What Type of Business Phone Number is Right for Your Startup?

No matter what business you are in, whether it’s a large corporation or a small startup, you need to have a business phone number for a startup.

A business phone number is one of the most essential tools you should have to promote your new business. It’s how customers and clients will reach you and how you’ll project a professional image to the world.

If you plan to use a personal number for business, it isn’t the best option for maintaining your work-life balance. You need a second number for business to separate your personal and professional lives.

So what type of business phone number is right for your startup? In this article, we’ll explore the different options and help you choose the best one for your business.

Types of Business Phone Numbers

A company’s phone number is one of the first things a potential customer will see or hear about your company. It is a primary factor for business communication that is necessary to build customer relationships.

There are a few different types of business phone numbers that entrepreneurs can use for their businesses. Let’s talk briefly about them.

1.  Local Phone Numbers

A local phone number is a wonderful way to get a professional-looking phone number for your startup business. It can be used as your business number, and it will give your startup a more professional look.

By having a local number, you can help localize your business. The number begins with an area code of a certain area, state, or city. It creates your business’s local presence in that particular area.

Pros

• Solidify your business in the eyes of your local customers and partners.
• Local numbers strengthen your business in the eyes of local clients and vendors.
• Promotional campaigns can be more easily measured with local phone numbers.

Cons

• You cannot use a local phone number of a particular location in other locations.
• A local number may not easily attract potential customers from other locations.
• Phone numbers may appear unprofessional, indicating a bad reputation for your company.

2. Mobile Phone Numbers

A mobile phone number can be a valuable asset for a business. It is a lot more personal than a landline number, and it can help you communicate with your customers directly from anywhere.

Plus, with new features like call forwarding and voicemail, a mobile phone number can be just as functional as a landline number.

Pros

• Since mobile numbers are portable, you can carry them anywhere with you.
• Calls on landline phones can be easily forwarded to your mobile number.

Cons

• Some areas may not have network coverage, which can make them unreliable.
• Difficult to port mobile phone numbers to new phone service providers.

3. National Phone Numbers

A national phone number is reachable from every part of the nation at the same cost similarly to a local phone number. This phone number is becoming increasingly popular for businesses operating throughout a single country.

Unlike a local phone number, a national number is not bound to a single geographical location. Some phone service companies ensure that national numbers are reachable only within a single country.

Pros

• National phone numbers can give your business a larger reach within a country.
• Phone calls from anywhere in the country have the same phone call rate.

Cons

• Some national phone numbers cannot be reached from outside the country.
• Using a national phone number can be costly if you have customers around the world.

4. Toll-Free Numbers

Toll-free numbers are a great way for startups to establish their professional presence. You can easily remember toll-free numbers and can give your business a boost in the market.

With a toll-free number, callers can contact a business free of charge. If you are thinking of offering customers a free and easy way to contact your business, the toll-free number is a great solution. So these days, most businesses are often seen adopting 888 area code phone number to be easily available to the customers and improve customer experience.

Pros

• Customers can easily reach you with toll-free numbers since they are easy to remember.
• Increased customer reach, higher level of customer service, and increased credibility.
• Higher chance of generating leads as toll-free numbers are not tied to a specific location.

Cons

• Toll-Free Numbers can be susceptible to abuse, such as spamming and telemarketing.
• Toll-free numbers can give the impression that you are in another country.

5. Vanity Phone Numbers

Businesses use vanity phone numbers as their business phone numbers for a variety of reasons. First, vanity phone numbers are easy to remember since customers can easily memorize them.

Second, vanity phone numbers are alphanumeric which can help your business stand out from the competition. A unique, memorable alphanumeric phone number can describe what your business is about. It’s a shark out in a sea of boring, generic phone numbers.

Make sure the number is easy to spell and pronounce. You don’t want customers to get frustrated trying to remember your number. Also, avoid using numbers that are too similar to other businesses’ numbers.

Pros

• Vanity phone numbers are beneficial for marketing because they are easy to remember.
• Vanity phone numbers can show customers what your business is popular for.
• Callers can call vanity numbers for free.

Cons

• Vanity numbers can be used for spamming and telemarketing.
• Vanity phone numbers can be difficult to obtain in some areas.

6. International Phone Numbers

A business phone number is a critical part of any company’s operations. It allows customers and clients to reach you from anywhere and conveys a sense of professionalism and legitimacy. If you’re doing business internationally, you should get an international phone number.

An international phone number comes with a country code that can be dialed from anywhere in the world. It is a great resource for your business to reach a larger global audience.

Pros

• Businesses look more credible and professional with international phone numbers.
• You can reach more potential leads in different countries with an international number.
• Creates a local business presence without opening an office in another country.

Cons

• Additional hardware, such as VoIP phones and PBX systems, may be required.
• You may not be able to use a regular phone plan if you have an international phone number.

7. Shortcode Numbers

A short code number is a five or six-digit number that can be used to send or receive text messages. A shortcode is commonly used by businesses as a way to communicate with their customers. For example, a business might use a short code to send out alerts or updates to their customers.

Shortcodes are easy to remember and can be used to send out important information quickly and easily. It assists entrepreneurs to keep their business phone system separate from their personal cell phone numbers. Also, this helps them to save time and improve customer service.

Pros

• Shortcodes are easy to remember and can be used to subscribe to a service or to send a text message to a group of people.
• Shortcodes are a quick and efficient way to reach a large number of people.

Cons

• You might find shortcodes expensive to use if you send a lot of messages.
• A shortcode number appears anonymous due to its distinctly short length.

8. Virtual Phone Numbers

The term virtual phone number refers to a number that is not tied to a specific phone line. You can use virtual phones as long as you have an active internet connection. The versatility of these numbers makes them ideal for businesses that want to expand across borders.

Virtual phone numbers are an ideal way for businesses to have a global presence without the expense of setting up physical phone lines in each location. Regardless of where you are, you can access your virtual numbers from anywhere anytime.

Pros

• The cost of virtual numbers is lower than that of traditional phone numbers.
• Virtual numbers are accessible from remote locations.
• Virtual numbers provide a high-quality calling experience since it uses VoIP technology.
• Virtual numbers can be accessed from any device including smartphones, laptops, etc.
• Virtual numbers look very similar to real phone numbers.

Cons

• To use a virtual number, you must have access to the internet.
• Not all virtual phone numbers are genuine.
• There is no location tracking feature for emergency calls.

What Type of Business Phone Number is Right for Your Startup?

When you’re starting a business, one of the most important decisions you’ll have to make is what type of phone number to use. There are a few different options available, and each has its pros and cons. Among them, virtual phone numbers stand out the best.

This can be a good choice if you’re just starting and your business is small. A virtual phone number offers flexibility, reliability, scalability, and cost-effectiveness.

A virtual phone number is undoubtedly more beneficial than a regular business phone number. Their clients include small businesses with remote employees, as well as large organizations that need to manage communication as well as meet their business needs.

Let’s look at these few reasons why a virtual phone number might be a better option for your startup than a traditional phone number.

• Firstly, virtual phone numbers are often less expensive than traditional phone numbers, so you can save money on your startup’s communication costs.
• It is more flexible to use a virtual phone number than other types of phone numbers. You can access it from any device at any location and time.
• Based on your requirements, you can choose a local/mobile/toll-free/national-type virtual phone number. So with a virtual phone number, you not only can recoup the of features of a traditional telephony system but also can capitalize on additional features cloud telephony has to offer.
• One of the biggest advantages of a virtual number is you don’t have to buy an additional smartphone or get a new SIM. You can get a new virtual number in a matter of minutes that you’ll be able to use from your existing smartphone, laptop, or other devices.
• A virtual phone number service is scalable. You can scale users up or down as per your business needs by simply using your user account.
• Using virtual phone numbers, you can create a physical presence almost anywhere in the world since the service is cloud-based.
• Virtual phone service providers offer a wide range of advanced features such as Intelligent call routing, virtual assistants, CRM integrations, and audio/video conferencing and video conferencing.