While we have an FAQ section on the site, I thought we could address a few things specifically about 800 numbers right here on the blog.

Here are a few common facts about 800 numbers that you may not know.

• A “true” 800 number is simply a toll free number with an “800″ prefix.

• You own your 800 number.

• 800 numbers are portable. If you change service providers, you can take your 800 number with you.

• 800 numbers that spell out a company name, product, etc are called “vanity numbers”.

• 800 numbers have been around for over 35 years.

• 800 numbers are regulated by the FCC.

• 800, 888, 866 & 877 are all toll free numbers. The only difference is the numbers themselves.

• 800 numbers can be used for home numbers as well as business numbers.

Today we launched the “2010 Entrepreneur State of Mind Survey” designed to learn more about you, the entrepreneur.

Yes, there are a number of boring surveys out there on entrepreneurship but nothing dedicated to finding out about your lifestyle, how you think, who you are and what keeps you up at night.

The survey will take you less than 6 minutes and might even give you a laugh or two.

Plus, if you tweet it with the hashtag #entrepreneursurvey you earn a chance to win an iPhone or Netbook.

Start the survey!

This week we are featuring Allan Branch. He’s the co-founder of LessAccounting and also a Grasshopper customer.

Could you explain the philosophy of Less?
We believe business software should easy. It should get out of your way, allowing you to get back to work and make money. Being a business owner is hard enough without having your software make it harder.

The Grasshopper TV commercial took up most of the headlines along with a mentions from ABC News in the latest installment of Grasshopper in the News:

• Nashville Tech Feed #5 – Pseudo-Live from SocialFresh Nashville

  Jonathan Kay joins the guys at Nashville Tech Feed as they record from the Social Fresh conference in Nashville.

• Grasshopper Commercial Aims to Combat Ad Skipping

  AdGabber features the newest Grasshopper commercial and explores the concept of “Tivo-Proof”.

• Job Openings Drop as Hiring Remains Elusive

  As job openings drop and more people remain unemployed, Grasshopper is one of the few small businesses actively hiring.

• Grasshopper Featured in New Book, “The Other 8 Hours”

  In the new book, “The Other 8 hours”, Grasshopper customer Robert Pagliarini shows us how we can get more time, get more money and get a life simply by better utilizing the time we aren’t working or sleeping. He also features Grasshopper as a resource.

Toll free numbers are a great tool for any business and are extremely easy to get these days. You can search and buy an 800 number as easily as you can a t-shirt (Note: A toll free number will probably have a more positive impact on your business than a t-shirt).

But if you are wondering just how a toll free number can help your business, we have listed 3 key benefits to toll free numbers:

1. Professionalism

As anyone familiar with Grasshopper knows, one of our brand promises is to help entrepreneurs sound professional. A toll free number not only helps your small business look big, but it also helps it look (and of course sound) professional.

Would you feel more comfortable buying from a business with a standard voicemail message or a company with a dedicated business number and professional greeting?