I'm just reading Paul Gorman's How to Out-Advertise etc. book and he says that using a freephone telephone number increases response rates from adverts. Since I'm new to "business" I wanted to ask the community whether anyone tried this or anything similar.
I'm also looking at eReceptionist.co.uk . Although, I'm not sure it is a good idea, but honestly I'm not entirely confident on the telephone. They offer a service where you can be contacted on a freephone number, and then their service forwards the call to your mobile/landline. Does the prospect's call remain free this way?
A freephone number is not so much a biggie nowadays. A local number or 0330 number should suffice.
With regards to your e-receptionist question, yes the prospects call is free to them, and you will bear both the cost of it being 0800 and the cost of transferring to a mobile.
Not heard of Paul Gorman, but just had a look on Amazon and note that books from 1998... A lot has changed with marketing since 1998.
Do you remember the episode of Dragons Den where someone was pitching an 0800 numbers yellow pages type service.
Accross the board they were knocked back on the basis that they were out of touch with reality (trying to start a yellow pages when nobody uses it anymore for starters!) and an 0800 number means that you could be anywhere where local business people generally want local businesses and your telephone number (sort of) advertisies that.
Why do I say sort of? Well, there is no need for your local number to actually be for your specific area so say you lived in a low income code area you could rent a number from (say) an adjoining code in a more affluent area.
I use Vonage (costs me £5.99 a month plus some calls (many are free). It was introduced to me on this site by Bill (Wella)) where you get a black box that you just plug into your phone socket at home. You still have your existing number (if you want to use it) but you also have a number of choice with the area code of choice and via your internet account you set up your number so that if it is called it can simultaneously call a number of other lines including a mobile.
When you pick up the person that you are talking to has no idea that they are talking to someone out of area, possibly on a mobile (you pay the transfer between the landline and the mobile but the rates are very cheap). So if you want to be no matter where you are clients can always contact you via a single easy to remember number (try to get as few different numbers in the combination as possible preferably starting and ending with a double identical digit which makes it obviouso that the number is a business line without being an 0800 number).
There is of course an additional advantage in that if you want you can switch the business line off for a while (I wouldn't do that but you can) and you still have your existing land line where clients do not have your real number. If someone cannot contact you there is an automated call answering service and you get both a voicemail message and an email with the voicemail as an attachment.
I'm not advertising that you should get Vonage but I am saying that you should at least take a look at it.... Also, personally I think that an 0800 number would be a mistake unless you really are a national service.
There are other similar service providers (I think that Kris uses a different one).
HTH,
kind regards,
Shaun.
__________________
Shaun
Responses are not meant as a substitute for professional advice. Answers are intended as outline only the advice of a qualified professional with access to all relevant information should be sought before acting on any response given.
Thank you for your reply. May I just bother you with another question? Would an upstart bookkeeper require Public Liability Insurance? I know it is not compulsory, but highly recommended. I might or might not get work at clients' or at accountants' premises. I've looked at PLI and Employer's Liability (though as a one man company I don't need it at present) from Qdos (ICB Preferred Supplier, I got my PII from them). Well, PLI would cost £46.80 for a year. I found/read stories that this person and that business claimed such and such unbelievable huge amounts of money from the defendant`s Insurer. I think they are mostly scaremongering stories, of course I could be awfully wrong. If you were to offer somebody subcontract work at your premises, would you require them to have/show their Public Liability Insurance Certificate? The answer`s probably yes, but I am interested in your view on PLI for an upstart. The possible cost of PLI would add to my expenses, yet could save my business if something went wrong in the future. Your responses usually highlight things from another perspective, which is very good.
As a self employed person PLI might not just save your business, it could also save your house as it is you that is ultimately responsible for the debts (including fines) on your business. (Thats not true of incorporated entities unless personal responsibility or lifting of the veil can be shown).
I would be prone to staying with mainstream insurers such as direct line, More Than, Aviva and Hiscox.
Don't pay for more than you need to. You will find that some companies bundle insurance with things not at all applicable... Can't remember which one it was but a few years ago I was looking at an insurance policy and found that I was also covered for international freight in transit!
Also ensure that any insurance also includes any legal costs associated with a claim. You will find one of the options with larger insurers is more general legal protection which is well worth having if the cost is right.
HTH,
Shaun.
__________________
Shaun
Responses are not meant as a substitute for professional advice. Answers are intended as outline only the advice of a qualified professional with access to all relevant information should be sought before acting on any response given.
