All lawyers agree on one thing. Law is one of the most competitive businesses out there. A seasoned attorney knows this. A new one might fear this. But, every single one looks for advantages over other lawyers because of this.
Out of all of the advantages, the one that never fails to gather new clients is the purchase of a vanity number. That’s why lawyers look to vanity numbers for an advantage over the competition. Vanity numbers work as advertisements and work with advertisements to keep the clients calling.
A lawyer who takes out an advertisement on a billboard in a high-traffic area with a number that looks like any other number won’t get as many calls as one with a memorable pattern or word included. That’s just a fact. Here are some tips and tricks to help you make the most of your vanity number.
1. Use a call to action.
In advertising, a call to action means encouraging readers or viewers to take the desired action. The obvious words such as “call” come to mind immediately. An effective number might look like (818) 273-CALL.
212VanityNumbers.com’s search engine makes it so easy to play around with different ideas for a reason. We want your experience to be fun and simple. Just jump in there and start searching with different words that make sense for your business.
2. Add your name to your number.
Some lawyers have it easier than others when it comes to adding their names to their vanity numbers. For instance, not everyone has only four letters in their name. Creating a number such as (818) ASK-JOSE makes sense for Jose. That’s not necessarily true for Andrew. However, if Andrew is okay using Andy, then it’s a simple fix.
Even so, let’s say your name is Jesus. Your number wouldn’t need to be (818) ASK-JESU. You would simply leave the “s” so that it appears as (818) ASK-JESUS. The last letter just acts as a placeholder when someone dials the number. Try searching for your own name.
3. Choose memorable patterns or repeaters.
Phone number patterns work similarly to jingles for commercials. Jingles are those memorable but very simple sing-a-long advertisements that are hard to forget. Often jingles get stuck in your mind like a repetitive lyric in a popular song.
Phone number patterns also make great visuals. A potential client who sees 2222 will read an ad, see a name, and remember that number easily even if the area code and the first three numbers aren’t patterns. Advertising on buses, cars, billboards, or any high-traffic item requires memorable images.
Take a look at these patterns or create your own patterns.
4. Use toll-free or local numbers.
Toll-free numbers make you look professional and serious about your business. When any professional advertises with “Just call our toll-free number”, people relax and take their guard down.
For a lawyer, taking a potential client’s guard down removes a huge obstacle, considering that most people don’t trust lawyers.
Local numbers have a different way of taking someone’s guard down. Local numbers give the impression that you are approachable as well as more available for whatever your clients need. If that’s how you want to be perceived then a local number may be better for you. Read more in Which Works Better: a Local or Toll-Free Number for Your Business?
5. Use playful or emotional words.
No doubt, play can be tricky for lawyers. But, with TV shows like “Better Call Saul” out there, it will likely boost business. When people prepare speeches, they often start with a joke for the simple reason that it will make people laugh and therefore relax.
A number such as (260) 88-TRUST could be used to call attention to the fact that you know people often worry about trusting lawyers. You could use it to show and tell clients that you are the opposite of the negative stereotype that labels lawyers as not trustworthy. That one word creates endless possibilities for ad content.
6. Use different phone numbers for different services.
Common ways lawyers use phone numbers to represent different services depends on the service. You’ve seen popular vanity number words such as “ACCIDENT” or “DIVORCE”. But other words can be used to represent your services. Sometimes the word doesn’t even need to spell “DIVORCE”.
The word could simply read “HOPE”. Why? Well, lawyers who’ve had to handle divorce cases know all too well the emotions involved. People considering divorce aren’t feeling hopeful but they want to feel it. When they see a phone number with the word “HOPE” in it, they will at least take notice.
7. Use multiple numbers to target different clients.
Normally lawyers offer multiple services even if they specialize in divorce. They may also specialize or have to deal with estate planning by default. They may also handle business disputes or contractual disputes because it comes with the territory.
A simple number such as (361) CONTRACT can be found using the 212VanityNumbers.com search engine. These kinds of numbers are visual and take care of any contractual dispute you want to highlight. You could use another number specifically for divorce cases or advertise a whole other service.
It makes more sense than ever for lawyers to have multiple phone numbers that address different areas of expertise. Just remember, vanity numbers are also the best word-of-mouth tools because people easily recall them, so they’re easy to recommend. Now, go get your number.
