Why Choosing A Local Telephone Number Is Important For Property Agents
Contact via telephone is one of the key ways that a property agency interacts with clients and applicants - indeed often THE key way. This applies whether you are offering estate agency services, lettings services, property management or a combination of these.
As such, the choice of telephone number for a new agency start-up is a far more important consideration than it may appear at first glance in terms of getting potential clients to make contact with you on the right footing.
An instinctive starting point for many people is to choose a 'national rate' or non-geographic number, with the perceived benefits of appearing to be a larger, more established agency. However, in a practical sense, this logic is flawed.
Firstly, as an independent, small business, your size is your strength. You will often be targeting clients who are seeking the more tailored, personal service that a 'boutique' local agency can provide. So why would you want to undermine that by appearing like the larger corporate agencies that you will be pitching the uniqueness of your service against? It is a counterproductive step that risks diluting one of the strong points that make you attractive as a small, local agency. Don't masquerade as something you are not.
Secondly, note the use of the word 'local'. By using a non-geographic number you lose a vital identifier for being a local independent business that can be easily signposted in all your newspaper adverts, flyers, etc. Instead you create a 'head office' feel that is actually at odds with the spirit of the smaller, local business rooted in the area and the community. For example, it is not unusual for landlords seeking lettings services to exclusively search amongst the agencies which have a number with the dialling code for their local area.
Where the use of a non-local number can impact even more negatively on your business is when it is extended to a 'freephone' number. The thinking is that clients will be more likely to call your agency for a chat about your services when you are picking up the cost of the call. Even if this is true in some cases, as an independent agency it can never outweigh the lost enquiries from not having a telephone number identifiable with the local area. Plus there is the additional problem that regular contractors and suppliers may start to use the number frequently, creating a large bill for very little gain.
Lastly, when first starting up, many people do not recognise that the telephone number they get need not be a 'lottery'. If you don't ask, you don't get! By asking, many companies will allow you choose from a selection of available numbers, rather than assigning you a phone number off the bat. This means that you may be able to get a more memorable number, for example with repeated digits that are more easily remembered, or at least one that is not confusing or easily misheard or misread. This can be a big help both for you in remembering your new number and for clients in doing so, making them more likely to call.
4EverythingProperty.com is a UK directory of estate agents, letting agents and property industry service providers. To find out more please visit http://www.4everythingproperty.com/
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