Gone are the days of 800 numbers being reserved for medium-sized or large businesses. Small business owners have begun to realize the benefits of having a toll-free number for customers. All types of businesses, from brick and mortar to online commerce sites, can benefit from having a toll-free number. Not only does it save customers money on long distance calls, it provides a sense of confidence in customers who feel secure working with a business that provides a 1-800 number.

With more business owners wanting to provide free calling for their clients, the use of 800 numbers has grown. This has prompted the telephone industry to create other prefixes for toll-free numbers. Businesses can now get a toll-free number that starts with 800, 888, 877, 866 or 855. All of these prefixes now have a reputation for being toll-free numbers, and they open up more opportunities for businesses to get a custom vanity number. Below are some reasons a toll-free number will benefit your business.

Service Clients Outside of Your Local Area

Small businesses that used to conduct business with people from all over the country used to provide a long distance number. This often deterred customers who didn't want to pay long distance charges, and resulted in many businesses losing out of-area clients. With a free number, you are able to provide all customers with a way to contact you. This is important if you have frequent dealings with clients outside of your local area.

Being able to provide a free number to clients is especially important for people who specialize in e-commerce. Although e-commerce has exploded in recent years, there are still plenty of buyers who are wary of dealing with an online company. By providing 800 numbers on your website, you help build trust with potential customers. It also allows you to work with individuals from all over the country, which is often what happens when you have an online store or business.

Target Your Advertising

If you've ever wondered how effective your marketing strategies are, you can find out by purchasing a variety of toll-free numbers to use in your marketing campaigns. Whether you have a number for your website, one for your store, and one used in advertisements on the radio, television, or print ads, by having more than one you can see which marketing effort attracts the most clients.

When you purchase a number, you will be able to track which number a client calls. This is especially important when talking with a new client, because it shows you which marketing strategies are effective and which aren't. In the future, you can target your advertising to the area that seems most effective for your business and reduce your marketing in other areas, saving you some money.

Create an Online Presence

The world of online commerce is extremely competitive. In order to brand yourself online, you need to come up with something that people remember and associated with your business. You can purchase a vanity number that has your business name or representative word that helps people remember the number and your business. For example, you can have 1-800-abcdefg posted on your website in bold, and people will remember and associate that number with your business.

There are a number of ways 800 numbers benefit small businesses. By researching the numbers available, you can start targeting your marketing strategies, reaching out to more clients, and branding your business online.

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