Getting the Most from a Toll Free number
Just having a toll free number can go a long way toward improving response to your advertising. But to make the most of this powerful marketing tool it pays to develop a measurable system for monitoring use and results. Identify yourself with your product or service - do this by finding or purchase of a Vanity Number - a number that spells your company name or your product or service. Everyone knows and remembers 1-800-FLOWERS! Vanity Numbers: You can choose a vanity toll free number that tells prospects who you are (1-800-8- NAMADA is mine, for example). This works well when youJust having a toll free number can go a long way toward improving response to your advertising. But to make the most of this powerful marketing tool it pays to develop a measurable system for monitoring use and results.
Identify yourself with your product or service - do this by finding or purchase of a Vanity Number - a number that spells your company name or your product or service. Everyone knows and remembers 1-800-FLOWERS!
Vanity Numbers: You can choose a vanity toll free number that tells prospects who you are (1-800-8- NAMADA is mine, for example). This works well when you’re trying to retain a loyal crowd or attract those who have a specific brand preference. Consider an easy-to-remember number such as 1-800-TOLL FREE, which defines your business but also serves to bring in calls from customers who might otherwise turn first to another familiar name.
Another use of Vanity Numbers. Let your 800 number guide your prospect to a purchase
Phone numbers that incorporate words like NEW or NEXT provide callers with positive reinforcement. For example, using numbers such as 1-877-NEXT-HOUSE or 1-866-NEW-AUTO can start the sales process as soon as the prospective buyer picks up the phone dials.
Features for any and all toll free numbers:
Use them in every marketing campaign!
Every communication – your Web site, your business cards, your signage – can incorporate your toll free number. Like your website address it is virtually impossible to overuse this powerful marketing tool. Studies show that the longer and more often a web name and toll free number is used, the stronger the association becomes between these items and your product or services. View your toll free number as a marketing investment! It is!
Make incoming calls count
Take the necessary time to plan, practice and review your call-handling procedures. If all calls are answered by people, be sure they are all aware of how to handle your toll free number calls. Everyone needs to know how to greet the caller and everyone needs to know how to redirect calls when required. It's all about professionalism.
Example: Which greeting would you prefer your customers receive: "This is Namadar. How may I direct your call?” or "Welcome to the Namada Customer Satisfaction Hot Line."
Enhanced Features now available with minimal cost and sometimes for free. Investigate ideas for your toll free number that do NOT require people to answer, and which can actually improve the customer experience and profitability.
With greatly improved software and switching technology, toll free numbers have now terrific options for use by businesses large and small. Most involve extras fees, but do NOT involve any hardware purchase. Here are just a few that give you an idea how to get the most from your toll free number!
* Enhanced Voicemail callers gain new and innovative means to conduct business. With these services your toll free number can receive an unlimited number of voicemail messages to be stored in your voicemail box.
With Enhanced Voicemail you have the ability to listen to your toll free voice messages in multiple and convenient ways-via phone, email or online. Whether you're in the office, working from home, or on the road you can access your voicemail.
Forwarding voicemails to key employees is as simple as sending an email. And with our Instant Message Alerts via Text Message you can be notified of a new message no matter where you are.
* An Enhanced Call Forwarding feature will track you down at home, in the office, on a cell phone or at any other pre-designated phone number to let you know that someone wants to speak with you.
This type of service is known by many phone service providers as Find Me/Follow Me. Your callers simply dial your special toll free number and choose the appropriate extension. The service then routes the calls to the appropriate person for that extension at the locations of his choosing, no matter where that may be. Callers will hear on-hold music or your personalized on-hold message while the system locates you and delivers the call to you.
Enhanced Call Forwarding will forward calls to up to 5 different phone numbers in the specific order of your preference.
* Another special feature available today for use with your toll free number is 24/7 Informational Mailboxes. These are great for hosting audio overviews of products and services, office location and hours, testimonials, information in multiple languages and any other way you can think to use it.
You can choose whether or not callers can leave a message after listening to your recording and with our Extended Length Greeting feature, you can provide messages of great length, as opposed to the minute or two normally offered in typical voicemail services.
In addition, callers can go from one extension to another for a full audio presentation on your company's products and services.
Again, these are just samples of the very sophisticated and very cool uses for toll free numbers now available for businesses of all sizes.
Keep a sharp eye on results
One of the advantages of Namada toll free carriers is your ability to access a complete set of real-time reports via online billing at any time. These reports are designed to let you review call volumes by time of day and day of the week, to pinpoint the most successful media and spots.
Finally, do NOT be afraid to have more than one toll free number. This is especially true if you market extensively. One of our clients is a US base marketing company with more than 100 toll free numbers. Depending on the ad or marketing campaign they assign a particular number. This allows specific tracking to know which ads or campaigns are attracting interest and completing sales.
We are very interested in learning how clients use their toll free numbers. We encourage you to click HERE and let us how you do or will be using yours!
Joseph Horton
jh@namada.com written 9/20/2009
More about international toll free numbers
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