Are you trying to register a domain name only to find that all your best choices are taken? With more than 26 million domain names registered, it''s not unlikely to have to drill down to your ninth or tenth options before finding an available URL. And with dot com still the most desirable suffix (so far), you may wind up with a Web address that reveals little about who you are. If your domain name alternatives are limited, here''s one you may not have thought of using before and it will help with branding your e-business: register your vanity phone number as your URL.
So, what''s a vanity phone number? It''s a telephone number that spells a word or phrase that corresponds to the numbers on the keypad. Vanity phone numbers came into popularity a number of years ago when it was realized that businesses didn''t need to passively accept the assigned number from the phone company and could actually request specific digit combinations.
It takes a certain amount of cleverness to be able to condense your business objectives into seven digits and that creativity can easily translate into a unique and dual-purpose domain name.
Ever call 800-356-9377? You probably are more familiar with it''s alphabetic counterpart -- 800-FLOWERS. 800-FLOWERS knew that by using their easily-memorizable phone number and company name as their Web address they could take advantage of the time and money that was spent ingraining that phone number into the heads of consumers. And 800-MATTRES has built a huge business by encouraging customers to "leave the last ''S'' off for savings."
If you don''t have a distinctive phone number, this may be a good opportunity to secure one now and check on the domain availability at the same time. It may take some coordination and time to ensure that the number is available for both phone and domain.
If the vanity phone number/domain name combo is in your future, it probably would be a good idea to invest in a number with a toll-free area code rather than local. Once you make the move to the Web, there is the potential for national and international business so a toll-free number would make good business sense. Unless, of course, your Web-based business is one that can''t be used by remote customers.
The recent additions of toll-free area codes 888, 877 and 866 have allowed more opportunities for securing a seven-letter phrase that will identify your e-business. Professional telecommunications companies such as TollFreeNumbers.com and Response Marketing Group can help you to identify, locate, lease or purchase a vanity phone number that reflects your e-business. If you''re lucky, your digits may already spell something viable that just needs to be converted into letters.
A vanity phone number can immediately brand your company as well as help identify your product or service. And not only can it add prestige to your business but it can establish you as a leader in the industry. With exposure, an easily-recognized and memorized phone number can increase your call volume by infiltrating the minds of the masses.
Once you have come up with some effective words or phrase for your number, check that the domain equivalent is available. DomainNotes can offer some useful registration information too.
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