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Marketing and branding are two common buzzwords associated with your business. But you’re probably thinking about the name, logo, or commercials relating to a business. These are just a few examples of marketing and branding, but another important factor that can commonly be overlooked is the phone number.
Choosing a certain phone number or area code makes a big difference and separates your business from the competition.
Why Does The Phone Number Matter?
The ultimate goal of your business is to offer up an alternative to your competition. Any way that you can separate your business from the others is beneficial to making a sale. Having a generic phone number makes your business seem dull and unimaginative.
Think about all of those late-night commercials for injury lawyers or payday loans. They often have a specific number that spells out a word that’s related to their law firm. You might not realize it, but this is a clever marketing move designed to help you to remember the phone number this way instead of ten random digits.
These are what are known as vanity numbers, but they are far from the only important factor when it comes to the phone number of a business.
Why Does The Area Code Matter?
Even if you don’t decide to opt for a vanity number, you should still consider changing the area code associated with your business. Although it might not seem like it, a lot of information is being relayed to a potential customer with just those three numbers.
There are a few different options available when it comes to changing your area code, each with its own potential benefits and perceptions.
A TOLL FREE NUMBER
Having a toll-free number means that the person calling won’t be charged fees for making a long-distance call. The most common toll-free code is 800. But over time, the codes 888, 877, 866, 855, 844, and 833 have been added due to the popularity of the prefix.
A toll-free code gives your customers a sense that your business is run nationally. The perception that a business is national helps provide trust for the customer that they will have a quality product and positive experience.
A LOCAL AREA CODE
Using a local area code gives customers a sense that you are headquartered in their area and beneficial to their community. The idea of helping their community by supporting a local business can be the deciding factor for some customers.
If you are primarily selling a product or service in a certain area, having an out-of-town phone number for your business might confuse your customers and lead to them misdialing or not answering.
PRESTIGIOUS CODES
Some area codes can even bring a sense of legitimacy to your business right from the beginning. For example, the area code of 212 is one of several codes that are assigned to Manhattan, which contains some of the most powerful and wealthy businesses in the world.
Having a business number with an area code of 212 boosts the perception of your business.
Where Is Area Code 954?
Area code 954 is located on the southeastern seaboard of Florida and covers the cities of Fort Lauderdale, Hollywood, Coral Springs, Pembroke Pines, and several others. This area is known as Broward County and makes up about 1,200 square miles of the space between West Palm Beach to the north and Miami to the south.
Around 1.7 million people currently live in Broward county. The 954 area code has been in use since 1995, but the overlay code of 754 was added a few years later as a result of the population boom in South Florida.
Why Use A 954 Area Code?
Tourism is an extremely popular business in the South Florida region. Using an area code of 954 helps you to build up a local presence in the area and potentially reach new customers.
Another key factor determining the value of a 954 area code is that Florida is the 4th largest state economy in the nation. Because approximately half of the state’s workforce is made up of small businesses, having a 954 area code brings a certain appeal and charm to your business.
There are a few other perceptions that can come with a 954 area code as well:
A LOW UNEMPLOYMENT RATE
Before the pandemic changed the world, Fort Lauderdale consistently had an unemployment rate of less than five percent. As the world slowly begins to return to normal, the unemployment rate should return to around these levels.
When an area has a low unemployment rate, it means that the job market is more competitive. This gives off the indication that your business is thriving despite having intense competition.
Another benefit is that low unemployment rates lead to further job growth and expansion, so local customers will be more likely to purchase a product with these potential benefits.
LOWER TAXES AND COST OF LIVING
Although the cost of living for Florida is a little bit higher than the national average, the minimum wage is more, and the tax burden is much less. Seven states have a low tax rate for the residents and businesses; Florida is one of them.
Along with the geographical location of Florida, this low tax rate is considered one of the main reasons for so many businesses relocating to Florida in the last few decades. While the tax rate and cost of living for your business wouldn’t change by simply switching your area code, it is appealing to a potential customer that your business has more capital and value by being in Florida.
TOURISTS AND COLLEGES
Tourism is one of the most important economic factors for Florida. The weather is preferred to the icy storms and snow of many northern parts of the United States, so the beaches are filled with people from out of town.
The addition of Disney World has helped Florida grow into a popular vacation destination as well. A number associated with a high tourism area would indicate that your business always has a steady stream of money coming in front out of town.
Instead of circulating money around the community, out-of-town money helps build it up and improve the area, leading to higher levels of tourism.
Another benefit of the 954 area code is all of the colleges and institutions of higher learning nearby. Similar to the 415 area code of San Francisco, having an area code associated with high levels of education brings an intellectual appeal to a business.
The Takeaway
Despite only being three digits, the area code associated with your business has a large impact on your customers and their perception of your business. Whether reasonable or not, customers can make a lot of assumptions about a company based on the area code in their phone number.
An area code of 954 currently has several potential benefits and brings about positive perceptions for your business. Use the Burner app as a second calling number to stay relevant in the 954 area code and keep your business and personal lives private, and separate.
SOURCES
Do area codes even matter anymore? | Marketwatch.com
What Is a Toll-Free Number and How Does it Work? | FCC.gov
In Manhattan, the 646 Area Code Is Correct, but Somehow Wrong (Published 1999) | NYTimes.com
954 Area Code - Location map, time zone, and phone lookup | Allareacodes.com
The Alliance - Broward County June jobs increased by 34,800 year over year (+4.4%) | GFLAlliance.org.
Do Floridians pay the lowest taxes? A comparison with other states - May 19• Opinion | Tampabay.com
