Marketing to customers with a phone number that lacks vanity

Image via Wikipedia

I believe it's pretty common for companies to use telephone numbers that when the numbers are converted to letters actually spell words that cleverly help customers remember that phone number when needed. These types of telephone numbers are called vanity numbers or phonewords.

This article considers the fact that you are considering the use of your telephone phone number that DOES NOT have a hidden when translated (lacks vanity), but you want to use your telephone number to market your business.

So now you ask.
Where can you find examples of a partial word, an acronym, abbreviation, or an alphanumeric combination being used to increase memorability and increase response rates to marketing?

First you should know why so much vanity.
Many companies use these phone numbers on radio, television, print, outdoor, etc. as they are proven to increase response rates by 30-60%

So you know now that I'm talking about phone numbers like 1-800-FLOWERS or 1-800-BUSINESS or 1-800-CONTACTS... Okay... I think you've got this part down.

Now let's see how you can take your marketing to the next level. Maybe your phone number doesn't have to be so inflated pride in oneself at all.

Let's think about this a minute.
Vanity numbers or Phonewords came about before the cellular phone and the Internet. And users or marketers had radio, print advertising and word-of-mouth marketing to spread the phonewords with vanity (pun intended). Anyway, the point here is the points of contact with consumers was limited.

Here comes the whammy.
We have the Internet now and Cellular phones that do most of the connecting for us. So why not use your telephone number for your website address? Look, you may have worked or are working for a company now where half of your email address is the companies name. So?

So!
If you starting a business and everyone knows your cell phone number; use your cell phone number as your website address. Only make since. If your a Real Estate Agent with the name John and your phone number is 202-701-9393 (which has no vanity or phoneword), people would visit your website at: www.2027019393.com

Things that make you say humm?
Let's take it a step further. With regard to Realtor John... your email address would be: john@2027019393

And as normal.
Your still John now... and people call you at 202 701 9393

Where you going, there's more!
When anyone gives out your phone number, they are also dishing out your website address and part basically your email address at the same time. There are still situations where we write down information... like phone numbers and website addresses. It's also normal that you will only be able to find a small piece of paper to write on. Using your phone number as a catch-all, 3 amigo, you'll not need as big a scrap to scribe.

We only use letters (domain names) for website addresses because it makes it easier for humans to remember. However if you work very closely with clients like Real Estate Realtors, Insurance Agents, Personal Trainers, etc.; you could benefit from this marketing edge.

You may be asking, how will people I don't know find me if they don't know my phone number? The answer is; you will also register a domain name with words as normal. You could even mask your phone number url so when people go to it, the domain name with the words is displayed in the browser.

Example: you website address is www.2027019393.com but when people get your your website they would see the domain name with words that you also registered, let's say it's www.jrpremierproperties.com.

This is called masking... and there are no negative aspects to harm your website or the FCC. Just make sure you or your webguy or webgirl setup your masking properly and if you are forwarding to a different domain name... make sure you domain is set as 301 permanent redirect.
You've just learned how to use your telephone number to secure 3 points of contact and they are:

1. How to use a telephone number as your Email Address
2. How to use a telephone Number as your Web Site Domain Name with or without masking
   
3. How Telephone Numbers can be your Email, Website, Phone Number that all lead back to you.

This is Gibron T. Williams, Head Honcho at Oevae Marketing Consultants and these are my opinions.
Find oevae marketing consultants on the first page of Google when you search for: the best marketing consultants or the best marketing consultants in the world

Related articles by Zemanta

• Mobile payment service Zong expands to subscriptions (news.cnet.com)
• What does your phone number spell (phonespell.org)
• Domain Name Registration (worldwidewebwindow.com)
• Cell phone users open 97% of marketing text (nytimes.com)
• Available Vanity Numbers (customtollfree.com)
  

Building Brand Value Using Email

Image via Wikipedia

Here's a bone.
The rational behind this post is so simple yet stealthly strong. It helps you see how the email brand you are currently using can make or break your brand recognition.

You may be using MSN HotMail, Yahoo, Gmail, SBCglobal, charther, and the list goes on. And one thing you and my clients want is the ability to tell everybody about YOU and what you can do now.

Let's brush this in the dust pan.
Your name is Lee Ring and you have a business by the name Ring-o-Matic and your email address is Lring@yahoo.com. Say you send out a mass email too all of your friends, telling them about you new product. Sure, your friends will recognize your name and email if you've communicated with then recently. And that's great. You want your friends to open your email and learn all about your product and buy. Com'n be honest. It's not like you're telling them like you would Grandma.

Okay so listen close.
A time will come when you need customers that lead to friends because they love your product and all that stands behinde it or YOU. And you can bet most people that don't know you, won't regcognize your Yahoo email address either.

So what to do?
Make sure your webguy aligns you hosting and email account. Doing this will allow you to send your mass email to prospects and friends as Lring@ring-o-matic.com So you say, yeah that's close to a no brainer. I kinda already know that. The problem is keeping the commitment and making sure that is the primary email you use. It can be difficult to make a major change from one email address to another. And for this there is also a fix. Just make sure your webguy sets your new email to automatically forward your messages to your old email address.

How is brand value increased with email?
Each and every time someone receives email from you they will see your company name time after time, again and again, one after the other, man-o-man! Like little children with toys, we see something and we put it away in our mind. The little simple things. Not the rent or the mortgage. So it's paramount that you capitalize on the opportunity with becoming an offender.
When people think of your brand and grab the keyboard to find your website your email address is the source they can turn to... "what's that email address... I want to go to that ring-o-matic website too see what that was..."

You wouldn't drive a Volkswagen and put Ford labels all over it. No. So why would you have your own company and use the email from the company next door? If you are sporting the wrong labels, don't worry change is working for you in this instance. And my professional consultant opinion - if you are already tight in this category - just stay the course and stay consistant.

This is Gibron T. Williams, Head Honcho at Oevae Marketing Consultants and these are my opinions.

Related articles by Zemanta

• Email Address - which characters can I use? (blogging.robertosblogs.net)
• EMAIL ADDICTS: Gmail Users Consume the Most Email (mashable.com)