Advertising: Is a Phone Number Necessary?

[NukleoN 34]

Hi there,

What are your opinions on phone numbers on cars in the day of ubiquitous email and web access? I generally prefer not to get phone calls, since I don't know when people are going to call and prefer emails instead (where I can give them my full attention).

Has anyone here had good success advertising their business on their cars with just a web/email address and no phone number? I also like web addresses so customers can browse my products before getting hold of me...so they'll know pricing and all that (though my store needs some serious updating). I also think it's easier to remember an easy website URL than a number on the go.

Any opinions are welcome.

[rrc1962 0]

I can think of three things...

(1) I get calls all the time while sitting in traffic from people who just happen to be sitting in the same traffic looking at the car. 

(2) Listing a phone number tells the customer that you are a local business and are accessible.

(3) While passing you in traffic, a phone number is a lot easier to write down or remember than an email address or website address...Unless the address and email are short, idiot simple and non-cryptic.

Vehicle lettering is completely different that display advertising.  They usually have less than 2 seconds to take in your contact info and process it while driving. 

[jeremySI 18]

why not put both?  also depends on how catchy your website/business name is. mine is really catchy that wouldnt be hard for someone to remember after only seeing for a couple seconds. if you have a long hard to remember name then you may want some other method that is easier to write down/remember.

the whole calling at unknown times is a good thing i like about having an android phone. you can get google voice which gives you a whole separate number, you can use that as your business number and it also lets you go in and set up times to where calls are automatically directed to voicemail.

[kyjeeper 1]

why not put both?  also depends on how catchy your website/business name is. mine is really catchy that wouldnt be hard for someone to remember after only seeing for a couple seconds. if you have a long hard to remember name then you may want some other method that is easier to write down/remember.

the whole calling at unknown times is a good thing i like about having an android phone. you can get google voice which gives you a whole separate number, you can use that as your business number and it also lets you go in and set up times to where calls are automatically directed to voicemail.

You can do this with just about any phone and a google voice #.  I've done this with my iPhone.

[bamafan2277 50]

I also use the google voice number.

My cell phone is in a different area code where most of my family lives and I visit several times a month. My advertising up there includes my real cell phone #.

My google voice number is in the area code where I live now and I advertise that here.

That way people up in my hometown see the number and know i'm from the area and people where I live now know the same thing.

[NukleoN 34]

So far I think the best case is letting people know you're local. That does count for a lot (though you could put a city name on your advertising too, I suppose). Understandably, there are probably a few people out there who are just more comfortable hearing a voice than writing an email. I really like the Google number idea.

Great feedback so far, thanks a lot. The Google number is a level of separation I like..does this simply forward to a number you specify?

[BannerJohn 1,324]

people ask me in emails for a phone number all the time. I tell them I am hearing impaired (true) and if they want the sign done RIGHT they better just email me. It never fails.

[NukleoN 34]

people ask me in emails for a phone number all the time. I tell them I am hearing impaired (true) and if they want the sign done RIGHT they better just email me. It never fails.

This is interesting John, because I am hearing impaired too. Probably another reason I hate relying too much on the phone, especially if the call is unexpected (as most are). Takes me a bit to 'settle in' and get to where I can hear the customer with the combination of phone volume, hearing aid, etc. and I don't have my phone on when driving.

Personally, I find the phone annoying moreso because of how disruptive it is...people just call when they feel like it and who knows what else is going on. Great if I am running a shop, not good if I am working on freelance art and need blocks of time without interruption (I do vinyl stuff around my freelance art to fill in the gaps). I commit 100% attention to my work as the rest of us would, I just hate being interrupted by phones.

I might just stick to email/web unless someone really wants to talk, then I can have them call (or call them) at a specified time. I worry about mis-hearing too. Nothing beats email for making yourself clear about what you want, and it gives the customer time to think about it (and attach references for color, design, etc.). The email is also a handy record as well since the customer (or we) might forget what was ordered.

[rrc1962 0]

I got a call today while driving down town.  The guy was behind me and asked if I'd pull over so he could ask me about a job.  I'm doing the job tomorrow.  

[NukleoN 34]

I got a call today while driving down town.  The guy was behind me and asked if I'd pull over so he could ask me about a job.  I'm doing the job tomorrow.  

That is cool, just that I don't drive much and I wouldn't have the phone on when driving either. In L.A., I don't know if I would actually pull over to talk to someone who called me and asked me to pull over to talk about decals if I didn't know them. This might seem paranoid, but I would assume someone who really just wants decals could just call and leave a message (or email) if they want work done. What if the person calling me wants to just rob me or take my car or try to sell me something or whatever else? I know, to some it seems paranoid but I like the layer of separation.

I've done work for people having never met them or talked to them on the phone. Still, I might try the phone number thing and see if that makes a difference. I had a website URL for a while but got no hits...but I hardly ever drive so I took it off. Now, I just have a reference to my site (in small letters) which reads 'Graphics by NukleoN.com'. So, motivated parties can still contact me, but advertising is no longer the main focus of my car. I have a NASA theme, so I wanted to stay true to that as much as possible and keep the advertising itself subtle. The car already gets a lot of attention since it looks like a tiny space shuttle.

That's great that you got a job out of your ad!.

[BannerJohn 1,324]

people ask me in emails for a phone number all the time. I tell them I am hearing impaired (true) and if they want the sign done RIGHT they better just email me. It never fails.

This is interesting John, because I am hearing impaired too. Probably another reason I hate relying too much on the phone, especially if the call is unexpected (as most are). Takes me a bit to 'settle in' and get to where I can hear the customer with the combination of phone volume, hearing aid, etc. and I don't have my phone on when driving.

Personally, I find the phone annoying moreso because of how disruptive it is...people just call when they feel like it and who knows what else is going on. Great if I am running a shop, not good if I am working on freelance art and need blocks of time without interruption (I do vinyl stuff around my freelance art to fill in the gaps). I commit 100% attention to my work as the rest of us would, I just hate being interrupted by phones.

I might just stick to email/web unless someone really wants to talk, then I can have them call (or call them) at a specified time. I worry about mis-hearing too. Nothing beats email for making yourself clear about what you want, and it gives the customer time to think about it (and attach references for color, design, etc.). The email is nice because it serves as a record of what the customer ordered.

yeah,nothing worse than the phone ringing right in the middle of laying down a long line of text or a layer of a decal.

Since I do most of my work from online, it's usually not a problem,and my regular customere locally know to email me or get me on Facebook.

But, if I miss a job it's no big deal. I have more work than I really want.

[NukleoN 34]

people ask me in emails for a phone number all the time. I tell them I am hearing impaired (true) and if they want the sign done RIGHT they better just email me. It never fails.

This is interesting John, because I am hearing impaired too. Probably another reason I hate relying too much on the phone, especially if the call is unexpected (as most are). Takes me a bit to 'settle in' and get to where I can hear the customer with the combination of phone volume, hearing aid, etc. and I don't have my phone on when driving.

Personally, I find the phone annoying moreso because of how disruptive it is...people just call when they feel like it and who knows what else is going on. Great if I am running a shop, not good if I am working on freelance art and need blocks of time without interruption (I do vinyl stuff around my freelance art to fill in the gaps). I commit 100% attention to my work as the rest of us would, I just hate being interrupted by phones.

I might just stick to email/web unless someone really wants to talk, then I can have them call (or call them) at a specified time. I worry about mis-hearing too. Nothing beats email for making yourself clear about what you want, and it gives the customer time to think about it (and attach references for color, design, etc.). The email is nice because it serves as a record of what the customer ordered.

yeah,nothing worse than the phone ringing right in the middle of laying down a long line of text or a layer of a decal.

Since I do most of my work from online, it's usually not a problem,and my regular customere locally know to email me or get me on Facebook.

But, if I miss a job it's no big deal. I have more work than I really want.

Hear, hear! (No pun intended for us quasi-deaf folk) hehe. You know how it is...your brain is in a rested alpha-state...right brain neurons firing on some design...and when you're a little deaf (like I am) the phone is set to Defcon 1 LOUD and when it rings it's quite a shock. Not condusive to art, laying down vinyl, cutting decals with a utility knife, or when you're watching Little House on the Prairie and the girls are moved to tears when they find out Ma actually made three dresses for the girls with store-boughten Calico instead of one for herself- *sniff* *BRIINGINGAGGLINGALINGALING!!*.  

[BannerJohn 1,324]

very true. I tend to concentrate on what I am doing and when the phone rings loud, it jolts me.

My brain never rests...that's why I can't sleep. I have had tests done.

[NukleoN 34]

very true. I tend to concentrate on what I am doing and when the phone rings loud, it jolts me.

My brain never rests...that's why I can't sleep. I have had tests done.

Same issue here. I've spent a lot on Kindle books for iPhone just to lull my brain to sleep....for me it works like a charm...distracts me from the day's events long enough to fall asleep. I purposely read on the iPhone because it's dark in the bedroom and the phone is backlit (airplane mode, no calls, lowest brightness setting). So there's just this tiny little screen, and it focuses everything on that Kindle book in a visual manner without disturbing my girlfriend with a reading light. The problem is I keep finishing the books and have to buy new ones heh.

Before I did that, I'd just stay up way too late and then have trouble getting up the next day for work and what-not, so I found that keeping a good book in my iPhone Kindle helps me want to go to bed earlier just to read. I make a point not to read that book any other time, so it becomes a bit of a reward associated with bedtime.

[mabscotthandyman 1,410]

I use phone numbers on my vehicles along with email info also on my jobsite sign's. Mostly I use the cell phone number now as it is with me all the time. Also I don't worry about answering it if i am busy I can always call back and say this is Dan with Mr. Handy Man I see by my caller id that you called how may I help you. And like you John I don't worry about maybe losing one job as I have more than I can handle most of the time. The Web is not caught on here as a advertising tool in West Virginia like the rest of the country probably due to the rural setting and older population that still uses the phone

[Rodger 527]

You can do this with just about any phone and a google voice #.  I've done this with my iPhone.

Thank you KYJeeper ( also to BigFoot ), That is great & my favorite price  I had never heard about the google phone . I now have a local # i can use in WV & also 1 in Tn .

[rrc1962 0]

The Web is not caught on here as a advertising tool in West Virginia like the rest of the country probably due to the rural setting and older population that still uses the phone

That's true in most areas.  People like to talk to someone in person.  They get more satisfaction that their concerns have been dealt with after hearing a voice than after reading an email.

[thebuttontaylor 1]

The Google number is a level of separation I like..does this simply forward to a number you specify?

You can actually set a schedule when it will ring your phone.

[Dakotagrafx 7,297]

you can on vonage

[PAUPAU 0]

I keep a magicjack for this. Voicemail and call forwarding. My computer picks up all my calls whether it's on or not. I also have a vanity number for my biz