In Business Since 2001 We accept Paypal
Home for Writers for Publishers Article Directory Article Search Contact
 
Products & Services
Article Distribution
Ghost Writing Services

Multiple Traffic Streams Report
Redneck Product Creation

Article Marketing Ebooks now available at: WritingPuzzle.com

Site Navigation
Home
+ FAQ

FAQ

+ Contact Us
+ Article Software

Use one of our Software Plugins to receive Articles from our site:

WordPress Content Plugin

Article Dashboard Content Plugin

+ About Us
+ Ebooks
+ Blogs
+ Social Media
+ Extra Pages
Search Tools
+ Search Our Articles
Article Directory
+ Authors
+ Articles
thePhantomWriters Blog
Get RSS Feed

Did Google Finally Kill Article Marketing Forever?
Early Indications Are That Google Farmer Update Loves Quality Syndicated Content
Detailed Insight into the Cooks Source Magazine PR Debacle
Increase Your Profits From Google Page One
Understanding How To Be Successful With Article Marketing
Temporary Issue with Article Distributions
Computer Upgrade
New Service Upgrades in Place
Are You Paying Too Much For Traffic? Increase Clicks 40-Fold With This PPC Strategy
How To Use Disinformation To Foul Up Your Competition In The SEO Game
Recommended Sites
Live Marketing Chat (Free) Saturday 8pm EST
Register for Notifications

 

 



Your Toll Free Number Could Be Turning Customers Away

Copyright (c) 2007-2012

When I launched my company, Championship Communication, ten years ago, a veteran entrepreneur advised me, "Get your toll free number right away." He argued that I would attract more clients and keep ongoing clients happy if they could call me at no charge.

"But," I asked, "isn't that quite expensive?"

"No, Bill, it's surprisingly reasonable, and it will be well worth the moderate cost because of your increase in customers."

Following his advice, I got an 800 number and displayed it on my stationery, Web site, business card, and E-mail signature. For a decade, I mentioned that number when I was leaving a voice mail message for an out of town contact I had called and missed.

Then not long ago, I started rethinking whether my toll free number was gaining business for me. Discussing this with a professional speaker colleague, I was surprised to hear him say, "People who want you to have a toll free number, so they can save three or four dollars when they call you, are unlikely to be able-or willing-to pay the professional fees your experience merits. If they are so cost conscious that they don't think they could afford to call you, then how will they change that mind set to invest in your services?"

His idea startled me. At the same time, his logic seemed sound. Over the next few months, I started looking at my monthly telephone bill to see who was using my 800 number to reach me. The answer: mostly friends and relatives.

Even worse, one company I had never heard about printed my toll free number as the contact number for its customer service department. I spent some agonizing times assuring callers I had nothing to do with that company.

Also, I reasoned, in the era when many calls originate from people using cell phones, the savings an 800 number once promised are likely to be obsolete. With most providers, cell phone minutes used are cell phone minutes, period.

Then I thought back to my twenty-three years in management. Like every manager, I fielded numerous calls from sales people who wanted to talk with me about their product or service. How did I decide which calls to return from someone whose name meant nothing to me? Simple - I eliminated the calls from strangers with toll free numbers. I knew I was in for a sales pitch, and with my packed schedule taking time for those calls would not demonstrate wise time management.

Remembering that, I wondered how many people had filtered me out of their calls-to-return list since 1996 because of my 800 prefix.

However, I didn't want to trust my intuition alone. So I surveyed twenty-five professional speakers I had become acquainted with through our state and national associations. Included in my survey: the speakers with the most book sales, highest fees, packed calendars, and greatest reputations. Most I reached by E-mail, and with the rest I simply checked their Web sites.

The results astonished me. Out of the twenty-five, only eight have toll free numbers. The seventeen others were prospering nicely with ordinary phone lines. The most significant indicator: a speaker with a $20,000 keynote fee publishes his office and cell phones, but no toll free number.

So I took the logical next steps. I called the phone company and cancelled my toll free number. I notified my friends and relatives who had been using the number that it was no longer active. The tech professional who makes requested changes in my Web site eliminated the number from those pages, and even from the "landing pages" accessed through Google. And I eliminated the number from my formal E-mail signature.

Do I fret because the toll free number remains on my business card and stationery? Not really, certainly not enough to order a fresh batch of both. I'll change those eventually. Meanwhile, from what I have learned I will not be missing out with top-tier prospects.

I recommend that you evaluate whether my findings match your professional niche. If your toll free number attracts mostly friends, relatives, and marketers who want you to spend money on them, it's time to switch to a traditional phone number. You'll save substantial dollars annually, and more importantly you will attract the caliber of callers you want to do business with.


About The Author:
Bill Lampton, Ph.D., helps organizations "Finish in First Place" by strengthening their communication, motivation, sales, and customer service. His speeches, seminars, and communication coaching have benefited numerous clients, including the Ritz- Carlton Cancun, Gillette, Duracell, Procter and Gamble, Missouri Bar, and the Environmental Protection Agency. Visit his Web site to sign up for his complimentary monthly E-mail newsletter: http://www.ChampionshipCommunication.com Call Dr. Lampton to discuss how his services will benefit your organization: 770-534-3425. E-mail him: drbill@ChampionshipCommunication.com

Follow "The Phantom Writers" on Twitter (@phantomwriters)
to be notified when new articles are made available.


VOTE ON THIS ARTICLE
Needs Work >> 0 - 1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5 << Excellent Article

Tell our authors what you think about their article.


Top-Level Category: Business Online Articles

10 Most Recent Articles Written by Bill Lampton Ph.D.

Lessons From Best Broadcasters
Written by: Bill Lampton Ph.D. | Distributed: 2006-09-26 | Word Count: 738 | Page Views: 1394 | Votes: 9 | Rating: 2.67
We learn by watching experts in action. You learned to walk by watching your parents' steps. You learned to talk by observing how they moved their mouths. Later in life, you learned ice skating, ballet, golf, baseball pitching, dancing, driving a car and many other activities by watching people who did those activities well. In this article, we will seek to learn from broadcasters how to become better communicators.

Ten Tips for Getting Your Business Letters Read
Written by: Bill Lampton Ph.D. | Distributed: 2006-08-04 | Word Count: 711 | Page Views: 1212 | Votes: 11 | Rating: 2.55
With so many of us relying heavily on E-mail for professional correspondence, business letters have become special once again. Yet your prospects won't read just any letter, especially one from an unfamiliar name. To escape the wastebasket, your letter must offer compelling reasons to continue reading. So try these ten tips to increase the likelihood that recipients will give your letters their complete attention-all the way through.

Socialize Successfully With Your Boss and Employees
Written by: Bill Lampton Ph.D. | Distributed: 2006-06-20 | Word Count: 735 | Page Views: 1546 | Votes: 12 | Rating: 2.50
By participating in hundreds of receptions, dinners, celebrations, award ceremonies, fund raising campaign kickoffs and other out of the office happenings, I have learned which communication behaviors work and which ones backfire.

Stop Trying to Be Perfect
Written by: Bill Lampton Ph.D. | Distributed: 2006-05-02 | Word Count: 0 | Page Views: 1
When I provide speech coaching for executives and when I direct Presentation Skills seminars for corporations, one of the first points I make is this: Trying to be perfect will ruin your presentation.

Customer Service At Its Best
Written by: Bill Lampton Ph.D. | Distributed: 2006-04-21 | Word Count: 0 | Page Views: 1
Because we experience so much customer service that annoys us, and even insults us, finding someone who truly cares about customers lifts our spirits.

Put Your Best Face Forward
Written by: Bill Lampton Ph.D. | Distributed: 2006-03-24 | Word Count: 0 | Page Views: 1
Blink--a recent book by Malcolm Gladwell--cites research to support the concept that a person's face can do more than mirror the individual's mood. . .it can create a mood for that individual.

Muzzling the Motor Mouths: Silence Workplace Windbags
Written by: Bill Lampton Ph.D. | Distributed: 2005-12-01 | Word Count: 0 | Page Views: 1
During my twenty-three years in management, I dealt with blabbermouths frequently, so for the last ten years I have advised clients on how to silence the workplace windbags. Here are my suggestions for muzzling the motor mouths:

Attract Clients With Your Business Card
Written by: Bill Lampton Ph.D. | Distributed: 2005-11-18 | Word Count: 0 | Page Views: 1
Here are twelve ways to assure that prospects will read your card, and will become more likely to do business with you.

A Dozen Guidelines For Using E-Mail
Written by: Bill Lampton Ph.D. | Distributed: 2005-11-04 | Word Count: 0 | Page Views: 1
In most of the seminars I conduct for corporations and associations, I reserve time to talk about e-mail. Why? Because e-mail has become one of our most prominent means of internal and external communication.

Achieving Your Personal Best: Making The Leap From Good To Great
Written by: Bill Lampton Ph.D. | Distributed: 2005-10-11 | Word Count: 0 | Page Views: 1
Jim Collins opened his book Good to Great with the statement, “Good is the enemy of great.” He explained...

All of Author's Articles on this site:

Most Recent "Business Online" Articles

Sell Yourself, Not Your Products or Services
Written by: Bill Platt | Distributed: 2012-01-02 | Word Count: 989 | Page Views: 2331 | Votes: 5 | Rating: 4.00
Sell yourself, not your products or services. The point we need to make is that your products and services will change over time as your business adapts to the realities of the marketplace.

Work From Home - Make Money Online With EBay Store
Written by: David Miller | Distributed: 2011-12-12 | Word Count: 2105 | Page Views: 155
Find out how to present your items, as well as other key factors to profit from your eBay Store.

Bring Your Photography To Life With Stunning Video
Written by: Adam Harding | Distributed: 2011-12-12 | Word Count: 684 | Page Views: 194
I want to let you in on my little secret. It is about how I bring photographs to life by creating professional video slideshows that look like they cost hundreds of dollars.

Leveraging the Social in Social Media
Written by: Enzo F. Cesario | Distributed: 2011-09-21 | Word Count: 907 | Page Views: 216 | Votes: 1 | Rating: 1.00
Social media marketing is about the conversation, not the pitch. Having conversations with people is nice, but the goal of a brand is ultimately to get people interested in spending their time or money on the brand, after all. What does having this conversation accomplish, and just how does a brand use that conversation to get the critical conversion from conversation to customers?

Blog Writing - Finding the Right Person
Written by: Enzo F. Cesario | Distributed: 2011-09-21 | Word Count: 884 | Page Views: 373
There are a host of articles and sites covering advice on how to address various topics, but one area that doesn't get a lot of attention is what "person" to write the blog in. Each linguistic person has its own strengths and weaknesses, depending on the message that needs to be covered. Ultimately, most will simply write in whatever person is most natural to them, but there is some merit in taking a bit of time to think about the implications, advantages and disadvantages of each.

That First Impression: Title Considerations
Written by: Enzo F. Cesario | Distributed: 2011-09-19 | Word Count: 860 | Page Views: 202
While it certainly isn't as much work as crafting the body of a superior article, selecting a title for a piece is definitely an important element of the entire process of content creation. Here are some thoughts on crafting a perfect title.

5 Tips For Writing Great Content For Your Blog
Written by: Lee Dobbins | Distributed: 2011-09-16 | Word Count: 987 | Page Views: 214
If you want people to come back to your blog over and over again, then you need to provide great web content. This may seem like an impossible task if you aren’t a natural born writer. Here are 5 tips that will help even the least experienced writer create blog content that will entice even first time visitors to become frequent readers.

Understanding Cloud Computing for SMBs
Written by: Audre Hill | Distributed: 2011-09-16 | Word Count: 449 | Page Views: 316 | Votes: 2 | Rating: 5.00
The buzz about cloud migration, or taking your business to the cloud, is all over the internet. But the geek speak and sales hype make understanding the cloud difficult for small and mid-sized business owners. Read this to clear up your cloud confusion.

Dynamic Content: Using Analytics to Write Your Blog
Written by: Enzo F. Cesario | Distributed: 2011-09-16 | Word Count: 873 | Page Views: 254
The role of web analytics in setting useful metrics for a site has been discussed in-depth in any number of places, but this is far from the only useful function that web analytic practices can offer. As in any field, a little thinking outside the box can offer extensive rewards to the creative researcher. Perhaps most usefully, creative cultivation of web analytics can help conquer blogger's block and help a good writer come up with some unique angles for content they thought they had peaked out on.

Social Media Marketing Tools – Putting Your Finger on the Pulse of the Web
Written by: Enzo F. Cesario | Distributed: 2011-09-14 | Word Count: 856 | Page Views: 205
Social media marketing is the home of successful brand promotion, and finding the right mix of tools to take advantage of it has become the defining issue of the modern brand. Knowing the focus of each of these tools and the best way to use them is the key to bringing all this power under control and using it to help promote a brand to its full potential.

Most Viewed "Business Online" Articles

Attracting Readers to your Book
Written by: Alastair Hall | Distributed: 2006-05-18 | Word Count: 708 | Page Views: 42404 | Votes: 9 | Rating: 2.11
One of the common and obvious ways to market a self-published book is having your own website. The harder part is how to attract your target audience and then convert the sale.

How To Make Visitors Bookmark Your Site
Written by: Cheryl Miller | Distributed: 2006-10-10 | Word Count: 536 | Page Views: 34679 | Votes: 13 | Rating: 2.38
When visitors bookmark your site it is a sign that you have built a great website and are pleasing them. Visitors think highly enough of your site to want to return and possibly tell others about it. You are not only increasing traffic from your existing clientele you are encouraging new traffic by means of viral marketing.

Treat Online 'Guests' With Respect
Written by: Rick Sloboda | Distributed: 2007-07-27 | Word Count: 472 | Page Views: 27056 | Votes: 25 | Rating: 3.76
Does your website show your customers lack of respect? Review the following checklist to find out.

How I Got 70,000 Useless Visitors To My Site In One Day! (One Internet Marketer's Analysis of Social Bookmark Traffic)
Written by: Titus Hoskins | Distributed: 2007-11-06 | Word Count: 1545 | Page Views: 23606 | Votes: 8 | Rating: 2.13
Is social bookmark traffic useless? Is it even worth cultivating for your site? Can it be used from an online marketing perspective? Read to discover one Internet Marketer's analysis of social bookmark/media traffic...

Successful Article Marketers Help Readers Solve Problems
Written by: Bill Platt | Distributed: 2008-10-29 | Word Count: 816 | Page Views: 18676 | Votes: 23 | Rating: 3.26
Every week, I have the opportunity to speak with people about the benefits and challenges of using article marketing to promote an online business. Article marketing is about getting your sales message in front of potential customers and to get links to your website. Many interpret this to mean that an article should directly promote a website within the article, but that approach is wrong and will reduce one's success using this methodology.

Tips For Building Your First Website
Written by: Benny Tsabba | Distributed: 2007-05-30 | Word Count: 1511 | Page Views: 14026 | Votes: 9 | Rating: 2.00
New people are coming online everyday. And many of those people desire to turn their spare time into spare cash. So begins their journey.

Successful Forum JVs and How To Get Them
Written by: Diana Barnum | Distributed: 2006-06-15 | Word Count: 648 | Page Views: 6342 | Votes: 11 | Rating: 2.18
The forming of common alliances, also referred to as a joint venture (JV), happens nearly every day in the business world. One of the most popular means of linking people up online of so that they can work together on their projects is via forums, where people of all levels of business and expertise post in common threads.

Increasing Productivity In Your Online Business
Written by: Willie Crawford | Distributed: 2006-06-14 | Word Count: 1407 | Page Views: 4217 | Votes: 32 | Rating: 3.72
Running an online "empire" of approximately 1600 websites and blogs, selling a variety of products, services and ideas, I have to be much more productive than the average person in a "regular job."

Who Else Wants to Know How-To Write an Effective Advertisement?
Written by: Bill Platt | Distributed: 2011-08-25 | Word Count: 1431 | Page Views: 4137 | Votes: 22 | Rating: 2.59
Webmasters struggle everyday with the question of how they should advertise their website. There are so many advertising venues; it is hard to know which is the right venue or the right combination of advertising venues.

A New Home Business
Written by: Angela Recchia | Distributed: 2006-09-08 | Word Count: 319 | Page Views: 4033 | Votes: 7 | Rating: 2.57
When joining a new affiliate program, many people do not know where to go next. They join thinking that's all that is needed without a plan of action. What is needed is promotion of your program and getting others to join you. If you are motivated and have the drive and knowledge to get you started. Then you are on your way.

Highest Ranked "Business Online" Articles

What Kind Of Backlinks Are Best At Helping Your Website In Google?
Written by: Bill Platt | Distributed: 2009-11-09 | Word Count: 439 | Page Views: 1640 | Votes: 5 | Rating: 4.80
I was in the Warrior Forum, and someone asked what kinds of Backlinks are worth pursuing. This is my answer to that query.

Making Money with High Paying Adsense Keywords
Written by: Blake Evans | Distributed: 2008-12-18 | Word Count: 536 | Page Views: 1419 | Votes: 5 | Rating: 4.20
Google was ingenious when they came up with Adsense. Not only do they get an opportunity to make additional money from their search engines, but they also allow Internet marketers a chance to make money in an easier manner. Why is this so? Well, with traditional affiliate marketing, you must make a sale before you receive commission. But with Adsense, all you have to do is create content that will produce ads that readers will click on.

Why Is The Wellness Industry So Popular?
Written by: Michelle Penfold | Distributed: 2009-03-12 | Word Count: 407 | Page Views: 3208 | Votes: 5 | Rating: 4.20
There is a lot of money to be made in the wellness industry. The field is large but there are many niche markets within it. The health supplement industry is one of the most popular niches. Health supplement juices and products abound. What is the reason that people are so interested in this niche?

How to Keep Your Article Content Fresh and Interesting
Written by: Craig Ritsema | Distributed: 2006-08-29 | Word Count: 699 | Page Views: 2009 | Votes: 17 | Rating: 4.18
Webmasters everywhere are constantly on the lookout for fresh and interesting content for their website. Along with these content qualities is the requirement that it be unique. Everyone wants their website to stand out above the others in the search engine results. So what is the trick for you to keep a steady supply of this quality content coming your way?

Is Your Business 'Out Of Site'? Employ The Ultimate Marketing Tool
Written by: Rick Sloboda | Distributed: 2007-01-09 | Word Count: 445 | Page Views: 2061 | Votes: 19 | Rating: 4.16
With the rapid expansion of the digital economy, the web site is conceivably the most powerful marketing and sales tool you can employ. Find out what a web site can do for you.

How To Use Your Race To Get Rich
Written by: Herbert Harris | Distributed: 2009-07-07 | Word Count: 1407 | Page Views: 2419 | Votes: 40 | Rating: 4.05
Amid recent news reports that there continues to be an ongoing and substantial gap between the net worth of Whites and other racial groups, it is easy to be distracted and overwhelmed by the raw data. However, I am immediately reminded of a quote offered by an economic expert from the past... "There are lies, damned lies, and statistics!"

Secrets of Domain Parking - An Innovative and Easier Way to Make Money
Written by: John Khu | Distributed: 2009-02-27 | Word Count: 484 | Page Views: 1220 | Votes: 7 | Rating: 4.00
Using a good domain parking services to monetize expired domain names seems to be a neglected aspect with a number of domain names traders. Domain parking is also an unfamiliar concept to many inexperienced domain name traders. Read this article to better understand domain parking and how it can be of benefit to you.

Expired Domain Gains - Simple Ideas to Create an Income Base
Written by: John Khu | Distributed: 2009-07-31 | Word Count: 549 | Page Views: 3082 | Votes: 14 | Rating: 4.00
You can use a number of simple methods and plans to create a solid income base that earns a monthly ongoing income base. For many expired domain entrepreneurs (both full-time and part time), expired domains offer an opportunity to supplement their current income with money earned out of dealing with expired domains.

Sell Yourself, Not Your Products or Services
Written by: Bill Platt | Distributed: 2012-01-02 | Word Count: 989 | Page Views: 2331 | Votes: 5 | Rating: 4.00
Sell yourself, not your products or services. The point we need to make is that your products and services will change over time as your business adapts to the realities of the marketplace.

The Most Important Ingredient for Info Product Success (is You)
Written by: Judy Murdoch | Distributed: 2008-04-15 | Word Count: 981 | Page Views: 1286 | Votes: 13 | Rating: 3.92
Last week I was attending a conference and mentioned to someone I help small business owners create information products. The other person was very friendly until I said "information products." Then the temperature in the room dropped about 10-degrees







Article Reprint Rights
Creative Commons License

This work is
licensed under a
Creative Commons
License


You are not required to show the creative commons license notice when you reprint this work.
Article Publishing Tools
Print Article
Email-to-Blog
HTML Source Code
Text Newsletter Format
Link Back HTML

Blog Publishing Tools

Internal ID: #5097
Article Statistics
Word Count: 720

Total Views: 924
Views This Month: 11
Views Last Month: 16

Article Rating: 2.44 of 5
Votes Cast: 9

Author Overall Stats:

Times Viewed Overall: 5076
Author Rating: 2.54 of 5
Votes Cast Overall: 41

More Articles By Author:




Article Title Search:

Widow Search
Right Blinker
Google
Yahoo!
Zuula
Bing
Cuil

Last Distribution Date:
2007-07-19 11:12:00






All Articles are Copyright © 2001-2012 of the Defined Authors.

All other material and images on this site are:
Copyright © 2001-2012, ThePhantomWriters.com

Local Marketing Consultant