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Providing Telephone numbers for people to actually call you? - How many calls do you get?

by Matt Morgan
15 replies
As business marketers, do you guys give your telephone number out for people, customers, partners to contact you and call you, for a more personal approach?

As I have seen some larger companies dont their number out.

And if so, do people actually call you?

how many warriors or other marketers actually call you in the span of a year?
#call #give #number #people #telephone
  • Profile picture of the author CDarklock
    Originally Posted by Matt Morgan View Post

    As business marketers, do you guys give your telephone number out
    If you do any email marketing, you're required by law to do so.

    I get about four phone calls a year, half from clients or potential clients, and the other half from people who just wanted to know if it was my real number.
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    • Profile picture of the author abeja_reina_1989
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      • Profile picture of the author CDarklock
        Originally Posted by abeja_reina_1989 View Post

        You're required by law to give out a number?
        If you are promoting by mass email, yes.

        If you own your own domain, yes. (It's in your registration info and available via WHOIS, unless you use one of the "privacy" options at your domain registrar. I believe those relatively-recent options will become illegal and disappear in the future.)

        I did create a saynow.com account.
        That is perfectly sufficient. So long as it's a number that can be used to contact you, you're fine. Many people (including myself) use Google Voice, because it conveniently redirects to any other phone you desire and will transcribe your voicemail automatically - then send it to your email.
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        • Profile picture of the author Aussie_Al
          I provide a toll free number on all my sites for customers to call me - I would say I get 5-10 calls a week - some people just want to talk to make sure you are legit - others have questions about their orders etc
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    • Profile picture of the author ryanbiddulph
      Originally Posted by CDarklock View Post

      I get about four phone calls a year, half from clients or potential clients, and the other half from people who just wanted to know if it was my real number.
      Lol.....I receive a few more calls than that but a fair number of "just wanted to see if you'd pick up" or "wow a real person" type calls. I like the delay when I first pick up.....shocked.

      Ryan
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  • Profile picture of the author Louise Green
    Of course I give my phone number, I've never heard of a business that doesn't.

    There's several phone calls to the office every day, but I rarely speak to anyone directly via the phone (apart from my staff). They keep calling us.
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    • Profile picture of the author bgmacaw
      Originally Posted by Louise Evans View Post

      Of course I give my phone number, I've never heard of a business that doesn't.
      Some companies, especially some bigger ones, can be quite cagey about giving out phone numbers, especially ones where you can talk to a real person. That's why sites like this one, GetHuman.com , are popular.
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    • Profile picture of the author David Jackson
      Originally Posted by Louise Evans View Post

      Of course I give my phone number, I've never heard of a business that doesn't.
      You've never heard of a business that doesn't? Are you kidding? The Internet is rampant with businesses that don't provide any contact information at all - not even an e-mail address.

      David Jackson
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      • Profile picture of the author mcmahanusa
        Originally Posted by David Jackson View Post

        You've never heard of a business that doesn't? Are you kidding? The Internet is rampant with businesses that don't provide any contact information at all - not even an e-mail address.

        David Jackson

        And not just internet businesses. When was the last time you saw a listing for a Bank of America branch? I have noted that a disappointingly large number of businesses (even brick and mortar businesses) do everything they can to discourage phone callers. Including using voice mail systems that make you want to scream and tear your hair out in frustration.
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  • Profile picture of the author mlord10
    My phone # is listed on my consulting site, and I get several phone calls weekly from potential clients.
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  • Profile picture of the author KathyK
    You are required by law, (in the USA) as CDarklock said, to do so if you do email marketing. Look up "Can Spam Act" (not its real name but what most people call it). My company does email newsletters for offline businesses - and we make darned sure that Phone #, address and all the rest of the legal stuff (including working unsubscribe link) is on there.

    OTOH, in my own personal freelance stuff, I give it out only if absolutely necessary. And I don't do email marketing.

    I find clients tend to call at late hours. I get up around 4am and go to bed very early. And I'm very much NOT at my best when awakened. (Never had a client call me after 8pm twice. But I try to avoid the problem if I can.)
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  • Profile picture of the author AndyBeard
    A phone number is a marketing opportunity of a whole in your business data, and certainly (though I am not a lawyer) there isn't a requirement to have one on your website unless you are a Ltd company or PLC.

    A phone number is a liability because affiliates don't get paid for the referral (unless you use ShareaSale for instance) or you lose data about where a lead came from.

    If you need to list a phone number, it is well worth investing in something like ifbyphone.com as they can provide tracking data for all incoming phone calls.
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  • Profile picture of the author edd666666
    I put it on my sales letter near the bottom: The Conduct KNOCKOUT Broadcast Interviews System and get maybe one call every two weeks and none of them are a problem. Now my email is another story, but you didn't ask about that. Thanks, Ed
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  • Profile picture of the author helisell
    130,000 list

    Around 8,000 customers

    6,500 site visits a day

    1 to 2 phone calls a day at the most
    and they are always really happy
    that we answer and actually speak to them.



    .
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  • Profile picture of the author AndyBeard
    CDarklock

    I would love to know what reference you are using for the legal requirement to have a telephone specifically in relation to bulk email.

    The only real reference to anything in CAN SPAM and related documents to the provision of a telephone is when an email message is use to solicit a telemarketing call & in such case the Telemarketing Sales Rule might apply.

    Also CAN SPAM is about the content of an email, not the website.

    For websites in the UK the law covering things like the need for mailing address, phone number and company registration details is SI 3429 of 2006

    I would love to find out if there is a US equivalent to that, as it might level the playing field a little for UK affiliates... but then we still have to contend with the Consumer Protection Act. It isn't hard being open and honest, but less of a bitter pill when everyone else has to be as well.
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