If you want your business to be successful, there are a few different elements to keep in mind. While most people know that success starts with an awesome product or service, they often overlook their true marketing potential. Believe it or not, toll free numbers are perfect for building your brand.

Advertise Everywhere

The first benefit of having a toll free number is that you can advertise it absolutely anywhere. Not only can it be placed on your business cards, flyers, and storefront window, but it can also be placed in national (and even international) directories for incredible visibility. This means that people in Wisconsin who are searching for cupcakes you will ship from Maine won’t really worry about the number they’re calling; they’ll just see the toll-free prefix and figure that you are an established professional.

Association

Speaking of an established professional, that’s exactly what you want to be in the eyes of your existing and potential customers. You don’t want to give them the impression that you are new to an industry and you definitely don’t want them to think that you’re working out of your basement, although either or both could be the case. What you want is for your callers to believe that you have plenty of experience and that you provide products and services to people just like them all the time. They need to believe that you have the expertise and knowledge it takes to give them what you want. Toll free numbers are great for implying this.

Don’t Overlook Vanity Numbers

Vanity numbers can also be integrated into your branding strategy if you take the time to choose the right number. These will allow you to spell out a word or phrase that is related to your industry or niche, making it easier for people to remember off of the tops of their heads. These numbers can also be advertised nationally or internationally, and if you make it a point to associate it with a representative logo, which can be anything from a cupcake to a baker’s hat, this process of association will make your entire brand more memorable.

Add a Little Jingle

Vanity toll free numbers come with another hidden benefit: they can be incorporated into jingles about your business. You’ve heard them on TV and even on the radio, and even if you’re thinking that you don’t yet have the money to purchase such ads, this won’t always be the case. You can record your jingle to greet callers prior to answering your phone, and you can integrate into television or radio ads later. A little jingle for your phone number can add up to a lot of jingle in your pocket over time.

Building your brand and standing out from your competitors is important if you want to be successful, and you certainly have to start somewhere. Toll free numbers give you that extra edge that you need to make your brand professional, recognizable, memorable and completely unique.

If you’ve recently opened a business, whether from home or from a bricks-and-mortar shop, and you’re wondering why you aren’t getting the phone calls you expected, there could be a number of reasons. If you want to get your phones ringing, one of the best things you can do is choose a toll free number. Listed here are three reasons why these numbers will generate more business.

#1 – It’s the Professional Thing to Do

Imagine for a minute that you are an everyday consumer who is interested in purchasing a new window air conditioner. You want to make sure that your purchase comes from a reputable company and one that is going to provide you with outstanding service from start to finish. Now imagine that you are picking up the phone book or opening up your favorite online directory and typing in “air conditioners”. Who are you more likely to call: the business with a local number or the one with a nice, neat number like 1-800-KEEPCOOL? If you chose the latter, then you are among the 70% of consumers who call toll free numbers rather than local ones because of the implied professionalism.

#2 – Make Your Month-Old Business Seem Established

People start up their businesses in all sorts of different ways. While some folks dive right in and rent an office or workspace, others get started in their basements or from desks in their bedrooms. There’s certainly nothing wrong with working from your desk or your bedroom, but do you really want your customers to know that? Not really. Toll free numbers are not only professional, but they also give consumers the impression that you are an established business – even if you’re shoving aside Barbie dolls so you can share your kids’ playroom space or folding your clothes while discussing a business deal.

#3 – Free Is Better!

At this point, you’re probably wondering who in the world still pays for long distance calls. After all, in today’s day and age, most of us have mobile phones that aren’t associated with long distance charges. The people who do still utilize landlines often have unlimited packages or VoIP services that allow them as many calls as they’d like to anywhere in the country. While this is often the case, people over 25 can still remember a time when long distance calls cost upwards of $0.05 a minute so they ticked off the minutes and hurried off of the phone as quickly as possible. Most people, and that generation, especially, are more likely to call a toll free number than dial long distance.

As you can see, there are plenty of advantages associated with toll free numbers and if you’re still using a local number with a local area code, then you’re missing out. Making the switch isn’t difficult, and that one number can be used to connect you to your company, your customers and your employees wherever you go. Whether you work from home indefinitely or opt for a bricks-and-mortar establishment, your customers will never need to know.

If you are working hard to get your business off the ground, then it is important for you to set yourself apart from your competitors. Even if you already have a recognizable brand, you can add to that with a toll free number. It adds an air of establishment and affords you plenty of opportunities to allow your business to grow.

A Better Company Image

The first thing that a toll free number can do for your start-up company is provide it with a better image. Regardless of whether you have a brick-and-mortar location with 10 to 20 employees or you’re working out of your basement, an 800 number adds a sense of establishment. For this reason, you can make your company seem much larger and more reputable than it actually is – something that can truly help you out if you are still trying to grow your customer base.

It’s Portable

The ability to change the ring-to number, or the phone that actually rings whenever someone dials the toll free number, is imperative at first, and this is especially true if you are running a one-man or woman show. If you have a retail location, you might want that number to ring to you there as long as you are present. However, when you leave, you may choose to have it ring through to your cell phone so that you do not miss any important calls. It’s all up to you.

You’ll have a Broader Reach

With a local number alone, you can be added to local and internet telephone directories, but will this really help you in the beginning? When polled, more than 70% of consumers claim that they prefer to call a toll free number over a local one. This is true even in today’s day and age when long distance charges are mostly a thing of the past. Why is that? It all goes back to the company image. What’s more, if you have an 800 number, you can have it added to online directories as you see fit.

It’s Completely Scalable

One of the best things about acquiring a toll free number through a virtual phone system provider is that you will pay only for the minutes you use above your included plan minutes and you can add more numbers as you see fit. As your business grows, and even if you add more physical locations, it’s easy to add more lines. You will only have to pay for what your business uses and nothing more.

It’s Affordable

Finally, an 800 number from a virtual phone system provider is more affordable than those from more traditional providers. You won’t have to purchase any expensive equipment and you won’t have to pay to have new telephone jacks installed throughout your location. Again, since you only pay for the minutes you use and there is no annual contract, affordability is no issue.

As you can see, a toll free number is a great way to help you launch your start-up company and make yourself known among your competitors. Use it on advertisements and such to broaden your reach and get more contacts than ever before.

If you are in the market for an 800 number, then you likely realize that there are dozens upon dozens of companies out there offering them. How do you find the best company? There are some things that you should look for, which include the ability to try out the services, a company that will allow you to take your number with you if you switch providers, and even one that provides you with all of the other services you will need to expand.

Free Trial

The first thing that you will want to consider before you purchase your 800 number is whether or not you will receive a free trial with your service. After all, you don’t want to pay for anything before you are sure it will fit your needs, and a free trial is always a better choice than a money-back guarantee. You will also want to make sure that you won’t be forced into signing a long-term contract since what is right for your company right now may not be what’s best for you down the road.

Portable Number

Some of the providers out there make it incredibly difficult to port your 800 number if you decide to change companies in the future. The Federal Communications Commission, or FCC, allows for this to occur, but individual companies have the right to charge you a fee to bring your number over. The only toll free telephone number that cannot be ported is a shared number which is typically a vanity number that is shared by several businesses in the same niche or industry. In this case, the provider actually owns the number and is only leasing a part of it.

Price and Options

Of course, one of the most important things to consider when you are choosing a provider is the price you will pay for not only your monthly service, but also your installation and other related items. With a virtual phone system, there is no installation of hardware and no software to download. There are no phone lines to run, no equipment to buy, and no hefty installation fees that will appear on your first billing statement. As far as monthly fees go, you will want to find a provider that offers a package that fits your needs on a month-to-month basis.

Flexible and Expandable

Finally, you will want to make sure that the service you receive from your provider of choice is flexible and expandable. If you decide you don’t need a certain 800 number after a couple of months, you should not be charged to turn it off. What’s more, if you decide you want to add 10 or even 20 numbers at some point as your business grows, you should be able to do so at the drop of a hat.

These are the criteria that you should consider when you are choosing the best place to buy your 800 number. Consider what you are getting for your money and whether or not a contract is required, and the rest of the decisions should be simpler.

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If you’ve ever been plagued by the disconnection of an 800 number, you’ve likely felt the frustration associated with trying to get it back. Some providers will only give you about a week to do so, and if you fail to do it in that time, it’s lost forever. Of course, there are better ways to go about doing things, and that’s why we here at iTeleCenter work so hard to make our virtual services consumer-friendly.

Don’t Pay Too Much

First and foremost, you’ll want to consider where you got your 800 number. If you purchased it from your landline service provider several years ago, then there are a few things you might be surprised to learn. First of all, there’s a very good chance that you’re overpaying for that service, especially if it’s a second-line service with a separate access fee. In that case, you’re going to pay a per-minute rate on top of your service fee for each call you accept. The same can be said with virtual products, but there are some serious differences. Namely, you won’t need a second line to make it work – all you have to do is link your number with an existing telephone line – mobile or otherwise – and you’re all set to go.

Changing Providers

When you get an 800 number from iTeleCenter, you’re paying for your access to that number. You can choose one that starts with 800 or another toll free prefix, or you can choose a vanity number that is yet another form of advertisement for your products, services, business name or niche. Should you ever decide to switch providers in the future, you can take either of these number types with you without any kind of hassle. Many landline and virtual service providers tend to give their customers a hard time about taking their phone numbers with them, and this can be frustrating. With iTeleCenter, you can request to have your number ported out with no trouble at all.

Avoiding the Worst Case Scenario

Imagine, if you will, what might happen if you want to switch providers for whatever reason and you are unable to take your 800 number with you. Think of all of the flyers, business cards, website ads and more that you’ll have to change. That not only takes a big chunk of money out of your pocket, but it also causes you to lose credibility with your customers. This is particularly true if you have a catchy vanity number and your prior customers are getting disconnect messages; they’ll think you’ve gone out of business altogether. Fortunately, you can avoid all of this by choosing a company from the very first moment that offers you complete portability in your telephone number.

There are certainly a lot of virtual telephone service providers out there from which you can choose, but it’s important to keep in mind that they don’t all treat their customers the same way. It is always the goal of iTeleCenter to ensure that the customers’ needs are first – even if they need to leave the company and take their 800 number with them.

These days, having separate phone numbers for personal and business use is a great idea. However, with the insurgence of smartphones and their incredible popularity, it’s likely that you have considered ditching your landline altogether – or perhaps you already have. You can still use a virtual phone number with your smartphone, though, and it’s probably easier than you’d think.

Getting Started

The first thing that you’ll need to do is set up your virtual phone number. Though it may sound complicated, it’s actually easier than you’d think. You can choose a traditional local number, a toll-free number with an 800, 888, 866, or even 877 prefix, or even a vanity number in either format that spells out a word or phrase. The options are endless and you can certainly use this to your advantage when it comes to marketing, especially if you can spell out a word that is imperative to your niche, industry, brand or idea.

Choose Your Method – Forwarding or Internet-Based Calling

The next thing that you’ll need to consider is whether you’ll have calls that go to that virtual phone number forwarded to your mobile device via the network or via an internet connection. The right choice for you will ultimately depend upon the number of calls you’re going to get and what your provider allows as far as the use of minutes and forwarding. For instance, while you might have unlimited minutes, you might be charged a per-minute rate by your carrier for each call that comes through. For many people, a combination of both network- and internet-based calls works best. They’ll use the network while out and about and their Wi-Fi connections while at home or at the office.

How it Works

From this point forward, whenever a client or lead calls the virtual phone number, it will be forwarded to your smartphone using one of the aforementioned methods. The caller doesn’t know that he or she is being forwarded to your mobile device at all, but you’ll know which ones are business calls and which are personal calls, thanks to integrated software. In fact, thanks to smartphone technology, it is possible to have two distinct ringers – one for personal and one for business use – so that you’ll know which type of call you’re receiving before you even answer it.

Personal Freedom

If you’re turned off by the idea of using your personal smartphone with a virtual phone number because you’re afraid you’ll be inundated with calls day and night, you’ll be glad to know that there are plenty of ways that you can maintain your freedom. The virtual phone system comes with all of the tools you’ll need. For instance, you can set up a time frame during which you’ll accept business calls and send those that come during off-hours to your business voicemail inbox. This means that you won’t have to turn your phone off at night just to get some sleep and worry that you’ll miss a call in an emergency situation. You’ll still get personal calls; the rest will be redirected.

Using a virtual phone number with your smartphone is not only easy, but it’s also a great way to ensure that you are always available to your clients – even when you’re on the go or out in the field.

The first part of being successful in any business endeavor is ensuring that you’re treating your customers with the right level of courtesy and respect. Having a toll free number is one thing, but adding a virtual receptionist can ensure that each and every call you receive is properly handled and that no customer is ever dissatisfied with the service you provide.

Scenario 1 – The Unanswered Call

Imagine that you’ve purchased a product, brought it home, unpackaged it and found that it isn’t working correctly or that you’re unsure about its operation. You pick up the phone and dial the toll free number you were provided only to listen to the phone ring and ring with no answer on the other end. This is incredibly frustrating and if it’s happening to your customers, then your client base is inevitably going to start shrinking. A virtual receptionist solves this problem by answering every single call in a pleasant tone, even if none of your staff is available at the time.

Scenario 2 – The Long, Miserable Hold

If you’ve ever called into a customer service center to get information, ask a question, or get a problem resolved, then you probably know just what it’s like to be placed on hold for what seems like ages. Not only is it frustrating to have to wait on the other end of the line, but the music is terrible, to boot. A toll free number with a virtual receptionist solves this issue by providing options to the caller as soon as the call comes in. You can even set up a series of FAQs that can be answered automatically – without a member of your staff having to intervene.

Scenario 3 – Improper Transfers and Disconnects

When it comes to a business telephone setup, there’s a huge margin for human error. It takes some skill to get used to handling a large call volume and transferring callers to the right departments. When you have a virtual receptionist, human error becomes a thing of the past. The caller will be given options at the start so that he or she can choose which department is best suited for his or her needs. They will always get to the right department and the automated system will never disconnect them. How’s that for ingenious?

Scenario 4 – Unreturned Calls

If you’re running a small business, chances are high that you won’t have someone available 24 hours a day to take calls. In this situation, you will likely tie your toll free number to a voicemail inbox that will capture these calls for later processing. Of course, while this seems like a great idea, it can become a headache for consumers who still need answers. The virtual receptionist will not only direct those callers to the correct email inbox in the first place, but it can also provide reminders for individual employees. This way, all calls are returned and all of your customers are happy.

As you can see, using a virtual receptionist with your toll free number can be a vital part of customer service. It is always there to ensure that callers are treated respectfully and that your call volume is handled appropriately.