Vanity numbers have always proven to increase brand awareness, improve response rates to marketing campaigns, and raise closing ratios, but now rather than being a luxury, vanity numbers have become a necessity. More and more companies now realize what they have been missing out on by not having a toll free number or vanity number, and they are creating a frenzy for the best vanity numbers they can find, especially now that the new 855 toll free number prefix is launching and 855 numbers can be reserved. 

Today's tighter economy can be partially credited with this booming desire for toll free numbers. As clients' pockets get drained, they prefer to call businesses with toll free numbers. Customers are also now very wary about dealing with smaller companies from fear they might not be strong enough and may end up closing their doors. The last thing people want is for a mortgage company to shut down the day before closing on their new home or for their insurance agent to go belly up just after they paid a large premium. Regardless, if you are in reality a "one man band," a vanity number can give you the look and feel of a successful, established nationwide enterprise. Shrinking markets in many industries also mean that companies can no longer rely on their local customers to stay in business. Obviously, trying to operate nationally or internationally without a vanity number is likely just going to lead to a lot of wasted marketing dollars and few results. 
 
Perhaps the most important reason why you need to get a vanity number, a good one, and get it now, is that companies that are running strong marketing campaigns with their vanity numbers are cleaning up entire industries, forcing their competitors to give up or shrink into oblivion. Who do you call for contact lenses now? 1-800 CONTACTS. What about flowers? 1-800 FLOWERS. The list goes on. You do not necessarily have to have the most generic word for your business. In fact, more targeted vanity numbers can do wonders. The bottom line is that without a vanity number, you risk being left behind and cut out of your business by even a new competitor to your field that knows how to market itself. Certainly after all the hard work, the sweat and tears that have gone into your business, losing it all because you didn't have the right phone number would be devastating.