A vanity toll free number is simply a toll free number that spells out a word or two. Instead of 1-800-639-2277, a customer might call a car dealership at 1-800-NEW-CARS.

See what I did there? If you look on a phone pad, you'll find that those are exactly the same number, dialed the same way. But which would you be more likely to remember? If you were looking to buy a new car, which number would you be more likely to dial? In fact, studies have shown that vanity toll free numbers can increase advertising response by up to sixty percent!

A vanity toll free number "works," in a technical sense exactly like any other toll free number. That is, it uses one of the available toll-free area codes and allows customers to call you without incurring long-distance charges. But in another sense, a vanity toll free number "works" quite differently. It makes it easier for a customer to remember your phone number, to associate it with the product or service that you are offering, and to actually call that number and present you with the opportunity to make a sale.

Vanity toll free numbers also lend themselves to being integrated into your advertising and marketing. They should be prominently displayed in your emails, on your web page, and in all advertising materials you use, regardless of medium. The more that people associate your vanity toll free number with your product, your service, and your company, the more likely it is that they will remember it and call you when they're in need of what you have to offer.

There's one other way in which vanity toll free numbers "work" differently from ordinary toll free numbers: they're likely to generate more call volume. That means a vanity toll free number can present you with a challenge in terms of answering calls promptly and professionally and not leaving customers hanging on hold. But isn't that the kind of challenge you'd like to have?