How to use a profitable,
client-getting 900 number
in your business.
by Dr. Kevin
Nunley
Index
of Articles
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.
