Here we look at Phone numbers for business and the difference a number can make to your business and your future by taking advantage of choice.
Some history of business phone numbers.
Back in the olden days' your choices on phone numbers were very limited, however, the cost was also very high and mostly around a local number that was confined to city or regional location.
We paid a lot of money to be in a telephone directory as the only way people could find us.
Local phone numbers for business
Whilst we now have a big choice on phone numbers the importance, or our reliance on them has not gone away.
I still wonder at times about people who give so little consideration to such an important business tool.
I understand in some homes people have scaled-down to using a mobile phone number as their primary contact and I have considered that as well. However, we are talking business and a device for converting talk to cash.
Changes have been slow but are now with us in more ways than we see.
Skype was an early trendsetter for cheap calls but now they are just another app.
International call rates have plummeted national or interstate rates have come down but local calls have resisted change. Why? because that is where the bulk of the traffic and hence the money is.
Free-phone numbers for business
Nothing that is good is free, it will always have a downside or a package that gets you elsewhere.
Many are now using their mobile phone number as a business number and believe they are saving money and doing the job.
I find this to be a wrong decision and not really appropriate except for a one-man home-based business and even then dubious.
A mobile phone business number brands you as a home business, nothing more so If I am looking for a real business I will always go to the local number.
Phone numbers say a lot about you so we need to make it say good things and give the right impression or they will stay away.
Virtual phone numbers for business
This is a current-day advantage that you no longer need wires and phones systems, you just need a number that goes to where you ask it to.
1300, 300. 1800, 0800 whatever your country you have what they call free numbers. These are in reality virtual numbers because all they do is direct traffic to your location. It could be to a work number, a mobile phone number or even a home number it makes no difference.
Local numbers and national numbers can also be virtual with the traffic handled by a carrier and passed to a landing number somewhere.
For a business of mine, I have three numbers but they are all virtual.
1800 for national calls
089204xxxx local calls
1300 for my fax service
And not a line in place anywhere.
In many cases, a 1800 country based number will not receive overseas calls so this needs to be checked first.
Paid numbers for business
Each country has a block of numbers that you pay a premium to call, it might be to a psychic, a competition, information service any number of income-generating opportunities. In Australia, these are generally 1900 numbers, and the USA 900 numbers and often come with a hefty charge, like $0.50 per 30-second call.
Used often as a voting line for TV game shows where you are encouraged to vote for your favourite contestant, That is how they make the money as you pay a premium to vote.
Word phone numbers for business
Word phone numbers work, in fact up to 400% better number recall than ordinary numbers.
There are other names for smart numbers like vanity numbers as used in the US.
Numbers are either bought at a premium price or rented at a high price.
In the UK 08002006200 has a price of approx $13,000. The base price in Australia starts at $250 and goes to the sky from there.
Saying all of that the cost can give a real long term payback if the business can carry the load.
Skype phone numbers for business
A Skype international number costs $9.95 a month and provides access to 34 countries with free calls Skype to Skype.
They are owned by eBay and represent a large chunk of the market. However, I wonder at the effect of the new apps like Messenger, What's App and Facetime
Best phone numbers for businesses
This depends on what your business does and the footprint covered with the service. I said a phone number talks about your business so let's have a look at some ideas.
Local number.
This is the best for any state-based local business. Callers understand where you are and call costs are minimal.
1300/800 type numbers
These generally say you are more than just a local business and most likely deal in different states and territories. Some local businesses also use these but I would never recommend that.
Your costs are higher than a state-based business and so are those for the caller.
Mobile phone numbers.
Hey, home-based business. Ok for the tradesperson but this ties all the phone calls 24-7 to them to answer
Using a message service with numbers
As I run an independent message service so you won't get an argument from me. I like people to consider that their Brand is important as well as every single phone call.
International calls to business phone numbers
I started a business many years ago selling cheap phone calls between major countries. A call from Australia to the USA was a $1.00 a minute discounted rate. How things have changed. Now you pay about $0.02 cents a minute and it is hardly worth selling the product. I wonder how Skype and others are travelling except in low economic countries.
It is often cheaper to call overseas than to call a local mobile phone sitting on your desk.
Conclusion
One of the most important business tools that you need to consider when starting in business. The easier the number the greater the callers. It is not rocket science and that is why Name numbers win out every time.
Local numbers local business
1300 for national exposure
and mobile numbers for those that don't care. The history of phone calls by Wikipedia
About Peter Hanley
I write extensively on small business matters following my > 30 years running small and medium businesses. I still operate a fixed business and Online businesses to stay with a changing market
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