How important is it to have a phone number that spells something with the digits?

Imagine a accountant with the phone number 1-800-IRS-KING. Or a plumber service with 976-Flush-It. How important is this to your business? I have considered aquiring a phone number that spells something, but I am not really sure where to begin. I am concerned about price and should I go for a local number or spend the money on a toll free number?

I curious to hear other people's experiences and opinions.

__________________
Best of Luck,
OhioDave

I hate the word phone numbers, I always have to translate it when I need to call the number.

__________________
Peter T Davis
Frixer, Inc.
Helping people make profitible businesses on the web.

It is gimicky, but people do remember it... I hate having to translate the numbers too, but it is not too bad, when the publish the translated number right below it.

My business handles information security and I was looking to get 4-Secure or Secur-IT. Any idea how I'd go about getting a number like that?

__________________
Best of Luck,
OhioDave

Dave,

Would you call me if my number were 866-IRS-KING? Some businesses almost require "personalized" phone numbers, others should avoid at all cost.

When you register for the number I believe you can request it at that time.

__________________
Joshua
Owner
Eight Management
Bookkeeping and Taxation Management
Accounting and tax solutions for small business.
Accounting Questions

Dave,

Answer best provided in short story. Heard of Adams Mark hotels? They're 800 number is ........ADAM (that is 2326). I won't publish the complete number and add to their assinine marketing. My 800 is...2346.

I've had as many as 100 wrong number calls in 1 week. That's 100 people who did not get to the place they wanted because some marketing mba (small letters intended) was hooked on a vanity number. That's 100 people who were told that the company was out of business. 100 folks who we sometime suggested another motel chain.

Face it, people dial numbers not letters. I get PO'd every time some moron advertises their vanity number without the real numerical equivalent also listed. A lot more people get po'd than remember the cutesy number. If you have sufficient $$$$$ to write and advertise a jingle to indelibly impress the number or name in peoples minds, great, if not, the vamity is yours.

Oh, the reason I'm so pointed is that when I get those wrong number calls, guess who pays! Me. If I answer the call, I've often called their 800 number just to B&M at their call handlers. I've even asked for the supervisor and ground on them too.

Thank gosh 800 calls are down to $.07 a minute. Isn't quite as irritating as it used to be.

Oh, if you can get a catchy numerical number, go for it! 256-2566, 459-5959, etc. Far more effective and rememberable and user friendly than ....adam. See, you don't know what that is unless you look at the dial!

__________________
Good Luck and Good Selling!
John Slenes, MBA
Visit Indian Hills Inn, Taos Plaza!
Winning Business and Liquid Nutrition
FREE Liquid Nutrition & Tax Times Ebooks!

John,

Can you file a cease and decist or something against them? Have you asked an attorney if there is anything you can do to get your money back? That sucks.

__________________
Joshua
Owner
Eight Management
Bookkeeping and Taxation Management
Accounting and tax solutions for small business.
Accounting Questions

Actually, I was thinking he should set up a travel agency and make those 100 calls a week into bookings that his company could get commissions, lol.

__________________
Peter T Davis
Frixer, Inc.
Helping people make profitible businesses on the web.

I agree with eightmanagement, for certain businesses it's great and others it's unnecessary. For a business that can generate business on the phone (pizza shop or a roofing company). A CPA firm or other professional services probably won't need one.

Really, I guess the root cause for these numbers is advertising and not the ease of use. If you rely heavily on billboards or radio (mediums that have short impressions) you could benefit from them.

Guess it's all up to your specific industry and marketing strategy.

__________________

Todd Earwood
http://www.infominded.com
We Mind Your Business!
Helping companies with all their telecommunication services.
Local and long distance - Internet Access - Conference Calling

"I've had as many as 100 wrong number calls in 1 week."

Thats the best argument I have heard in a long time FOR getting a number like this. I think its unfair that you have to pay for these wrong numbers. However if 100 people in one week are dialing the wrong number, how many are dialing it right? I'll bet the farm that most people here would kill for the type of responce that this hotel is getting.

It makes no difference what any of us think about these numbers, the fact reamains that they WORK. If you are the first your customers think of you have won the marketing battle.

These types of numbers are called vanity numbers. They're good for radio or TV, where we've used them before with good success. That way people remember the numbers. But in print ads, it doesn't matter as much.

You can search them at:
http://www.att.com/tflookup

You can buy them at the above, but there's better rates on the minutes with a company that does enhanced 800 numbers http://www.tollfreelive.com

Good luck being vain! Ha ha