It's not an accident that you've had that catchy little 1-800 jingle stuck in your head since 1997. The 1-800 number business has been booming for decades, and there's a reason that this tried-and-true marketing strategy has stuck around for so long.

On an ever-evolving marketing landscape, your brand is your biggest asset, and a toll-free number for your business can be a powerful tool in building up that brand recognition and solidifying your unique position in the marketplace. Kick it up one notch and create a vanity number for your business and you'll be on your way to creating memorable marketing that adds a new level of brand differentiation from your competitors.

While you may think of vanity numbers as just a fun way to add some personality to your company, they can actually be an incredibly effective tool for growing your brand. By getting a vanity number, you can create an easy-to-remember, recognizable phone number that helps keep your brand top-of-mind with customers.

What's the difference between a toll-free number and a vanity number?

Simply put, a toll-free number is a phone number that begins with a toll-free prefix, most commonly 800, but you may also see 888, 877, 866, 855, 844, or 833. Toll-free numbers are regulated by the FCC and can be customized and selected through phone system services like Grasshopper. Toll-free numbers cost the caller nothing, even when the call is long distance within the same country.

A vanity number is a toll-free number that's been further customized to spell out a memorable word or phrase. Think 1-800-FLOWERS or 1-800-CONTACTS. Straightforward and hard to forget, right? Vanity numbers tend to maximize the chances that customers will remember you and be more likely to reach out when they need services or products related to your business.

Why does my business need a toll-free number?

For starters, a toll-free number is memorable. A customer is much more likely to remember a 1-800 number than just any old set of local digits, and if people know your company's phone number offhand, this makes it easier for them to contact you or research more about what you do. 

A toll-free number also conveys a sense of professionalism and establishes trust with your customers. This is especially important if you run a small business and may not have the same kind of branding and marketing resources as a larger company. 

A toll-free number also frees you from mixing up work and personal calls, which can be a hazard of the small-business owner life. With cloud phone service, you can continue using your own phone with a business number and easy-to-use built-in features like business texting from your phone or computer, voicemail transcriptions, customer greetings, and Wi-Fi calling.

A dedicated business number tells your customers that you're a credible business that values the customer experience. 

Level up your brand game with a vanity number

So why should you go one step further than just a plain toll-free number and pick out a vanity number for your business? A vanity number gives you all the best parts of a toll-free number and adds additional brand recognition and unlimited marketing potential. If you want people to be singing your phone number jingle in your head for the next few decades, a vanity number is the way to do it!

Vanity numbers fit into any brand strategy

No matter what the size of your business is or what your business does, a vanity number's simplicity and convenience allow them to fit into any brand strategy. Vanity numbers are easily integrated into any brand's identity and can easily be introduced into existing marketing and leveraged in future marketing initiatives. As you grow your brand's recognition, your vanity number will become increasingly more recognizable. 

Vanity numbers differentiate you from your competition

Chances are that as you've built your brand, you've spent some time considering your unique brand position in the marketplace. What is it that makes you stand out from your competition? What's special about your business? Whatever the answer is, any marketing professional worth their salt will tell you the best brand strategy is to simplify and amplify. 

If two companies offer similar products or services, but one has a custom-branded vanity number while the other does not, chances are people will gravitate towards the one with the unique phone number first – giving them an edge over their competitors without having to expend any extra effort or resources.

Vanity numbers make you look more professional

Which number are you more likely to call if you're looking for the best cloud phone service? 1-888-5928 or 1-888-GRASSHOPPER? 

It's a no-brainer that having a phone number with easy recall is a smart business decision, plus having a vanity number adds credibility to your business: customers perceive you as more trustworthy, as it shows that you're invested in the success of your brand. It also gives an extra layer of professionalism to your company's image.

Vanity numbers provide a better customer experience

A unique phone number allows customers to reach you quickly and easily—without having to remember a complex string of digits or letters—which can lead to higher customer satisfaction ratings and more loyal customers. Vanity numbers also offer advantages such as increased call clarity and improved response time for a better customer experience. Plus, with the ubiquity of smartphones today, having a vanity number can make it easier for customers to find you quickly and accurately through search engine results.

Ultimately, a vanity phone number can help businesses create more meaningful connections with their audience while also solidifying their brand's reputation in the minds of their customers.

How to set up a toll-free vanity number

Getting a toll-free vanity number set up for your business should be as easy as it is to call one! When you work with a cloud-based phone system service like Grasshopper, you'll get all the convenience of a professional phone service with none of the costly and obsolete technology of yesteryear.

At Grasshopper, we pride ourselves on making our setup process as easy as possible, which means that in about five minutes, you can get set up with your vanity number and be ready to start advertising! 

Start searching for your perfect vanity number today with Grasshopper's vanity number generator, and try out the Grasshopper cloud phone service for free with a free trial membership.