Choosing Local Vanity Numbers: Making Your Brand Memorable
Choosing a local vanity number is about more than just a phone number; it’s about defining your brand, putting your product on the map, and making sure that it stays there. That may sound like a tall order for a phone number, but it’s actually possible with the right branding strategies. Think of the companies in your area whose catchy jingles you can remember–those jingles that get stuck in your head, stick with you even months after you first heard them. Well, that’s the goal, and it’s more reachable than you may think.
Why Choose Local Vanity Numbers?
Local vanity numbers open the door for your business to reach out to local consumers in a fun, simple, cheap, and memorable way. With the right vanity phone number jingle, you can ensure that your brand sticks around for a long time. The great thing about vanity numbers is that anyone can use one. No matter how small your business, a vanity number is an affordable possibility. As your business expands, you can even choose a unique vanity number for every area that you market to, opening the door to profit-expanding target marketing opportunities.
It’s a common misconception that using a vanity phone number means that you have to switch phone service providers, a prospect is not necessarily appealing to business owners who already have a comfortable, workable system. Fortunately, that’s actually not the case at all. A vanity number can work with your established phone system through call forwarding. When a customer dials your vanity number, the call simply forwards to your established business line. If you are seeking to upgrade your phone system, that’s fine too–most good vanity number providers also offer virtual calling systems that can help small businesses to handle the high volume call traffic that often comes with a new vanity phone number.
Vanity Number Branding
Selecting a good local vanity number is the hardest part of the vanity number process. When choosing your number, keep in mind the following branding tips:
1-800: 91% of respondents in a national survey said that they find 1-800 numbers more memorable than 1-888 numbers, so avoid using 1-888 and other toll free prefixes if possible.- Hybrid Numbers: Some marketers choose vanity numbers that are part number, part word. While these numbers can still be effective, they are generally less catchy and memorable than their phoneword counterparts.
- Presentation: Incorporating your vanity phone number in a catchy jingle can help consumers remember and respond to your advertisement.
- Keep It Simple: Avoid using complicated or abbreviated spellings in your vanity number, and keep it as short and spiffy as you can. If possible, limit your number to two words.
- Product Association: Your customers should hear your vanity number, and know what you’re selling. Unless your company name brand is already extremely well-known, naming your product in your phone number can help customers associate your brand with your products. This association can often eliminate your marketing competition right at the get go.
Once you’ve chosen the local vanity number that fits you, don’t be shy about it. The more you get your number out there, the more local consumers will come to recognize and trust your brand. When your customers start to complain that your jingle gets stuck in their head, you’ll know you’ve succeeded.