Case Study
800 VANITY NUMBERS INCREASE ADVERTISING RESPONSE RATES
Effective use of toll-free numbers can substantially increase advertising response rates. The results of this study, focusing on the use of toll-free numbers in radio advertising, show that an advertisement using a toll-free vanity number (a number that translates into words for easy recall) yields 14 times more phone calls than an advertisement using a toll-free numeric number. Sixty-seven percent of these calls are local calls (originating from the same area code).
| Findings | "Vanity" Toll-Free Number | "Numeric" Toll-Free Number | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Phone Number: | 800-NEW-WHEELS | Phone Number: | 800-465-7643 |
| Number of Commercials: | 33 | Number of Commercials: | 33 |
| Length of Commercials: | 60 Seconds | Length of Commercials: | 60 Seconds |
| Ratio of Phone Calls to Numeric: | 14 to 1 | Ratio of Phone Calls to Vanity: | 1 to 14 |
| Percentage of Phone Calls: | 93% | Percentage of Phone Calls: | 7% |
Details of Study
Methodology: Commercials were rotated equally throughout the day. Calls were tracked and recorded electronically.
Radio Station: WDHA 105.5 FM - Cedar Knolls, New Jersey
Conducted for: Response Marketing Group - Burlington, Vermont
Conducted by: Michael J. Motto Advertising & Public Relations - Clark, New Jersey
Source: ICB Toll Free News, Judith Oppenheimer