Why your small business simply must have a memorable phone number

When you’re picking a telephone number to promote your small business, getting a memorable phone number, rather than any string of digits, could make a significant difference to how many of your customers, or potential customers, respond.

So, what constitutes a memorable number? This can depend on a number of factors, including whether you want your business to be recognised in a particular geographic location, whether you want to offer free calls to your potential customers or whether you’re a charity or other not-for-profit organisation. Some examples of memorable numbers include:

• 020 3151 1555
• 0800 955 22 55
• 0333 444 1 444

Here are 3 cast-iron reasons why your business simply must have a memorable phone number:

A memorable telephone number can be part of your brand

The best example of this is with taxis. If you’re anything like me, you’re more likely to remember the taxi company’s number more than the name of the taxi company. People will share a memorable telephone number, then remember which taxi company the number relates to.

This sort of “telephone number to company” association can work for other companies as well, particularly if you rely on word of mouth (e.g. plumbers, glazers, computer servicing).

But there are other ways you can make a telephone number more memorable and link it with your brand. They’re called “Alpha numbers”. This is more popular in the US, but can still work in the UK as well.

Alpha numbers aren’t any different to normal telephone numbers in how they work, but all you’re doing is associating the digits in the telephone number to the letters shown on a phone’s keypad. For example: 0845 468 MINT (0845 468 6468).

A memorable telephone number can make your adverts stand out

Having a telephone number with repeating digits or repeating your company name within it (an Alpha number) will add another dimension to your adverts.

You’ll see this all the time in TV advertising. People with short attention spans, or simply walking passed your advert in the street are more likely to take in your telephone number and respond if it’s made up of repeated digits, or sequences of digits.

But do people really remember telephone numbers anymore?

This is a common question. Is there really value for your business in getting a memorable number? Surely with mobile phones these days, people don’t remember numbers, they’re just saved in recent call lists on the phone?

That may well be the case, but in the same way as a memorable number helps your adverts stand out, so will that memorable number when it appears in people’s call lists.

Even with the power of Google at everyone’s finger tips (literally), word of mouth seems to be more important than ever. People still want to deal with people, so if you can make it easy for your customers to share your contact details using a memorable telephone number, you’ll then be sure of getting those quality leads.

Do your research and choose wisely

There are a number of telephone number vendors in the UK and it is important to make sure you deal with a reputable company that is classified as a Network Operator by both Ofcom and PhonepayPlus. Look for a company that has a simple to understand pricing structure, an easy to use number management system and offers different payment types for your memorable number. A particularly good example of an established, regulated telephone number company is TTNC who offer numbers for all UK area codes and 40 countries internationally, including USA toll-free numbers. Numbers can be set up to forward to your mobile or landline in a matter of minutes. You then have complete control of your numbers through their specially developed control panel.