Vanity phone numbers are memorable and help convey who your business is and what you do. They’re an incredibly powerful tool for marketing—no matter how big or small your business is—and the best vanity number providers offer additional features to help your business grow. It’s so easy to buy a vanity phone number; just follow this simple guide.
Here, we cover everything you need to know about getting a vanity number, including:
- What a vanity phone number is
- 3 simple steps to buy a vanity number
- The benefits of vanity numbers for business
- Tips for choosing the perfect one
A vanity phone number can help your business look more professional and generate more leads. Sound good? Search our database to see if your preferred vanity number is available and start receiving calls in no time!
What is a vanity phone number?
A vanity phone number is a unique local or toll-free number that spells out a memorable word or phrase (think 1-800-FLOWERS or 1-800-PET-MEDS). These aren’t random digits—they’re a marketing tool, chosen specifically to make it easy for customers and leads to remember what a business does and how to contact them.
Vanity numbers are remarkably effective because they leverage the psychology of memory. Instead of asking customers to remember a string of seven to ten random and unrelated digits, a vanity number gives them a single word or phrase. This makes it significantly easier for potential customers to remember both the number and what your business does—so you can be reachable when they need you most.
How to buy a vanity phone number
With 800.com, you can get a vanity number in 3 quick steps—and start receiving calls nearly instantly.
- Choose your number: If you have a vanity number in mind, use our search tool to see if it’s available with your preferred toll-free prefix (800, 833, 844, etc.)
(If you don’t have a number in mind already, we’ll get to some tips for choosing the perfect vanity number later.) - Select a plan: Our prices are based on minutes and the number of numbers, users, and extensions you need, with plans starting at just $19/month.
- Start receiving calls: Once you’ve chosen your number and plan, you’ll have instant access to the full 800.com suite of tools—and your new vanity number can receive calls and business texts the very next day.
The business-boosting benefits of vanity numbers
Vanity numbers are valuable for more than their memorability, though. Investing in a vanity number offers tangible advantages for SMBs, like:
- A more professional vibe: A custom vanity number—especially a toll-free one—instantly makes your business look more legitimate, established, and trustworthy to potential customers. It can also help smaller businesses project a more substantial and professional image.
- Create a lasting impression: A unique, easy-to-remember vanity number ensures your business stays top-of-mind for customers. Whether they need your business tomorrow or a year after seeing your ad, a memorable number dramatically increases the chance they’ll remember the number and call you.
- Build deeper customer relationships: When you get a vanity number through a provider like 800.com, you get much more than a number: you also get access to our powerful business communication platform—including features like business texting, call analytics, and browser and mobile apps for call management and dialing, which can help you nurture those initial connections into deeper, long-term customer relationships.
- Boost lead generation: An eye-catching, memorable vanity number on marketing materials—from websites and social media to print ads and vehicle wraps—can significantly increase inbound calls and leads generated from your advertising efforts. Plus, 800.com numbers come with advanced call tracking features, so you can easily measure the impact of different campaigns and optimize your marketing spend.
Tips for choosing the perfect vanity number
Vanity numbers are inherently easier for customers to remember—but that doesn’t mean any random vanity number will benefit your business. When it comes to brainstorming vanity options, there are a few tips and best practices to keep in mind:
- Decide on the type of vanity number you need: A local vanity number can help build community trust and legitimize your local presence, while a toll-free number is free for customers to call and can help smaller businesses project a larger image.
- Prioritize memorability: This is the main benefit of a vanity number, so it’s important to choose something people will remember. Is it sticky? A common word most people are familiar with? Easy to spell?
- Ensure relevance: The number should be relevant to your business name, your industry, or a key benefit you offer (e.g. 1-800-CONTACTS—they sell contacts).
- Keep it simple: Choose words that are easy to say and spell. Avoid clever-but-confusing alternate spellings that are harder to remember (e.g. using a “Z” where there’d normally be an “S”) or jargon that may not make sense to your audience. Think about how it sounds over the phone, too.
- Be flexible with prefixes: If the 1-800 number you’re looking for is taken, your word or phrase may still be available with another toll-free prefix (888, 877, 866, 855, 844, or 833). Any and all of these numbers are toll-free, and customers recognize them as such.
- Try synonyms: If your first-choice word isn’t available, brainstorm synonyms or related concepts that still convey your message. Power Thesaurus, Merriam Webster, and Synonyms.com can all help.
Get more than just a phone number with 800.com
When you buy a vanity phone number from 800.com, you’re not just getting a phone number. Every 800.com plan comes with features like:
- VoIP and WiFi calling
- Business greeting
- Extensions
- Advanced call forwarding
- Business texting (SMS)
- Call recording
- Call analytics and call tracking
- Voicemail transcription
You’ll get instant access upon signup to our entire suite of powerful business tools—on a platform built to empower you and your customer-facing sales, marketing, and customer service teams.
A vanity phone number can help your business look more professional and generate more leads. Sound good? Search our database to see if your preferred vanity number is available and start receiving calls in no time!
