1-800-Get-Rich Can Toll Free 800 Number Domains Pay Off?

The toll free number 1-800-Get-Rich belongs to the Resorts Casino Hotel in Atlantic City. Perfect vanity number for a casino, right? Well apparently not. Their website shows the actual numbers, 1-800-438-7424 for the marketing department of Resorts Atlantic City. Those NUMBERS are nowhere near as memorable as is the mnemonic device of letters representing those numbers on the telephone keypad. It makes you wonder, did the casino have bad luck (no pun intended) or receive bad publicity for their 800-Get-Rich phone number?

Doing a Google search for 1-800-GET-RICH returns several spoof articles using the toll free number to make light of get rich quick schemes. Seems as well suited to a casino as to satire, since gambling represents the ultimate get rich quick scheme.

But on the web there's a another element to toll free numbers you must consider. 800 numbers are used as domain names which seem to stick in our memory as a web address just as well as a phone number. Resorts Atlantic City Hotel Casino should buy the domain name www.1800getrich.com from the current owner and assign their marketing department toll free 800 vanity number to the Casino instead.

The domain name www.1800GetRich.com is for sale as of this writing if you visit that web address. You can be certain that the current domain owner knows that the toll free vanity telephone number is owned by Resorts International Hotels www.resortsac.com which matches the domain www.1800getrich.com. It has to be enticing to think a large international hotel corporation may want his domain.

The casino owns the toll free number but isn't using the mnemonic for the numbers (GET-RICH for 438-7424). Makes you wonder about the history of the domain name, since WHOIS records show it was reserved only this past May of 2004, AND the history of the vanity number since it is going unused, at least on the web site. Hmmmm...

There are vanity phone number resellers online that actually specialize in providing 800 numbers with matching domain name for those seeking the consistent branding for their business. Clearly this is simply a marketing ploy by savvy 800 number vendors, as those domains may be full of hyphens and may cost more than they should due to the perception of value-added.

An interesting aspect to toll free numbers as domain names is that of 1-800 copyright and trademarks. Take for example, the well known flower retailer 1-800-FLOWERS.com where they use both the domain name and the toll free number. Both are copy- righted and trademarked names and essential to the business.

Legal precedent allows trademark owners to confiscate domains from "cybersquatters" who buy domain names containing trade- marked or copyrighted words and phrases hoping to sell that domain back to the trademark holder. But it is less clear an issue when it comes to descriptive toll free and vanity phone numbers. How about 1-800-PINDROP.com - which you would think would be registered to Sprint Communications? Curiously, as of October of 2004, this domain was available. What do they use? www.pindrop.com (without the 1-800) goes to Sprint.com.

It appears there are wide inconsistencies in using toll free 800 phone numbers as domain names but they can be memorable, which is one measure of a good domain name. They also aren't limiting as to word length. I've always felt it's a bit odd to type in 1800keywordphrase.com as a domain name, but only because there is no hyphen in it. 1800 looks like eighteen hundred and is just as strange as typing 247 for domains as a suggestion they are always open, more often seen as 24/7, but domain names can't have that slash mark in them.

As a matter of fact, I've always disliked numbers of any kind in domain names - especially those using numbers in place of the words "to" (up2me.com)& "for" (good4you.com) But, as owner of http://website101.com I'm at odds with the dislike for numbers in domain names. Still, it works better than 1800website.com or 1-800-website.com, both owned by Verio Web Hosting and both purchased in August of 1996, but neither have web sites configured at those addresses. They must not have been a worthwhile domains, yet they keep them.

If it offers you another option for a memorable web address, 800 number domains may be worth considering.

Mike Valentine operates WebSite101 domain name tutorial http://WebSite101.com/Domain_Name/ Free domain lookup tool to find out who owns domain names at http://website101.com/Domain_Name/Domain-WHOIS-database.html This article written for 800 Numbers Toll Free http://800numberstollfree.com/toll-free-800-number-index.htm

How Are Toll Free Numbers Obtained - How Are They Disconected And Made Available For Re-use

This brief primer describes how toll free numbers are obtained, and how toll free numbers are disconnected and returned to the spare pool.

Some Useful Definitions:

Before we begin in earnest, here are some useful definitions and background information about the toll free industry. If you already are an expert, skip ahead!

What is a Toll-Free Vanity Number?

Many companies are interested in obtaining vanity numbers. A vanity number is a toll-free number that also spells a person or company name (e.g. 888-639-2277 spells 888-NEWCARS.)

Vanity numbers such as 1-800-FLOWERS and 1-800-597-JENNY (Jenny Craig Weight Loss Centers) are major corporate assets. Numbers such as these will probably never be released to the public for re-assignment or re-use.

What is a Responsible Organization?

A Responsible Organization (Resp Org) is the entity designated to manage and administer a customer's Toll-Free records. These are often large Toll-Free service providers (e.g. Qwest, Global Crossing, Verizon, etc.)

How are Toll Free Numbers Obtained?

Toll-Free numbers are assigned on a first-come, first-served basis.

To keep track of which toll-free numbers are available for new customers and which numbers are already taken, a national computer database (SMS/800™) holds information on each toll-free number.

Responsible Organizations, which are usually toll-free service providers, have access to the national database that contains information regarding the status of all toll-free numbers. At a high level, Toll-Free numbers may be considered available to be assigned to a customer/user or are unavailable (working) and have already been assigned (e.g. 1-800-FLOWERS).

Customers who are interested in a toll-free number usually will contact a RespOrg and work with them to acquire an available toll-free number that meets their needs.

Available numbers are often called Spare numbers. To reiterate, these Spare numbers are available on a first-come, first-served basis and can be reserved by any Resp Org.

Many of the numbers currently in the Spare pool are perfectly acceptable Toll-Free numbers but they don't spell anything particularly interesting.

How are numbers freed up?

Imagine a fictional dog obedience training company called Acme Dog Training. Acme owns the number 1-800-BAD-DOGS. The owner has decided to retire and disband the business. The owner instructs their RespOrg/Carrier (e.g. Verizon) to disconnect 1-800-BAD-DOGS.

When the RespOrg permanently disconnects a Toll-Free number, it is usually held for four months by the current carrier. In this case, 1-800-BAD-DOGS is available for other use until the carrier releases it back to the "available" pool. Calls placed to 1-800-BAD-DOGS at this point are usually treated with a tone known as a "fast-busy" or "reorder" tone.

Carriers hold the number for four months after the disconnect to ensure that recently disconnected numbers are not tossed immediately back into available spare status. The waiting period can protect new customers who may otherwise have to deal with numerous calls for the previous end user.

Matthew J. Noreen PMP® works for csf Corporation supporting and promoting their flagship 8MS product.

csf Corporation is excited to introduce a new beta suite of Toll Free Tools available at http://www.8mstools.com

The introductory set of tools include:

Spare Number Forecast

The Spare Number Forecast tool allows internet end-users to search the pool of toll-free numbers that are currently in the "Coming Spare" state. This tool features a sophisticated interface to search for and display various Vanity spellings or number patterns (e.g. Search for a toll-free number that ends in "0000").

Spelling

Enter a phone number and we'll show you what words and phrases your phone number spells.

Sample

"Try it Now" style tools for Toll Free Service Providers. Search for toll free numbers, or even check their number history.

Least Cost Routing Considerations For Toll Free Numbers

With constant and growing cost pressures on their business, Toll Free providers can no longer rely on slow, manual, ad hoc techniques to analyze and deploy least cost call routing.

Many Toll Free service providers sign agreements with multiple carriers to carry call traffic on that carriers’ network for Toll Free Numbers in areas where the provider has no service or can find a better rate than using their own network. In order to take advantage of such agreements, your company must generate Call Processing Records (CPRs) for your Toll Free numbers that use a specific set of carriers based on where the call originated. The initial CPR that must be created may seem obvious or trivial (use the lowest cost provider for each NPA-NXX), but SMS/800™ restrictions on the size and number of paths in a CPR often prevents the simple choice and requires a more complex routing record.

Inefficiencies in implementing least cost routing translations and CPR updates can cause providers to unnecessarily sacrifice time, money, network performance, and business opportunities by:

 

• Unsuccessfully implementing new call routing in response to rate changes
• Failing to take advantage of price disparities or to apply discounts
• Losing focus on the cost reduction opportunities while implementing "home-grown" IT solutions for Least Cost Routing (screen-scraping, spreadsheets, etc.)

A successful Toll Free Least Cost Routing Tool:

• Produces CPRs with a number of paths and a size that will be accepted by SMS/800™ and can be loaded successfully in their Service Control Points;
• Chooses between multiple carriers for any NPA-NXX;
• Allows you to merge traffic data across multiple toll free numbers to generate a single least cost routing CPR for that set of number

Once the analysis is done and the LCR CPR generated, many benefits exist:

• Agreements with carriers can be renegotiated for example, to provide a volume discount based on the call volume that will be sent to that carrier
• “What-if” scenarios can be done to determine which carrier negotiations would minimize costs
• LCR CPRs could be quickly regenerated as traffic changes on a toll free number.

Successfully implementing Toll Free Least Cost routing can be very challenging. Manual, ad-hoc solutions are not the correct answer. Automation is required! The benefits of successful automation efforts will definitely impact your bottom line!

Matthew J. Noreen PMP® works for csf Corporation supporting and promoting their flagship 8MS® product. 8MS was designed from the ground up by a team of former Bell Labs engineers to be a superior toll free provisioning system that eliminates traditional dependence on SMS/800.

csf Corporation has built a powerful Least Cost Routing CPR Generation engine that uses your providers’ rate agreements and traffic data to produce a CPR that will minimize your Toll Free calling costs. More information at http://www.8msweb.com

Also see http://www.8mstools.com

Toll Free Numbers Can Increase Your Business Sales Potential

Many businesses both large and small use toll free or 800 phone service to deliver a better customer experience. Although these toll free services are used more on the sales side for ordering, some businesses, in the interest of better customer support also provide toll free contact for support and warranty issues also.

Just as there are many different types of business models today, some will benefit much more from an 800 number than others. The traditional brick and mortar corner retail store with a local market only may not obtain the same benefits of toll free service as a web or Internet business selling throughout the country.

To decide if you actually need an 800 number, consider the following points.

1. Who are your clientele? If your customers are all local and your business is generated all within the same town, toll free service may not be seen as important by your customers. If however, you're selling and shipping products throughout the country or even internationally, toll free contact calling may mean the difference between landing or losing a sale.

2. Does your business have a web presence and are the products offered of interest to others outside your direct area? A web site suggests that you're looking to increase information to your customers and probably desire to gain additional sales. Although online sales are popular, many customers still expect clear contact information. and if they are asked to pay for the call the risk of losing that order increases.

3. Do you offer customization? This can include anything from paper goods and stationery to customer designed gold clubs. Any business that builds or modifies a product specifically for a customer. Providing any customization almost demands having direct contact available.

4. Are you away from the Office a lot? Many times a small business has a staff of 1. Being the business, it's important that you are available to your customers at least during business hours. With the help of telephone technology, it's possible to have your customers reach your cell phone toll free through an 800 service number.

The decision to commit to an 800 telephone number is based on need and future growth of your business. If your business is local with all local customers and growing outside that immediate market area is of no interest, then an 800 number probably isn't needed.

If however your business is growing national or internationally, has a web site for sales or does custom work, the benefits of providing a toll free contact for your customers is great.

800 or toll free calling and many other services are now available from both your local phone company and many Voice Over Internet Protocol or VOIP companies. Check around and select the features that will best support your customer and grow your business.

Abigail Frank writes on many subjects having to do with home, family, and health. For more information on toll free numbers for your business please visit the site at http://www.toll-free.openbriefcase.com

International Toll Free Numbers From More Than 30 Countries Are Now Easy To Establish For Business

Toll Free Numbers are clearly established in the business world and have in the past few years with lower cost found their way into the home. US based toll free numbers are widely known and used. In fact they became so popular in the 1990s that new 888, 877, and 866 needed to be added.

But did you know that US numbers can be made to "ring" overseas? Or did you know that a company or individual can get a toll free number in Non-US countries?

Most people do not, but many are learning fast the benefits of global toll free services.

People on the move like toll free numbers. You can send the incoming calls to a home, office, or even cell phone as needed. Many providers allow you to easily change online the number to which your toll free number rings.

NEW USES:

Now expatriates living far from family and friends get USA toll free numbers that forward incoming calls to their homes and cell phones overseas.

These include the military, Peace Corp and related volunteers, missionaries, and of course business people relocated for extended periods.

Using a toll free number makes it easy for people to reach them. They also know that people who hesitate to dial international numbers are more willing to call a toll free number.

And, of course, many companies in the world would like to have US and Canadian customers.

For example: A fishery in Costa Rica wants to easily reach the vast US market. They subscribe for a US toll free number and have it ring to their main office in San Jose, Costa Rica. And they can allow Canadian callers to reach them just as easily for just a few cents more.

Or a software designer in China would like customers in the US to feel it is easy for them to converse with the designers as needed. They would likewise get a US toll free number that rings directly to their design studio in Shanghai.

But these are still uses for US numbers that ring overseas.

There is also a burgeoning market for international business owners that want toll free numbers in other countries to communicate with their customers and clients AND establish a professional presence in globally.

When I say international toll free number now, I’m talking about a number you dial from another country (not the USA). An international toll free number can also be directed to any phone or cell phone number worldwide. International toll free numbers are NOT so cheap, so they are mainly used for business. For example, Globaltollfree.us can provide you with a toll free number in Germany that rings anywhere you want on the planet. BUT the setup charge is $20 and there is a $10 monthly fee. The per minute rates are dependent upon the countries involved and it pays to be sure your global toll free is cost effective relative to sales or customer service. For a bona fide global business, it can be extremely cost effective to encourage sales and service.

After all, a toll free number or 800 number boosts your perceived level of professionalism and represents you to be a credible prospect to potential markets. Things as small as assuming if the company wants to pay for the call, they must want to talk to their customers. People like that. When prospects see a toll free number, there is comfort that because they feel a safer connection with you. It has been said that putting your 800 number in your advertisements, you should increase your ad response by as much as 600%. And now your ads can appear worldwide via the web!

International Toll Free Numbers are investments, not expenses.

You'll Gain a Competitive Edge.

see http://www.globaltollfree.us for more detailed information

Joseph Horton started Namada (http://www.namada.com) in 1991. In 1994 we built our first website. The goal of Namada is to provide individuals and companies low cost access to unique services designed to save money in US and global telecommunications. We now have nearly 200 agents worldwide and clients in more than 160 different countries. Joseph lives in New Jersey in the United States with his wife. They have two daughters in college in Maryland.

Other sites related to Namada.com that are pertinent to this article: http://www.globaltollfree.us; http://www.globalagents.us

Packing and Crating Services – Get Moving with Toll Free Numbers

If you are moving your household and do not know where to search for packing and crating services, try locating a toll free numbers directory. You can make free calls to local craters and packers and inquire about their services. It is convenient and easy to dial a toll free number, get all your queries answered, and arrange for the service without having to pay a dime.

Packing and crating services take away the burden of dismantling, arranging, packing household goods, and making the actual delivery. They ensure all fragile goods are delivered safely without any damage.

Online toll free directories can make your task of locating a packing service easier. Just type in the keywords, or if you know the business name, any part of the business with your regional area, and press enter. The results page would show you all the packing and crating services by location near you.

Toll free numbers have gained in popularity due to their ease of use. Any kind of query related to packing and moving can be placed to be answered immediately or through a return call. In addition, all this comes for free. It is great for both the business and the customers to be able to communicate with so much ease, any time of the day.

An online toll free numbers directory is just like a yellow pages directory, except that it provides toll free numbers along with other standard details. The online version keeps the directory intact and makes it easy to browse with search tools and other facilities. The businesses and services can be located alphabetically, through business names, geographic location, or relevant keywords.

If you need to urgently contact a packer and mover, and need to know more about local services available, a toll free numbers directory or its online version can help you quickly browse through the list and make free inquiries.

For more information on toll free packing and crating services, visit http://headings.internettollfree.com/packing-crating-services.html packing and crating toll free numbers

The author is the content developer of online internet toll free directory http://headings.internettollfree.com internet toll free directory He can be contacted at marketing@searchinfluence.com

Gift a Basket with Toll Free Numbers

Gift baskets come in a wide range of styles, packaging and content. There is a gift basket for every occasion – birthdays, weddings, ceremonies, anniversaries, Valentine’s Day, and other social occasions. Toll free numbers make it easy to deliver gift baskets with a free phone call.

There is a lot to choose when it comes to gift baskets. There are fruit gift baskets, chocolate gift baskets, gourmet baskets, organic food baskets, dry fruit baskets, baby gift baskets, sports gift baskets, and so on.

Toll free numbers make it easy to inquire about gift baskets and order one whenever a need arises. It could be a friend’s birthday, an unexpected ceremony, or a wedding shower that leaves you wondering how to go about arranging for a gift.

Browsing through a toll free directory provides instant access to local and regional gift basket suppliers who are just a free call away. Simply fetch the toll free number and inquire about home delivery services, the types of gift baskets available, and how to go about ordering one.

An online toll free numbers directory also carries classified ads of local gift suppliers, apart from other information like website addresses, emails, and physical addresses. If you have any difficulty locating gift suppliers, you may easily go online and search in an 800 numbers directory.

Various facilities available in a toll free directory make it easy to search online for gift suppliers. You may search with keywords, parts of business names, or just the business category. If you know the toll free number, the reverse lookup tool can fetch you the physical address of the service provider as well.

For more information on toll free gift basket services, visit http://headings.internettollfree.com/gift-baskets.html gift basket services toll free

The author is the content developer of online internet toll free directory http://headings.internettollfree.com internet toll free directory He can be contacted at marketing@searchinfluence.com

Toll Free Numbers Bring Janitor Services Closer

Cleaning needs can arise any time. Whether it is a particularly bad day, repair work debris, or routine kitchen accidents, you may need to call up a janitor service to help you get the shine back on your premises. Toll free numbers come in handy in such situations.

Janitor services provide a team of trained professionals who know the art of cleaning well. Using special equipments and cleaning solutions, they can help in removing stubborn stains and keeping the surfaces unharmed at the same time.

If you need urgent help in cleaning the windows, help is just a free call away with toll free numbers. Do you need to decorate the plants well? A janitor service can be of help. Repaired your room interiors recently? Call the toll free janitor service number and get the debris removed. No matter what the cleaning requirement, you can quickly consult and seek information over a toll free number.

If a total cleaning package is required, dial the toll free number to inquire about complete cleaning packages that can take care of every nook and corner of your premises. You may get customized plans to suit the type of construction material and fabric used in the premises.

Janitor services are easily available through toll free numbers. If you consult an online toll free directory, you may also get access to additional information such as website addresses, emails, physical contact details, etc.

Online toll free directories use the reach and technology of the Internet to provide access to janitor services located anywhere in the country. They also contain easy search facilities like keyword and business name look up to speed up the searching process.

For more information on toll free janitor services, visit http://headings.internettollfree.com/janitor-services.html janitor services toll free numbers

The author is the content developer of online internet toll free directory http://headings.internettollfree.com internet toll free directory He can be contacted at marketing@searchinfluence.com

Voice over IP Offers Your Business an Inexpensive Alternative To Toll Free Numbers

 

New businesses can now let their customers contact them for free or inexpensively with the use of Voice over IP telephony, without having to lease the ever more expensive toll free numbers offered by many telecoms companies around the world. With Voice over IP telephony, local numbers can be setup in scores of towns and cities across a country at relatively low costs. These can then connect to a central Voice over IP service provider, which will allow free or low rate calls to you from your customers.

Internet telephony or Voice over IP as it is more commonly known has been hailed as the next big thing in the telecommunications world for quite some time. In the past it has been plagued with poor sound and connection quality, as well as complex and frustrating installations.

With huge advances in Voice over IP technology in the last few years, you no longer have to sit at your computer in order to make a phone call over the Internet using Voice over IP. It is now possible to use an ordinary phone, connected to a Voice over IP adaptor (gateway). Some specialised Voice over IP phones (IP phones) have this technology built into their circuitry, effectively allowing you to plug and play.

Voice over IP splits your voice into Internet Protocol Data Packets. These packets are then routed over the Internet. This makes it a lot cheaper for Voice over IP service providers to carry your calls. Using this method Voice over IP service providers only have to pay a small termination fee at the point where they drop your call off. This in turn make Voice over IP extremely cost effective for those companies who cannot afford the high costs associated with those of toll free numbers. It would then become possible for example to rent phone numbers in major cities across a country at cheap rates, and people in these cities would then be able to talk to you for just the cost of a local call.

In the past few years Voice over IP has matured and is fast becoming the way to make cheap rate calls both nationally and internationally. In fact most major telecoms companies around the world, are now gearing up to charge us for the amount of data sent or received, as opposed to the length of call time. Many businesses are taking early advantage of the huge cost savings for them and their customers, through the implementation of Voice over IP telephony.

Thanks for reading my article. Please feel free to give it a rating at the bottom of this page.

Jason Morris is co-author, search engine optimization and marketing consultant of Business Phone Systems Direct. An established communications company, offering advice and implementation of high quality business phone systems.

Your Toll Free Number May Be Driving Business Away

 

When I launched my company, Championship Communication, ten years ago, a veteran entrepreneur advised me, “Get your toll free number right away.” He argued that I would attract more clients and keep ongoing clients happy if they could call me at no charge.

“But,” I asked, “isn’t that quite expensive?”

“No, Bill, it’s surprisingly reasonable, and it will be well worth the moderate cost because of your increase in customers.”

Following his advice, I got an 800 number and displayed it on my stationery, Web site, business card, and E-mail signature. For a decade, I mentioned that number when I was leaving a voice mail message for an out of town contact I had called and missed.

Then not long ago, I started rethinking whether my toll free number was gaining business for me. Discussing this with a professional speaker colleague, I was surprised to hear him say, “People who want you to have a toll free number, so they can save three or four dollars when they call you, are unlikely to be able—or willing—to pay the professional fees your experience merits. If they are so cost conscious that they don’t think they could afford to call you, then how will they change that mind set to invest in your services?”

His idea startled me. At the same time, his logic seemed sound. Over the next few months, I started looking at my monthly telephone bill to see who was using my 800 number to reach me. The answer: mostly friends and relatives.

Even worse, one company I had never heard about printed my toll free number as the contact number for its customer service department. I spent some agonizing times assuring callers I had nothing to do with that company.

Also, I reasoned, in the era when many calls originate from people using cell phones, the savings an 800 number once promised are likely to be obsolete. With most providers, cell phone minutes used are cell phone minutes, period.

Then I thought back to my twenty-three years in management. Like every manager, I fielded numerous calls from sales people who wanted to talk with me about their product or service. How did I decide which calls to return from someone whose name meant nothing to me? Simple—I eliminated the calls from strangers with toll free numbers. I knew I was in for a sales pitch, and with my packed schedule taking time for those calls would not demonstrate wise time management.

Remembering that, I wondered how many people had filtered me out of their calls-to-return list since 1996 because of my 800 prefix.

However, I didn’t want to trust my intuition alone. So I surveyed twenty-five professional speakers I had become acquainted with through our state and national associations. Included in my survey: the speakers with the most book sales, highest fees, packed calendars, and greatest reputations. Most I reached by E-mail, and with the rest I simply checked their Web sites.

The results astonished me. Out of the twenty-five, only eight have toll free numbers. The seventeen others were prospering nicely with ordinary phone lines. The most significant indicator: a speaker with a $20,000 keynote fee publishes his office and cell phones, but no toll free number.

So I took the logical next steps. I called the phone company and canceled my toll free number. I notified my friends and relatives who had been using the number that it was no longer active. The tech professional who makes requested changes in my Web site eliminated the number from those pages, and even from the “landing pages” accessed through Google. And I eliminated the number from my formal E-mail signature.

Do I fret because the toll free number remains on my business card and stationery? Not really, certainly not enough to order a fresh batch of both. I’ll change those eventually. Meanwhile, from what I have learned I will not be missing out with top-tier prospects.

I recommend that you evaluate whether my findings match your professional niche. If your toll free number attracts mostly friends, relatives, and marketers who want you to spend money on them, it’s time to switch to a traditional phone number. You’ll save substantial dollars annually, and more importantly you will attract the caliber of callers you want to do business with.

Bill Lampton, Ph.D., helps organizations “Finish in First Place” by strengthening their communication, motivation, sales, and customer service. His speeches, seminars, and communication coaching have benefited numerous clients, including the Ritz-Carlton Cancun, Gillette, Duracell, Procter & Gamble, Missouri Bar, and the Environmental Protection Agency. Visit his Web site to sign up for his complimentary monthly E-mail newsletter: http://www.ChampionshipCommunication.com Call Dr. Lampton to discuss how his services will benefit your organization: 770-534-3425. E-mail him: drbill@ChampionshipCommunication.com

Why Your Tiny Business Wants A Toll Free Number NOW

 

All small business owners dream of greater leverage which means the reaping large profits from a simple inexpensive tool. So they look around for tools, tactics or software that will give them an edge. But they miss one of the most effective tools that sits right under their nose. The profit-building tool that most small business people miss is the toll free number.

Independent surveys have shown that toll free numbers can increase your business’ sales, improve the branding and perception of your company and significantly increase the value of your business at the point of sale. Below are 3 critical reasons why you should get a toll free number for your small business today.

Reason 1. You’ll Enjoy Increased Sales

Vanity or custom toll free numbers such as 1 800 WORKOUT are proven to increase sales. PRWeekly stated that such numbers result in more calls that are better qualified both by desire for - and also the ability to buy - the product or service. With the right phrase, a specific number for your business will make an instant bridge in your customer's mind between a desire she has and your product or service.

Reason 2. You Can Increase The Asset Value Of Your Business At The Time Of Sale

Smart entrepreneurs think differently. They don't just see their small business as a vehicle for creating sales. They see it also as a potential commodity for future sale. They know that the greatest cash windfalls in business can come from selling the whole company. And a toll free number can help you sell for a significantly higher than you might expect…

Much like internet domain names, a good vanity toll free number will appreciate in value over time. For instance, 1 800 COMPUTER has recently been valued at $500,000! While you may not easily find million-dollar 800 numbers, there are still opportunities to be found in 877 and 866 area.

Reason 3. You Could Easily Make A National Brand Out Your Small Business

If you were looking to buy from 2 companies and the first company had a toll free number and the second didn't which would you call? If you're like most consumers the answer will often be the first one. But there's also evidence that you'd trust the first company more. Consumers perceive companies who have toll free numbers as being bigger, better, more reliable and longer established.

If toll free numbers can do all this for a small business, why do so few small companies use them? The answer is their perception of the cost. Home or small business people expect these services to be expensive. Nothing could be further from the truth. A toll free number service can be obtained for less than $15 a month and a vanity number could be obtained for $30.

Toll free numbers can benefit your business in several additional ways. To learn more visit: http://www.tollfreenumberweb.com or Toll Free Number. There is also information here on toll free numbers for families and non-business use.

Do You Need A Toll Free Number Service For Your Business?

 

That is one of the first questions we should ask to ourselves when starting a business. In order to succeed in our new venture, we need to develop a marketing plan, that includes a communication strategy with our future customers, and it is one of the main reasons why we have to study all the different options available in the market, and the 1 800 number is one of them.

I am sure that you know what a toll free number is, and that you probably have called to one of these numbers in the past. Anyway I am going to explain what it is. A toll free number or "800 number" is usually setup by a company so the customers can contact them free of charge and then the recipient of these calls get billed by the phone company. The local calls you made to this vanity number are "free" because the company paid for the service. All these calls are already paid by the company and have no cost for the customer. The original area code of a toll free number was 800 but as time went by, phone companies were adding new area codes like 888, 877 and 866. A lot of people ask, is a 866 or a 877 a toll free number? The answer is yes, they are free, and probably new area codes will be added in the future. Well, now that we know what a toll free number is, we must find out if it is really necessary to get one for our company.

In my opinion an 800 number can be one of the best tools to increase your sales and you should have one, especially if you are a consulting services company. You can use it to teleconference with a group of clients, to offer training to your customers and it can also be used to accept credit cards, many people do not feel safe about using their credit cards online and they prefer to do it by telephone. Of course, you can use it to give customer support that adds a great value to the product you are trying to market.

But one of the most important reasons to have a toll free number is that it can give your small home based business the image of a large company and it is an effective way to communicate with people from all over the country, they get to know about you and your products and services in an easy manner and free. You can get voicemail services if you want and record a message with information about your products and services, then put your vanity number in ads, and sit on the phone to wait for the calls to come in. If you are a large company, you can use a toll free number to setup a call center for your customers. These are great toll free services that can improve business and gives you the possibility to attain a better image. Of course not everything is positive, you will have costs to cover and some people only call on your toll free number because it is a free service and might not be not interested in your company or your products, making you waste time and resources, but I truly believe that the good things surpasses the bad ones.

Jon Bono owns and operates http://www.tollfreenumbersguide.com, a website with all the information you need to know about Toll Free Numbers