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What business do you think has the most memorable phone number?
Your answer probably has a lot to do with the generation and culture in which you grew up.
Digital natives, for example, may not remember many business phone numbers at all, since they primarily use their mobile devices for texting, apps, emailing and social media, rather than making calls. In their eyes, a company’s phone number doesn’t play a key role in their marketing efforts.
Whereas people who came up in pre internet times might have better memories. They actually had to remember a business’s digits, so that data is hardwired into their brains. Thus, it’s a critical component of that company’s brand.
For me, the big business phone numbers that come to my mind immediately are:
1-800-Contacts
1-800-Flowers
1-800-Got-Junk
Mcafee is another personal favorite of mine. The global computer security software company used to have a famous phone number in the nineties and early aughts for their advertisements:
1-800-VIRUS-NO
This phone number was powerfully branded because it showed how their product solved an urgent, expensive and pervasive problem, in only seven letters. Mcafee's number says exactly what they do as a brand, although it’s a bit backwards linguistically. Plus it would probably send the wrong message in our current pandemic.
It’s fascinating, some phone numbers are nostalgic, cheer us up and give us a feeling of comfort. While other numbers have powerful symbolic value in certain cultures. In fact, for many brands, their phone number is more just a string of random digits, but something that’s become part of how they communicate to the marketplace.
But while phone numbers are certainly abstracted in today’s digital, asynchronous culture, they are definitely not obsolete. They still matter when you’re trying to connect with potential customers.
Current research has shown that one way to increase click and engagement rate with leads is through a memorable phone number. Maybe an alphanumeric one that spells out a word? Or something strategic on the number pad makes for an easy dial pattern? Maybe a string of repeating digits like one of those taxi companies?
Now, there are no shortage of vendors in the vanity phone number industry who can help you find one that you like. FranFunnel actually deals with this issue quite often. One of the questions we’ll get from new users is: What phone number are my text messages sent from?
As Eli explained above, we’re not going to be able to get your business something notable like 800-333-4444, as cool as that would be.
Sure, phone numbers don’t carry as much weight as they used to. What’s more important for sales and marketing success is to focus on messaging copy and timeliness.
But our recommendation is, try to obtain a phone number that as close to the number that you primarily use for your business as possible. If possible, try to match area code or your location to give your texts a personalized touch. If you're using FranFunnel this has be taken care of already this, for you.
We’ve found that this kind of geographic continuity goes a long way for maximizing contact and engagement rate.
Ultimately, your phone number may not be the silver bullet for making sales, but when it comes to marketing, consistency is far better than rare moments of greatness.
Build your brand in those small moments, and over time, it will add up to a sale.
Scott Ginsberg is Head of Content at FranFunnel. Despite living in New York for the past decade, he still has a 314 area code to represent The Lou.
