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Custom Toll Free® Blog

May 17th, 2013

 

Small Business, Toll Free Vanity Number, Advertising, AffiliateNational Small Business Week 2013 kicks off next month with an SBA event in Seattle, WA, but there’s no reason why business owners have to wait for events like this to find fresh ideas and strategies for marketing and driving in more revenues.

Here are seven fast and easy ways to gain more brand visibility, make valuable connections, and bring in more dollars right away…

1. KnowEm

Knowem.com empowers small businesses by launching them onto hundreds of social platforms without all the hassle. You provide them your company name and branding, and they’ll set up your profile creating hundreds of new in bound links, networks, and connections.

2. Network

Get out to an organized local networking event this week or simply take a day off from being behind the screen, arm yourself with a stack of business cards and spend the day sparking conversations and introducing your business to real live people, wherever you decide to hang out.

3. Send Thank You Emails

Send out thank you emails. It provides a warm way to touch base with old leads, recent contacts, and prospects that have been on the fence, while making it easy for them to respond and take action on your offers.

4. Blog

Haven’t blogged for a while? If your blog hasn’t been updated in the last month, web visitors may assume that you are already out of business and won’t even bother calling or trying to order. So create a great blog post, syndicate it to your social networks, and blast it out to your subscriber lists to grab attention and spur action.

5. Get a New Toll Free Number

Grab a new toll free vanity number and announce it through the press. Get your brand in the news, create high powered inbound links, raise your Google search ranking, and make it uncool not to have called into your business.

6. Join a Toll Free Affiliate Partner Program

If the transaction cycle on your core product or service takes a while to put real dollars in the bank, consider affiliate marketing. Advertise toll free services on your website, blog, and social feeds to generate faster income.

7. PPC Advertising

If you want traffic, leads, and hot inbound customers right now perhaps the best small business marketing strategy is to choose PPC for guaranteed results and only pay for performance. Choose from staples like Google Adwords or new mobile Pay-Per-Call lead generation.

Affiliate, Vanity and Branding |
May 16th, 2013

toll free vanity number, vanity toll free number 800 vanity toll free numberLook around you, they are out there. You may see them on the streets, grazing the top folds of billboards or on the back pages of newspapers. We see toll free numbers all the time, whether on that said billboard, in a newspaper or magazine, on a bus, or even worn on a t-shirt. Toll free numbers have become a staple for advertising.

It’s the perfect way to say: “Hey, give us a call, on us. We’re waiting.”

Through whichever medium they appear, you’ll find that vanity numbers always find a way to slip into your train of thought; they’re just easy to remember. Consumers know they can hit up lines like 1-800 FLOWERS, 1800-GO-FED-EX, and 1-800 MICROSOFT. So is it safe to say that these numbers work for the purpose of advertising or better customer service? The numbers don’t lie.

It's noted that vanity numbers show an 84% improved recall over numeric numbers on billboards and television. Furthermore, a 72% recall rate with vanity toll free numbers when heard on radio ads. It's only 5% for numeric numbers.

Aside from all that, you never know which 800 vanity toll free numbers are still available. And don’t think that just because you can’t get a generic seven-letter spelling, you’re out of commission. Studies have shown that numbers such as 1-800-QUICKLOAN receive a better response rate than 1-800 MORTGAGE. So get original and get the name that best represents your company and what it does.

Having a number that’s easy to remember, catchy, and embraces your individual business best turns your calling card into an advertisement that sells itself. 

Vanity and Branding |
May 14th, 2013

800 toll free numbers, toll free numbers vanity toll free numberFor many businesses, the advantages offered by Google Voice can create opportunities to breathe a new life into your existing business. In terms of cost-effectiveness, it’s a great way to expand communication methods to customers, while optimizing and organizing your time.

Google Voice gives you one number to manage all your phones and the opportunity to customize your lines and configure phone lines for callers. Other amenities include customizing your ringtones and voicemail greetings based on specific callers, configuring how and when your calls get ported to other lines, and even the ability to manage your lines through the use of a mobile app. But what does that mean for your toll free number, and all the amenities that stem from it? It only gets better.

By applying Google Voice to your vanity toll free number, you’ll get the marketing advantage of instant recognition, increase response rates, and the ability to brand your company while enjoying the many advanced and cost-saving features of Google Voice. Now imagine your vanity toll free number having the ability to:

·Change jobs, mobile carriers, and even move to the other side of the country without having to worry about notifying your clientele of your new number. Think of how much you’ll save by not having to print new business cards.

·Route calls from specific callers at certain times.

·Advance call-recording options for quality control.

·Send SMS Messages through your toll free number.

·Carry on a conversation with callers by seamlessly switching from your work phone landline to your mobile.

·Customize voicemail greetings for your clients, your boss, and even your friends and family.

For more information on how to streamline your new and existing toll free number services through the use of Google Voice, as well as get the most from your vanity toll free number, come to Custom Toll Free and we’ll tell you all about it. Tell us about your business and we’ll tell you how to communicate your brand better.   View our previous article on google voice and vanity toll free, then search for your vanity toll free number.

Toll Free Benefits |
May 10th, 2013

Toll Free Numbers, 800 Numbers, Vanity NumbersSpirit Airlines hit the news this week announcing it will begin charging for customer support phone calls. Could this be the beginning of the end for the discount airline brand? How do they compare to those businesses that are embracing toll free numbers?

The L.A. Times reports Spirit now has over 70 add-on fees for passengers. The latest move follows on from the outrageous $100 carry on fiasco, and now charges customers to call for assistance and information. The stock obviously saw a sharp dip in trading after the news hit this week.

While the pressure may be on to compete, repeated business lessons have proven that taking away from customers, downgrading customer service, and a lack of transparency, racing to the bottom of the market in price-wars is a losing game.

Cheap flights are great, but when the customer experience is horrific or is non-existent, it ends up costing far more than the alternative and it doesn’t lead to warm feelings about a brand, company or product.

Contrast that with the likes of Capital One that does have a 24-hour 800 number for customer service, which is answered live, even for consumers with poor credit. The results: Capital One’s stock is worth double that of Spirit, and has been climbing for the last four years.

So what can small businesses learn from these two businesses? Never short on customer service. People want to be treated fairly. They don’t like to be tricked into fees; they value great customer service and are frequently willing to put out a lot more for it. They are happy to fork over a premium just to know that they are doing business with a brand that can be trusted and that will at least act like they care.

So get rid of 800 numbers yet? No way! Not unless you are a hurry to go out of business…


Toll Free Benefits, Vanity and Branding |
May 9th, 2013

toll free services, vanity number, vanity toll free numberIn today’s economic times, you may have heard about businesses—big and small—cutting down on amenities to save costs.

More and more are opting for customers to come and pay the tab.

While we understand the need for businesses to stay “lean” and keep themselves in a better position for profit, we also know that by cutting certain amenities, like a vanity toll free number from your business, you are also cutting:

·         An easy to remember, paperless, calling card.

·         A more professional and established look for your business.

·         Instant credibility.

·         A solid foundation for your branding/marketing campaign.

So Are You REALLY Cutting Costs or RATHER Cutting Profits?

Not only will you be losing your professional touch, but when you have customers who regularly call your landline through your vanity number, you could inconvenience this niche audience and lose their business. Even in this day and age, you can’t say how many “likes” and “tweets” can replace a customer and call that converts. A vanity number is a billboard without the advertising space, an extension of your brand letting your customers and potential callers know exactly what they’re looking for.

Not to mention, if customer service is your strongest selling point, then this separates you from your competitors. If your competitor’s service has a vanity toll free number, and you’ve got a 10-digit one with a specific area code, then potential customers will perceive the opposite.

The best business practice for you and your customers is to stay online and stay on the line. Making it harder for customers to reach you is not going to make it easier for you in the long run. 

Toll Free Benefits |
May 7th, 2013

800 toll free numbers, vanity numbers, vanity toll free numberBeing memorable is what makes a vanity toll free number work best for your business. The quality of having your name and services in the thoughts of customers that need you is a benefit that extends beyond measure.

Sometimes the best toll free numbers that make an impact on the market and in the memories of callers are thought of in just a snap. So to showcase this we’ve decided to build up some buzz on our Facebook following by offering a chance to win $10 towards Starbucks.

So how does this work? In a snap, just think of the first vanity toll free number that comes to mind, go on the official Custom Toll Free Facebook and post it as a comment to the official contest photo. Upon commenting, you’ll be entered into a chance to win $10 to use at Starbucks. In the event you may have more than one good idea for a vanity toll free number, we’ll let you comment five times. Just remember that if you still haven’t yet liked us on Facebook, now is a perfect time to do so!

Just when you think it can’t get any better, it does. If we can get 1,000 comments on the photo, we’ll increase the reward from $10 to $25. So start thinking of some great vanity numbers and share for with friends to join in on the fun. The deadline is May 10th. We want to see what you can come up with!

Vanity and Branding |
May 6th, 2013

 

Small Business, Small Business Growth, Toll Free Vanity NumbersWhat do small businesses need to spur rapid growth in the economic landscape?

According to the latest data from the LegalZoom/ Kauffman Foundation index on startup confidence released late last week, 84% of small business owners were confident in profitability over the next twelve months, with 96% of younger entrepreneurs bullish on growth.

Of course that doesn’t mean there aren’t challenges out there today. So how can small business owners push growth regardless of what is going on at a macroeconomic level? What tools, strategies, and help should you be reaching out for?

Before charging ahead horns first, or unleashing a massive PPC advertising campaign, consider structure. You absolutely must have scalability built in or increased popularity could actually be your downfall. Make sure operations can scale up to meet demand rapidly without sacrificing customer service or quality and it can be done profitably without slashing profit margins.

Many experts continue to predict social is where it is at, and in one form or another, this is absolutely true, just don’t let it become a distraction. Recent reviews of startup RebelMouse, which offers a social-centric homepage for brands and entrepreneurs, have credited with pulling it all together and replacing old style websites with a virtually 100% social platform. This of course is an extension of what GoDaddy has been doing for years, just with a new twist.

Paid advertising from direct mail to TV commercials and PPC advertising all have their value and place, and can be an essential part of a smart marketing mix for keeping revenues consistent. However, those on limited budgets or just want to put more into product and business development rather than advertising will find incredible power in leveraging others.

In fact, even those who aren’t on a tight budget have recently shifted back to this type of marketing. Find out how they pulled this off in our blog post: “How Small Business Owners Can Leverage Competition”.

Entrepreneur Magazine also recently promoted the benefits of setting up a board of advisors to fuel growth. No matter what stage your business is at or how small it is, a board of advisors cannot only provide priceless insight and advice but help spawn growth through their own contacts too. If coordinating something like this just seems like too much to take on right now, then at least consider the advantages of tapping into the power of coaching for propelling growth.

Location also seems to play a big factor in the rate of business growth. According to a MarketWatch survey some of the top cities in the U.S. for business growth right now include:

1.    Austin, TX

2.    Salt Lake City, UT

3.    Raleigh, NC

4.    San Jose, CA

5.    Seattle, WA

In terms of tools for pushing business growth, toll free numbers are clearly hard to beat. Toll free numbers offer instant scalability, can dramatically increase advertising effectiveness and marketing ROI on PPC, direct mail, TV commercials and more, while toll free vanity numbers serve up mass visibility.

Whatever you do, do it with passion. This is the secret ingredient that will inspire investors to write checks, create new customers, and spur word of mouth referrals. Just ask DropBox. The hugely successful cloud storage service DropBox went from 100k to millions of users in eighteen months and they were poorly equipped to market in an environment packed with competition, armed with a product no one saw a need for.

Unleash your passion, grab winning toll free numbers, and get ready to scale big time!

 

 

 

© Lightkeeper | Dreamstime.com

Uncategorized |
May 2nd, 2013

vanity branding, toll free number for small business, 800 nuumbers, toll free 800 number, 800 toll free numberIt’s common knowledge to customers and employees in the food service industry that we “help ourselves”. Is there enough ketchup to go with those fries? No, grab some packets. Is one packet of sugar going to cover that whole cup of coffee? No, grab a handful. In other words, what would I want served with my order if I was sitting at the table? Your business should operate the same way. Are you satisfied with the services that you’re offering? If not, you’ve got a problem. If you can’t treat yourself the way you would want to be treated, then how can you expect your business to treat others? 

For Your Business, Your Service, and Your Toll-Free Communication, Be Your Own Customer.

According to a Gallup Poll published in 2009, the three biggest in-store pet peeves as explained by customers are associates chatting amongst themselves instead of greeting and offering help, not getting the quick pick-up you were promised, getting the excuse that the worker “was busy with other customers”, or the vague “I don’t know” response in regards to a product. Time after time we’ve seen these things drive away customers, sometimes to the point of bankruptcy. Communication with your customers is the lifeblood of your company and whether or not you’re a small business relying on a few conversions as a means of survival or an established name, you should see it as such.

Likewise, you should apply these standards to your toll free number. Put yourself in the position of your caller: familiarize yourself with the system through which your customers are calling, put the most needed services at the forefront, and make sure you’re accessible. Do you have a vanity toll free number spelling that’s easy to remember? Do you have a system to help re-direct callers should they forget or do not know their party’s extension? Can you take a message in the event that you’re busy?

Custom Toll Free can help turn your toll free number into an asset, not only by measuring what most callers want, but by knowing and telling you the reasons why callers might be hanging up. We’ve seen the toll free number through the eyes and ears of the most profitable conglomerates: the struggling small businesses, and most importantly, the callers chiming in. We can certainly say the success is the same. Are you satisfied with the way you’re reaching your clients?

Toll Free Benefits |
May 1st, 2013

 

Small Business, Toll Free Vanity Numbers, CompetitionMonday’s release of Google Now on the iPad and iPhone is an aggressive move that could be extremely beneficial to small business owners and entrepreneurs. How can small business owners leverage Google’s strategy to leap ahead of their competitors?

Siri’s nemesis has been unleashed!

Google’s version of the digital smartphone assistant ‘Google Now’ is now available on Apple devices and aims to seduce users to the Android platform. Apple struggles to keep up with Samsung and Google Now claims the edge with intuitive coding that doesn’t just serve up search results but learns about users and takes a proactive approach to delivering on their wants in advance.

Some smartphone users may find it overly intrusive, but it shows the huge power of not only leveraging others but even leveraging the platforms and tools of the competition to benefit your own small business.

This is certainly a growing necessity and incredibly powerful strategy for small business owners in all industries. Don’t run from the competition; use them for your benefit. Who can you leverage? How can you use their platforms and social media coverage to your own advantage?

Toll free numbers can be one of the best tools for achieving this quickly and simply. By using back order and monitoring services, small businesses can pick up high value vanity numbers that are already known and can feed a lot of inbound calls right away, or use the ‘law of contrast’ and use your toll free vanity number to be seen as the cheaper, faster or more convenient option in the market….

Uncategorized |
April 30th, 2013

vanity toll free number, 800 toll free number, toll free numbers, 800 numbers toll freeDid you know that surrendered 800 toll free numbers are placed in a holding queue of disconnected numbers that must age for a period of four months? Toll free numbers are often dropped in the national available number pool on an almost daily basis. Many of these toll free numbers are immediately picked up by other companies, making it next to impossible for you to get one on your own.

Benefits of Back-Ordering a Vanity Toll Free Number

Custom Toll Free uses a specifically-designed reservation system geared toward getting numbers upon availability. If this is successful, Custom Toll Free can set the number up for your business, complete with answering systems, call forwarding, and call reporting among other solutions. The best part? You can make the number portable and switch carriers any time without sacrificing your availability. You still also get 100 free long distance minutes on the house regardless of whether you choose for your number to be portable or not. Just leave it all to us.

TEST > EVALUATE > RECALIBRATE

When it comes to direct response tracking, Custom Toll Free offers a service that is second-to-none when it comes to measuring calls, conversions, and the overall effectiveness of your message. With just a few clicks, Custom Toll Free can measure the effectiveness of your branding, get you the best vanity toll free number—whether available or waiting—and ultimately show you the difference a vanity toll free number makes for your business.

By including a unique and vanity toll free number that best represents you and your business, you instantly improve your campaign’s effectiveness. You can also track the success of your message through the numbers of responses and conversions from your advertising. In fact, you can even use the feedback feature to fine tune your message as needed.

A vanity toll free number is an excellent and accessible means of connecting you and your customers. Spend some time with us—here on the site or over the phone—and see for yourself the difference a vanity toll free number makes for your marketing campaign. Find THE BEST vanity toll free number, you just can’t have 1-800 CUSTOMIZE, that’s our line.

Toll Free Benefits |
 
 
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