I started TollFreeNumbers.com almost 30 years ago and have been one of the most fervent advocates for toll free numbers in the country, but I have to admit that local numbers are definitely much more viable than they used to be. For many businesses they offer an excellent alternative or even a superior alternative!
Toll Free Numbers came out before people even knew you had to dial a 1 before an area code. That’s why they were advertised as “1-800!” Today everyone is used to dialing area codes even for local numbers. 90% of your customers have overlay area codes, and the whole world is used to new area codes everywhere.
Maybe even more importantly, with the proliferation of cell phones, all with unlimited long distance, the whole idea of phone calls costing anything has almost completely vanished. There are other benefits of toll free numbers, but the benefit of more vanity local numbers being available can outweigh the secondary benefits of toll free for a lot of businesses.
When people ask me do they need a 1-800 number, I have always said you know what you want but you take what you can get, meaning if you can get the right message in a “1-800” number go for it, but if you can’t, don’t be afraid to take another toll free area code. Today that really has to be extended to local area codes too. I include local area code matches in the toll free search results, because they are a real alternative for businesses today. And if you can’t get the right message or term in a toll free number, you have to consider the local versions of it.
That’s why in 2023, the founder of TollFreeNumbers.com is now building LocalVanityNumbers.com too. I honestly think there’s way more potential for customers today in local numbers. And if you project these trends into the future, toll free numbers aren’t disappearing, but local vanity numbers are going to continue to grow in use and value, not just for local businesses but all businesses!