When it comes to running a business, competition is always an issue. It is important for businesses to remain professional and customer service oriented, but it also helps when consumers can remember the business when they need the products or services it offers. Vanity numbers are a fantastic and inexpensive way to make an impression.

What is a Vanity Number?

Vanity numbers are telephone numbers that consist of a word or phrase made up of the alphanumeric characters on a telephone keypad. The word or phrase selected should directly reflect the purpose of the business and the products and services it sells. For instance, if a business called Caramel is in the business of making and selling handmade candies to the public, that company can choose to use its business name in the number: 1-800-CARAMEL. They could also try 1-800-SWEET4U or 1-800-CANDY4U. As long as the number is memorable and easily dialed, many consumers will gravitate toward it whenever they want to buy handmade caramels.

Be Memorable

When a consumer wants to purchase a product or service, it is often a fleeting thought. They have an idea and decide to act upon it immediately. As a result, they are more likely to dial a telephone number that they have seen or heard before picking up a telephone book to look for alternative companies. This means that a business successfully using a vanity number will likely be the vendor of choice for all of the impulse buyers in the world. As an example, when most people think of cheap, instant car insurance in the United States, one name generally comes to mind. The same rule applies for the need to send flowers. Everyone in the country is influenced by vanity numbers and they can certainly have an impact on a business.

Advertise with Ease

Advertisement is the number one way to get a brand name out into the minds of the public, and many companies use television and radio to do it. Americans are bombarded with an average of 3,000 advertisements per day in the form of magazines, internet, radio, television and even billboards along the side of the road; many of these advertisements contain telephone numbers. Due to the sheer number of ads, the general public is likely to forget many of them and only remember the ones that are witty, funny or shocking. By adding a vanity number to their advertisements, a business can ensure that their ads are among those easily remembered by the general public.

Available to Anyone

A common misconception associated with vanity numbers is that they are only available to huge corporations and that they are incredibly expensive. This is simply not true. Anyone can purchase a vanity number at a price that is more affordable than most people realize. Even local numbers can become vanity numbers as long as they are available from the telephone company. Regardless of the size of the business, these numbers are a great way to promote the business and bring in new clients and customers on a regular basis.

Business owners who are interested in gaining a huge following and expanding to a national or even international level should definitely consider the use of vanity numbers. They make any business more memorable and elicit more calls from more people than a traditional local or toll-free number.