Striking 900 Number Gold
- Dr. Kevin Nunley -
How to use a profitable,
client-getting 900 number
in your business.
Looking for a new way to connect with
customers and prospects? A new way to extend your service
and make more profits? Try your own 900 number.
900 numbers have become a billion
dollar industry. They can be a remarkable source of income
and a great way to extend your expert knowledge to even more
people. With a little inside information you can tap into
the 900 number phenomenon to get your share of the tele-info
pie.
Who They Reach
They are an excellent way to sell
information or entertainment. Many people, especially those
under the age of 30, are now accustomed to getting the
information they need quickly from new types of media. In
large numbers, they call 900 numbers that provide them with
up-to-the-minute information on a subject that is always
changing. This can include anything from weather, to sports
scores, to traffic problems.
The 900 number movement started in the
early 90s. Like most new forms of media, it got its share of
hucksters and bad press in the beginning. Things have
changed. 900 numbers are no longer just for heavy-breathers
and get-rich-quickers. 900 services are now a respectable
option for all kinds of businesses and
professionals.
One of the longest running and most
successful 900 businesses is Tele-Lawyer (900-Tele-Law)
where, for $3 per minute, you can get legal advice on a
variety of standard issues.
Come to think of it, that's far faster
and cheaper than the hundreds my attorney charges for a
quick phone consultation!
What Kind of Service to
Offer?
With 12% of Americans now calling 900
numbers (the same percentage, by the way, who surf the net)
there is a big variety in the kinds of people you can reach.
When starting your 900 number, the most important question
is what kind of service to offer.
Entertainment and information seem to
work the best. One woman I talk with recently has parlayed
her training in Psychology into a lucrative fortune telling
number. It's a blend of entertainment and information that
is irresistible for many.
Prospects respond best to numbers that
offer specific information that is too time consuming to get
from other sources.
Convenience is key. It might be
possible to get the information from the public library or
from a newspaper, but the 900 line is much easier and more
immediate.
Marketing Your 900
Number
Marketing is another key factor.
Without consistent marketing, no one will know about your
service. Unfortunately, the cost can put you in the poor
house. Many new 900 number entrepreneurs start by running
classifieds in the daily paper. The cost can ad up in a
hurry, so forget about trying to reach everyone.
The trick, as with marketing any
product or service, is to carefully target a niche audience
that you can reach on a consistent basis through an
affordable form of media. Don't expect your marketing to
work the first time you use it. Marketing builds results
through repeated uses. Most prospects won't consider buying
until they've seen or heard your ad several
times.
Getting Started
As a 900 number beginner, your best
bet is to use a service bureau. Your phone company provides
this service and can give you information on costs and how
to get started. With their "premium billing," the phone
company handles collections for you.
This can be a huge burden off your
shoulders. People are far more likely to pay their 900 bill
when it appears on their phone invoice along with their
other calls. The typical service bureau fee is
10%.
As a 900 number entrepreneur you are
not tied to an office, or even your own hometown. You can
update and monitor your 900 business from anywhere in the
world! There's no reason why you couldn't run much of the
day-to-day details from your fishing boat or other
job.
Smart Alternatives
Some people find it is best to forget
about making their 900 service a big profit center by
itself. Instead, they focus on how the number can add to
their other business by providing immediate information to
customers and prospects.
One expert in self-publishing got so
many calls from would-be writers that he eventually
installed a 900 number and charged inquirers a nominal fee.
Another consultant, not sure she could provide satisfactory
information to everyone who called, discontinued her 900
service and simply took a credit card over the phone from
those she helped. A copywriter had an extra line put into
his home and installed an answering machine with a five
minute mini-seminar on a new topic each month. He included
the number in all his advertising.
Whichever approach you take, the
telephone is an important and extremely powerful part of our
daily lives. Don't miss out on its ability to make profits
and work marketing wonders for your business.
Kevin Nunley provides marketing advice
and copy writing for businesses and organizations. Read all
his money-saving marketing tips at http://DrNunley.com. Reach him at
kevin@drnunley.com or (801)253-4536.
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