Should Your Small Business Have An 800 Number

If you own a small business and do not yet have an 800 number, then you may want to consider getting one. Not only does having a toll free number increase name recognition and credibility for a small business, but having one may affect a positive upward trend in sales as well. Below are 5 excellent reasons why having an 800 number would be a good investment.

1) Improves Customer Satisfaction

Most people can tell you about a time when they needed to reach a company with a question or concern and they were unable to get through. Having a toll free number makes it easier for your valued customers to reach someone to get help in answering their questions. They can call you at any time, day or night, and it will not cost them money to make that call. Customers are the reason why a small business succeeds, and keeping them satisfied by providing simple solutions can go a long way. The bottom line is that happy customers will keep coming back.

2) Toll Free is Easy to Remember

If you decide to get a catchy toll free number that is easy for customers to remember, this may also increase sales and customer satisfaction. A good example of this is the company 1-800-FLOWERS: people are more likely to remember 1-800-FLOWERS than 1-800-356-9377. Toll free numbers are a very valuable marketing tool for a small business and can greatly increase sales.

3) Provides Credibility

Most people think of larger corporations when they think about 800 numbers. If you are just starting out, securing a toll free number may give people a sense of faith and security in your new venture. You can instantly get more credibility and improve your image by obtaining your own toll free number.

4) Portability

When you have a toll free number your actual business location doesn't really matter. You might be working out of your living room, but customers only know that you are easily accessible via your 800 number. If you decide to move your business, the 800 number can remain the same, and this transition does not have to disrupt your business at all (or even be noticeable to your customers). Once you have purchased a toll free number it becomes yours, even if you decide to switch service providers.

5) Marketing Tool

Most small business owners are not aware that having an 800 number can help track marketing efforts. A toll free number can allow you to create different extensions that can be linked to various marketing campaigns. It is important to know which of your marketing techniques are successful and which are simply not working; therefore, knowing whether someone called you from your yellow pages ad, or the billboard you have posted downtown can be a very important tool.

Whatever size your business is, there are many reasons why having an 800 number could work for you. The goal of most businesses is to increase sales volumes, and getting a toll free number is an easy way to do this.

By: Gary G

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Grasshopper specializes in business voicemail. Grasshopper's systems offer local and 800 numbers, virtual voicemail with unlimited extensions, and many other options to make it possible for businesses to get calls, voicemails and faxes anywhere.