Toll free numbers are not quite as ubiquitous as they used to be, thanks to the internet, but they can still be a fun and useful tool. These numbers, first established in 1967, allow people to call businesses and organizations without having to worry about the cost. The business absorbs that, and the fees are usually quite reasonable. Here’s a look at 5 ways your business or organization can use 1 800 numbers.
Help lines
This is perhaps one of the most well known ways to use 1 800 numbers and can be of great interest and value as well. Help lines can be for almost anything. Run a catering business? Set up a helpline to assist customers with questions about event planning and entertaining. Non profit organizations can use toll free help lines to provide support for the causes they represent. For example the ASPCA has a toll free helpline for people to report suspected animal abuse. Help lines can also be used to provide tech support and assist people in crisis.
Voting
Creating polls and surveys can be an effective marketing tool and setting up 1 800 numbers for people to call in and vote on is a great way to get customers involved. TV shows like American Idol have been using them for years. You can assign each voting option (yes/no, candidates names, etc) and easily collect votes. Contests are another good use for toll free voting and can be for fun or involve prizes.
Marketing
Toll free numbers can be a fun way to promote a brand or message. For example a company could have a commercial where one of the characters mentions a 1 800 number. Viewers that call get a special message inviting them to sign up for email updates or offering a special promo code. A toll free number can also be used in ad campaigns that use a series of ads to tell a story. The number encourages customer interaction by drawing them into the storyline. For people who work from home, a 1 800 number is a great way to come across as professional.
Virtual Bulletin Board
This is a great use of toll free numbers. Organizations, schools, businesses and groups can set up a 1 800 number for people to call to get information. For example, a school could use one for parents to call to find out about weather related school cancellations, upcoming events, and other school news. Organizations can use them for everything from sharing public safety alerts like severe weather warnings and amber alerts to volunteer openings and meeting times. A business could use one to provide business hours, account info and employment opportunities.
Voice Mail
Setting up a toll free number for use as a voicemail line can be very useful. A business could use it for employees who need to call in sick, or for customers to leave messages without the need to employ a receptionist. There’s another use too that is becoming more popular, especially with podcasts and other internet broadcasts. They often invite viewers and listeners to call their voice mail line to share their thoughts. The messages are collected and reviewed but not returned, and often they are played during the broadcast and answered by the hosts live on air. This is a great way to get customer generated content.
Aside from these ideas mentioned above, there are thousands of ways that 1 800 numbers can be used. The main advantage is that they are affordable and convenient with today’s technology.
