Packing and Moving Services	800-Giant-Men
FedEx	Courier and Shipping	800-Go-FedEx
Pizza Pizza Ltd	Pizza	967-1111
McAfee	Computer security	800-Virus-No

 

Some people prefer to use brand phone words such as 1-800-Flowers.com, Inc. While these are best for a brand known to some extent, they can also benefit small businesses as they help improve brand awareness.

 Others, such as the McAfee example above, use generic phone words. These are the most common and desired as you can use them to block competitors from using them, thus owning the category.

 

Related: How to Find the Best Small Business Phone System Provider

 

 

Benefits of Custom Phone Numbers 

The following are some of the benefits you’re likely to reap if your business uses a vanity number. 

 

They’re Memorable

You might argue that we now have the internet at our fingertips, and searching out business contact information is a click away. But what if you could make the search-and-dial process even more accessible? 

And don’t forget that your customer could be in a location or a situation where they can’t access the internet.

Custom phone numbers are easy to remember as the patterns are often repetitive or include a memorable phone word. This way, your customers will always have your business number in mind whenever they need it.

They Can Elevate Your Brand

Branding is crucial in the success or failure of a business. How a brand is perceived depends on many factors, one of which is customer service. 

You can enhance your customer service and experience with a simple, easy-to-remember, reliable business number. When asked, 73 percent of consumers say they prefer a brand purely because of the quality of customer service.  

Also, a vanity phone number can help boost brand awareness. You can choose a number that says something unique about your business or make a claim you want to be known for. For instance, a doctor’s office may want to create a number like their local area code + BESTDOC.

They’re Great for Advertising and Marketing Campaigns

An average person receives a staggering number of ads every day, between 4,000 and 10,000. If you want your message to stand out from the rest, you must up your attention-grabbing game. 

People have very short attention spans, and brands are constantly competing for their attention. A custom phone number is one way of ensuring that your ad reaches your target amidst the competition. 

They Have a Decent ROI

Contrary to what many people imagine, a vanity phone number is affordable. Most vanity number providers have payment plans that consist of a one-time set-up fee and a monthly service fee. 

Cost-effectiveness depends on each company’s needs. But paying an affordable amount per month for a custom phone number looks like a tremendous bargain considering the revenue potential and other added features.

They Can Help Expand Your Reach

Local phone numbers imply a localized business. If you see a phone number with a prefix of 212, for instance, you’ll know it’s a company based in Manhattan, New York. If you obtain a phone number like FedEx’s “800-Go-FedEx,” you’ll immediately understand that the business at least has a national presence.

But even local numbers can be vanity numbers. If you have a local presence but want to think more extensively, buy a national or toll-free vanity number to make your business appear larger. 

Related: What Are 888 Numbers and Are They Legitimate?

 

Limitations of Having a Custom Phone Number

The following are some of the cons of having a custom phone number.

• Location anonymity: If you use a toll-free vanity number, your potential customers wouldn’t immediately identify where your business is located. This may work against you because many customers prefer to deal with a company they know, including the location.
• Lack of market intelligence: Because of anonymity, you’ll not be able to know where your calls—and hence the interest in your product or service—are coming from. That can be frustrating, especially if you want to assess the success of a marketing campaign or promotion. But this is not a dead-end.

You can navigate this drawback by having a built-in phone tracking service for your vanity number so you can know where a call is coming from.

• Losing out on the local market: There’s a trade-off with custom phone numbers. While a toll-free vanity phone number may put the world at your feet, you may lose out on your local market.

Many people still take pride in associating with and promoting local businesses with local addresses. This shade of patriotism can benefit small businesses and start-ups, so consider purchasing a local vanity number.

 

How Businesses Can Use Vanity Numbers to Their Advantage.

Boost Advertising and Marketing Campaigns

This is especially true if your vanity number comes with call analytics. If you link a marketing campaign with a dedicated vanity number, you’ll be able to spot the campaigns that are performing well and the geographical locations registering sales interest. 

Boost Company Profile

A custom phone number will improve your trustworthiness to potential customers. This enhanced credibility can mean a lot for a small business that’s still vying to win the trust and confidence of the market.

Small businesses can also use custom phone numbers to:

• Improve brand awareness
• Boost credibility
• Improve customer experience

 

Get a Custom Phone Number Today

 

When you compare the potential advantages with the drawbacks, vanity phone numbers can significantly improve your customer service experience and elevate your brand image and credibility.

They also help customers remember your business, reinforce your product, service, or slogan, and make it easy for your customers to recommend your company. The effect of all these on your revenues and your bottom line is decidedly positive.

At Phone.com, we provide custom phone numbers to help businesses stand apart from the competition. Contact us today and sample our diverse plans.