The term vanity phone number may be a little misleading. It’s not about self-regard or a lack of interest in others, but a memorable word or pattern of numbers that can be easily recalled by customers. 1-800 FLOWERS is a classic example of a vanity phone number that communicates exactly what the business does and what you can get from them.
Learn more about what a vanity number is and how to get one in this simple guide.
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What Is a Vanity Number?
A vanity phone number spells out any word less than ten letters somewhere within it. The numbers correspond to each button’s three letters of the alphabet on classic, 12-button phones. Before everyone had phones with full keyboards, most people were familiar with the letters that corresponded to the numbers on the phone. The vanity phone number has endured as a great tool for businesses because it can give you a competitive edge against other companies in your industry.
Marketing Benefits
Being able to spell out a word that corresponds to what your business does can be very effective marketing. It positions your company as one of the experts in the field, and most certainly a toll-free number with a word or two in it will look good in any advertising.
Since most of the simple vanity phone numbers are probably taken at this point, businesses should be creative with how they approach acquiring a vanity phone number. You can use a vanity phone number mixed with numbers and letters to spell out your street address, or spell out a couple of words that give a strong indication of what service customers will get when they call you.
Memorability
A vanity number also helps prospective customers remember your business and what it does. A person is more likely to call a number that they can recall easily, and it will always be easier to memorize a word than a string of random numbers. In addition to being short, snappy marketing, a vanity phone number makes your business immediately memorable to new customers and returning ones.
In addition to a memorable word or phrase, you can try to get a vanity phone number with a pattern of repeating numbers. Humans are naturally drawn to repetitive beats and patterns, making numbers like 555-2323 much more memorable to customers.
How to Get a Vanity Number
Instead of getting special equipment or new phone lines, you can now get a vanity phone number from a variety of services. Many VoIP services, like RingCentral, offer vanity numbers for an extra fee, or you can get them from third-party services like NumberBarn.
It is important to have a few different options for the string of numbers you’d want for your vanity phone number. It is possible that someone else would have had the same idea, so it’s important to be flexible when approaching the purchase of a vanity phone number.
Vanity Number Providers
Finding a vanity phone number provider is very simple. It’s just a matter of choosing the right provider for what you want the phone number to be able to do for you.
RingCentral
After getting a regular phone number for a monthly fee of at least $20 per month, RingCentral charges a one-time fee of $30 plus $4.99 per month to get a vanity phone number. It also has an application and review process you must pass before getting your number approved. You will not be charged if your desired number is already taken.
Grasshopper
When looking for a vanity phone number with Grasshopper, you can check to see if the one you want is available and then sign up. After you get your desired vanity phone number, you can have an existing phone number forwarded to it. Its services start at $14 per month for one number and three extensions. You can also integrate texting, call forwarding and other standard business phone number features.
UniTel Voice
UniTel Voice offers the ability to search its vanity phone number directory (which is promised to have essentially every phone number in North America) so you can figure out if the one you want is taken already. Whether you’re looking for a toll-free number or one with a local area code, there are plenty of options. Getting a vanity number is a one-time fee, and there are a ton of other features (like texting, call recording and voicemail transcription) that you can add to your service. Services start at $9.99 per month.
eVoice
With the choice between local and toll-free 800 or 888 (and more) numbers, eVoice lets you apply quickly and easily for a vanity phone number as an add-on service. It also offers an auto attendant so you never accidentally let the phone ring for ages without an answer. Since it has a 30-day free trial, you can see quickly if the vanity phone number makes any difference in your marketing and new customer acquisition. Monthly plans start at $14.
Nextiva
Although Nextiva doesn’t have its own vanity phone numbers, it procures vanity phone numbers and integrate them with their business phone software. Its plans start at around $20 per month, and you can get a free number with any local area code that you might want as part of your plan.
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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What are the drawbacks of a vanity number?
While vanity numbers can help you standout from the rest and increase the probability that a customer remembers your number, vanity numbers aren’t typically free.
Is a vanity phone number toll-free?
It depends on the service provider. If you want a toll-free vanity phone number, make sure you select a phone service that offers this option.
Are vanity numbers worth it?
Most businesses that get snappy or memorable vanity phone numbers would say yes. There is an immediate return on investment because the barrier of memory is lowered for prospective customers—almost 85% of people will recall a vanity phone number after learning about it in an ad.
What is a local vanity number?
A local vanity number has an area code tied to a specific location in the United States. This is a good thing to have for a business that wants to serve a certain locale and make sure they’re growing their customer base there. With a memorable vanity phone number and a local area code, customers will both trust your local bona fides and remember the number more easily.
How many vanity or business phone numbers should I get?
It depends on how large your company is and what kind of local, national or global impact you’re looking to make. One business phone number will get you started, but if you have some money to invest in the important operational sides of your business, getting several phone numbers, including vanity phone numbers, will allow your employees to have dedicated voicemail boxes and answer customer questions with confidence.
