Monday, December 15, 2008

Phone words: What are they?

By Buck Thompson

A telephone number that spells a word is called a phone word. Each telephone key is linked to a group of letters, which are written under the numbers on the keypad. You can use these effectively to catch the attention of both current and potential customers. Many marketers use this method to spell their brand name.

This strategy is well-used in Australia, but not to the fullest extent. It has been seen that profits have significantly increased through the use of this marketing tactic. The right number is lodged firmly in the mind of the customer for a long period of time. For instance, if you dial 1300 SPARK, you convey the need for an electrician. It's not hard to remember the numbers.

Phone words, if used well, cut down on competition. Nobody will try the yellow pages or the classified columns if they can remember a number and dial it at ease. A company can gain a larger customer base by being exclusive with their number.

Another advantage is that you do not end up spending a whole lot of money attracting new customers. Using Phone words helps to generate quality leads for better results. It also helps to give businesses a professional advantage. If one customer promotes the company to another, Phone words can help to ensure that they convey the both the company name and the correct phone number.

With Phone words, a business is better advertised and response rates are higher; so is the profit for the company. It is important how easily one can remember the phone word and what the message is, when one is marketing via this method.

In Australia, where this concept is in vogue, big names such as AAMI, Hyatt Regency, Telstra, Subway etc have had great responses to phone word campaigns. Leasing the phone word is cheap when compared with other marketing strategies. Service providers like 1300 Easy Dial offer simple, easy to use phone word facilities. You can choose your phone word number from 1300, 1800 or 13 numbers. A 1800 number puts the total call cost on the business that leases the number whereas costs for 13 and 1300 are divided between the customers and the company. Simply communicate your preferences and they will find the best deal for you.

Obtaining your very own phone word is easy. The first step is to make sure that some other product or company is not already using that particular word. You will need to be granted ownership of that phone word in a certain area before you can begin using it. A phone word service provider will help you negotiate this. An added advantage of using a phone word is that you are allowed to retain your previous services and phone numbers along with the new phone word.

The results of Phone words speak for themselves. They are considered a breakthrough in marketing due to their simplicity, cost and effectiveness. It is definitely worth investigating what a good phone word can do to boost the profits of your business.

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