[Brian Nunn]

I am designing a flyer that I can carry in my car if people ask for my number or if I feel like posting through letter boxes and to give to new customers.

1) In your opinion is it best to write your first name (more personal that way) or come up with a company name if I am a one man band?

2) Do you write your whole address and land line phone number on the flyers or just your mobile number?

[MoemGorod]

Brian, hi.

Our example:

The same info at our vans.

[Chris Galloway]

I am designing a flyer that I can carry in my car if people ask for my number or if I feel like posting through letter boxes and to give to new customers.

1) In your opinion is it best to write your first name (more personal that way) or come up with a company name if I am a one man band?

2) Do you write your whole address and land line phone number on the flyers or just your mobile number?

Always use a land line on anything, even if u hardly use it, cos ur out, in that case, set a divert to mobile  Stops you looking like a cowboy, include an address too, personally i work from a PO Box addy.

If you really want to look like a proper business, include all info.

[matt]

i NEVER give out my home phone number now, it cuts down on stupid customer calls at silly o.clock in the night telling me " ive been away on holiday, i wil send the cheque tomorrow " etc etc

todays business's can be run on a mobile phone, we all have them, 24 / 7 access to you ( or so they think ), its not really like the old days when mobiles screamed im a traveller or a con man

i dont incude my address on flyers or biz cards either ( why do potentional customers need to know my address, they get it when i clean them, to send a cheque

just a mobile , fax number, web site

[Brian Nunn]

Thanks for the replies.
Moem, is that your land line or mobile number printed on your flyer.

Matt and Chris have different opinions about giving out a landline.

I also am prejudiced when I see only a mobile and it makes me think they might be cowboys.
I was thinking I would rather not give out my landline because I like my privacy and am ex directory but if I am running a window cleaning business I suppose that is one sacrafice I will have to make.

At least I can set up an answer machine for when I am out in the daytime and I think the customer would prefer a landline contact number.

I am not comfortable with leaving my address on a flyer though.
Chris, how do you set up a PO box, how much does it cost? Is that where your cheques get sent to?

[MoemGorod]

The solution is Virtual Phone number (looks like landline).

All advantages of mob and landline + call center = virtual office.

Nice voice tell you good day, name of company, profile... please, hold on for the operater.. your call is very important for us bla-bla-bla..

You can manage (forward and so on) all yor calls prompt and easy in internet. You can set agenda for morning, day, evening, weekend calls.

Your custmers trust they call to the office of prof. company.

In Russia it casts appr. GBP50-70/month

...have a look h_ttp://www.tollfreeforwarding.com/virtual-telephone-number.html

Vadim

[matt]

Thanks for the replies.


I also am prejudiced when I see only a mobile and it makes me think they might be cowboys.

i dont get the cowboy thing, i never have

if i want to call out a plumber, i will look at the biz card and call the mobile number, why, he will most prob be in work in the day, thus i will get a response

i also like the idea of not getting silly calls at all times of the night, this is esp important to me with the children in bed

i know most disagree with me on this on here, but i still stand by what i think, ive also got a nice biz, built on just a mobile phone

[jaykie]

I have landline and mobile on mine and id sy definatly put landline, i would never ever ever ring someone who only has a mobile number as these caneasily be changed due to pay as you go, customers always ring my landline but i can unplug if i need to, think it looks like a traveller that just has mobile, but thats just my opinion, not had any silly calls from custys yet.

Chris

[tomy jackson]

arnt you the lucky one iv bin on mob for 6 years

[Brian Nunn]

Very interesting Vadim, I had never heard of a virtual phone number. Actually I don't know that we have them here in the UK.

Landline or mobile is a tough one because I do like my privacy and would not want calls late at night, mind you they can still call late on a mobile.

[Chris Galloway]

Thanks for the replies.
Moem, is that your land line or mobile number printed on your flyer.

Matt and Chris have different opinions about giving out a landline.

I also am prejudiced when I see only a mobile and it makes me think they might be cowboys.
I was thinking I would rather not give out my landline because I like my privacy and am ex directory but if I am running a window cleaning business I suppose that is one sacrafice I will have to make.

At least I can set up an answer machine for when I am out in the daytime and I think the customer would prefer a landline contact number.

I am not comfortable with leaving my address on a flyer though.
Chris, how do you set up a PO box, how much does it cost? Is that where your cheques get sent to?

I have to use a PO Box as i rent the property im in, and if i was to move i'd have to change all my flyers, business cards etc - which could cost me hundreds. Also the fact in the T&C's of my contract i cant run a business from the property.

about £60 a year off the top of my head.

h ttp://www.royalmail.com/portal/rm/content3?catId=400040&mediaId=600006

I would never use a mobile only business. But that my personal preference.

I personally set up my telephones on a timer so after 10pm, the phone is tuned off (mains cordless type ones) so would go straight to answer phone. Most if sales calls will always be done 9-5 when your out anyway. Alternatively keep your own number out of the question, and get a 0845 or 0800 number - and get it easily diverted to your mobile!

Dont forget if you dont want calls late at night, just turn your phones off.

[matt]

I would never use a mobile only business. But that my personal preference.

I personally set up my telephones on a timer so after 10pm, the phone is tuned off (mains cordless type ones) so would go straight to answer phone. Most if sales calls will always be done 9-5 when your out anyway. Alternatively keep your own number out of the question, and get a 0845 or 0800 number - and get it easily diverted to your mobile!

Dont forget if you dont want calls late at night, just turn your phones off.

isnt a 0845 or 0800 number just like a mobile though

i looked at a generic phone number, it was a LO-CALL number right at the start, i spoke to a few people in various lines of biz and asked them what they thought, most said they thought a mobile was fine and no need for a generic LO-CALL number

[Chris Galloway]

I would never use a mobile only business. But that my personal preference.

I personally set up my telephones on a timer so after 10pm, the phone is tuned off (mains cordless type ones) so would go straight to answer phone. Most if sales calls will always be done 9-5 when your out anyway. Alternatively keep your own number out of the question, and get a 0845 or 0800 number - and get it easily diverted to your mobile!

Dont forget if you dont want calls late at night, just turn your phones off.

isnt a 0845 or 0800 number just like a mobile though

i looked at a generic phone number, it was a LO-CALL number right at the start, i spoke to a few people in various lines of biz and asked them what they thought, most said they thought a mobile was fine and no need for a generic LO-CALL number

Im just talking about protecting your personal telephone number.

Id never phone a 0845 number cos it costs me, if it was a 01 or 02 or 03 number id get it for free on my call package but lo-cal calls cost me, so id never phone them. id always find the 01, 02,or 03 number instead.

I like my customers know im a bona fide business person, so i include my personal number. You can obtain my addy via the post office regarding the PO Box, so im not hiding anything there - its just i use it cos of my personal circumstances.

[matt]

I would never use a mobile only business. But that my personal preference.

I personally set up my telephones on a timer so after 10pm, the phone is tuned off (mains cordless type ones) so would go straight to answer phone. Most if sales calls will always be done 9-5 when your out anyway. Alternatively keep your own number out of the question, and get a 0845 or 0800 number - and get it easily diverted to your mobile!

Dont forget if you dont want calls late at night, just turn your phones off.

isnt a 0845 or 0800 number just like a mobile though

i looked at a generic phone number, it was a LO-CALL number right at the start, i spoke to a few people in various lines of biz and asked them what they thought, most said they thought a mobile was fine and no need for a generic LO-CALL number

Im just talking about protecting your personal telephone number.

i agree that would work well, BUT in a customers veiw point ( if you go along with the no mobiles as they mean cowboys thought ) a lo-call number is just the same as a mobile, its just a number from BT ( it has no area code etc etc )

[Chris Galloway]

I would never use a mobile only business. But that my personal preference.

I personally set up my telephones on a timer so after 10pm, the phone is tuned off (mains cordless type ones) so would go straight to answer phone. Most if sales calls will always be done 9-5 when your out anyway. Alternatively keep your own number out of the question, and get a 0845 or 0800 number - and get it easily diverted to your mobile!

Dont forget if you dont want calls late at night, just turn your phones off.

isnt a 0845 or 0800 number just like a mobile though

i looked at a generic phone number, it was a LO-CALL number right at the start, i spoke to a few people in various lines of biz and asked them what they thought, most said they thought a mobile was fine and no need for a generic LO-CALL number

Im just talking about protecting your personal telephone number.

i agree that would work well, BUT in a customers veiw point ( if you go along with the no mobiles as they mean cowboys thought ) a lo-call number is just the same as a mobile, its just a number from BT ( it has no area code etc etc )

Ive not looked into it, but like the PO Box , im sure you can find the originator of the number. But i wouldn't use one, as you say its not geographical.

BUT anyone can go and buy a PAYG mobile and set up, but a lo call number you need to pay by a credit card or have a credit check and pay by DD, either way you need to have a good credit rating and be on the electoral register, give an address, contact telephone number etc.

TBH its really depends on who your clients are, if they are just residential then it prob doesn't matter so much, but if your doing commercial, or high end residential, like country homes/estates they are much likely to use a company that provides their contact information en mass.