Thursday, October 26, 2006

Toll Free Numbers for Cell Phones

Could you use a cell phone that has a toll free number? By that I mean a 800, 866, 877, 888 prefix instead of your area code. With such a phone, you'd pay for the call when someone phones you long distance. In a way, you'd be bribing them to call you because it would be free to them. Anyone you'd like to bribe? How about customers from your advertising, potential agents for your business or someone just wanting more information before they make a buying decision.

Toll free numbers have long been a staple of business. Customers have come to expect a toll free number for placing orders, calling customer service or just getting more information. If the number isn't toll free, they may think twice about making the call. Instead, they look around for someone who does have a toll free number.

Some toll free numbers are set up just to support an ad campaign. Say you are running radio, TV, print, or flyer ads and want to know how well they are working. You could set up a special post office box and wait for the mail to come in. But if you want fast, impulsive response a phone call is much better. You may even be running several ads at once, each with a different toll free number. Just get the call reports and you can see at a glance which ad is pulling better.

Now if you could just get a toll free cell number on your cell phone, you'd never miss a business opportunity. This is especially true if you are a real estate agent, independent insurance salesperson or are involved in network marketing. Being able to take the call immediately can often spell the difference between gaining a customer and having them look elsewhere. What if you could get a toll free number on your cell phone and not even have to change phones? You can.

There is a toll free service called "follow me" that gives you a toll free telephone number that works anywhere in the U.S. and Canada. You set it to "ring to" whatever phone is most convenient. That's your ring-to number. It can be a landline phone at home or in your office. It can also be your cell phone. Best of all, you can change that ring-to number anytime you like. If you are in an office all day, have your toll free number ring to your desk phone. When you leave, change it to ring to your cell phone. Or just let it ring to your cell phone all the time.

This toll free service also gives you voice mail so that works just like an answering machine. If you don't pick up your phone, the caller can leave a message. They can also leave a FAX. How do you get a FAX from your voice mail? The system sends it to your email. It will also send your voice messages to your email so you can listen to them on your computer, even at the coffee shop.

Whether you choose to have a single toll free number or a bunch of them, you get a detailed online report that shows who called, when they called, where they called from, how long the call was and how much it cost. Caller ID support is part of the system. All this data will come in handy for analyzing the effectiveness of your ads and for tax records. For a small extra fee, you can ask the system to look up the addresses of your callers so you can send them a follow-up mailer if you wish.

So how much does all this sophistication cost? Service starts at just $2 to set up a number and $2 a month to keep it active. Any calls that come in are billed at 6.9 cents per minute from the US 48 states and most of Canada. That includes all the service features mentioned, plus the ability to call out using the service as a virtual calling card at the same rates. You'll only pay more to forward your calls overseas, set up advanced services like an automated attendant, or to be more choosy about the toll free number you pick. Some vanity numbers can get pricey, but may be worth having because they are easier for customers to remember.

If toll free number service for your cell phone or desk phone sounds like something you could put to good use, and give your business extra credibility as well, learn more and pick the number you want now at Agile 800 Instant Toll Free Service

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