While traditional advertising channels like TV, print, and radio still reign, businesses increasingly use creative vanity telephone numbers to stand out from the crowd. These easy-to-remember numbers help promote brand recall and engagement.
Why are vanity phone numbers effective marketing tools?
Vanity numbers are powerful marketing weapons as they are punchy, catchy, and clever. They trigger conversations and get shared easily, enhancing buzz and word-of-mouth for businesses. There are three main reasons why vanity phone numbers make for effective marketing:
Memorable
As humans, we are wired to recall patterns, rhymes, and rhythm. Vanity numbers that follow these principles are easy to memorize and repeat, making them stick in consumers’ minds for a long time. They provide an instant cognitive shortcut for customers to remember your business.
Shareable
Catchy phone numbers get consumers curious and wanting to share them with others through word of mouth, social media posts, and messaging apps. This organic sharing without advertising boosts your branding efforts by reaching a wider audience at a low cost.
Engaging
Clever vanity phone numbers provoke an emotional reaction – people find them fun, quirky, and interesting. This enhances brand engagement as customers are more likely to interact and transact with businesses that have an interesting identity.
Redirects Attention to Core Offering
Meaningful vanity numbers can redirect customers’ focus from being a numeric sequence to representing the products or services the business offers. For example, 1-900-BAKERS gets people instantly thinking about baking, not a random phone number.
Builds Trust
Recognized numbers matching a business’s claims can foster greater credibility and authenticity in customers’ minds. When a number reflects what a company says it does, it signals the business is legitimate and trustworthy.
Stimulates Buzz
Because they are catchy and widely shared on social media, vanity numbers generate positive word-of-mouth that translates to more calls, leads, and customers for businesses. This organic buzz also helps improve search engine rankings over time.
Use Cases for Vanity Phone Numbers
Companies adopt vanity numbers for various use cases depending on their objectives and target audiences. Common ways businesses leverage vanity phone numbers include:
Highlight Category
Vanity numbers highlighting the category or industry a business operates in can help customers recall the business easily. They allow businesses to “own” the number associated with their category. For example, 1-800-LAW-FIRM instantly signifies a law firm, making it easier for potential clients needing legal services to remember that number.
Indicate Location
Businesses can adopt numbers indicating their specific city, region, or state. This localizes their brand recall and makes them top-of-mind for customers in that location. Numbers like 1-800-CHICAGOBUSINESS for a consulting firm operating in Chicago help potential clients in the area more easily remember them.
Mirror Brand Name
Vanity numbers that exactly or partially resemble a business’s name can strengthen brand recognition and customer recall. They directly associate the number and brand in customers’ minds. For instance, 1-800-SPARKLE instantly calls to mind Sparkle Cleaners, while 1-800-PLANET reminds people of Planet Fitness gym.
Represent Feature
Businesses can use numbers representing their unique value proposition or flagship features to make a more compelling first impression on customers. This helps customers recall the business for that specific feature. Examples include 1-800-CHEAP-OIL for an auto shop known for affordable oil changes or 1-800-SAVEMOOLAH for a storage company with budget prices.
Associate With Emotion
Some vanity numbers aim to evoke an emotion that aligns with a company’s personality and positioning. This emotional resonance enhances customer recall of the number and the brand behind it. For instance, 1-800-HOPELINE tugs at the heartstrings for a crisis hotline, while 1-800-SMILEY evokes feelings of joy for an affordable dental clinic.
Connect Through Humor
Some businesses choose funny or witty vanity numbers that align with their light-hearted brand personality. While not all humor will resonate, appropriately quirky numbers can help customers connect emotionally with the brand. Examples include 1-800-LAW-YERZ for a law firm with an unconventional tone of voice.
Drive Calls-to-Action
Another use case is adopting a number containing an obvious customer call-to-action. This reinforces the business’s messaging and goals. For instance, 1-800-BUY-NOW for an eCommerce store or 1-800-CALL-NOW for a business that wants immediate customer interactions. The authoritative tone of such numbers can motivate customers to take action.
How To Get A Vanity Phone Number?
Obtaining a custom vanity phone number to enhance your branding and marketing requires navigating the application process with your phone service provider. The general steps involved in getting a vanity number for your business are:
Check Availability
The first step is to thoroughly check if your desired vanity number is available through your preferred phone service provider’s website or a third-party tool. Do an extensive search across different area codes to increase the chances of finding an available number that matches your branding needs.
Request Number
Once you confirm an ideal number is available, fill out the online application form on your phone provider’s site or call their business support team to request the vanity number officially. Be prepared to provide details about your business and the purpose of the custom number.
Pay Fee
Most phone providers charge a one-time activation fee ranging from $25-$150 for acquiring vanity numbers, with shorter and more desirable numbers costing more. There may also be minor monthly charges, so inquire about all applicable fees before officially requesting the number.
Switch Service
If your desired vanity number is unavailable on your current network, consider porting your main business number to the carrier with the number. Compare porting fees, plans, coverage, and reliability between providers to ensure you make the best choice for your business needs.
Manage Expectations
Set realistic expectations with existing and potential customers about the change to your new vanity phone number well in advance. Update your number on your website, email signatures, marketing materials, business cards, advertising, and through a formal announcement to minimize customer confusion.
Conclusion
For businesses seeking to stand out and become top-of-mind for customers, vanity phone numbers offer a creative and effective avenue to increase sales and build trust. By leveraging clever, memorable, shareable, and catchy numbers, businesses can reach a wider audience on a budget and trigger conversations about their offerings in the process. An impactful vanity number representing your company and creating an emotional connection with customers may be all it takes to boost your business’s growth.
