A business phone number makes your business look more professional. Start keeping business and personal matters separate today by signing up for a business phone number in a few easy steps.
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Editor & Senior Staff Writer
Last updated onUpdated
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There are a few things every business needs: a business bank account, good marketing, and a business phone number.
Signing up for a business phone number is quick and easy, and if you stick with a basic number, it’s affordable, too. If you’re ready to stop using your personal number, keep reading to learn more about how to sign up for a business phone number.
Table of Contents
Every business owner should have a business phone number. A business phone number makes your business look legitimate and professional.
Beyond that, a business phone number also helps you keep your business separate from your personal life. Instead of giving your personal number out to customers, posting it on your website, getting late-night calls at home, and opening your personal line up to spam and scammers, consider signing up for a business phone number—it’s fast, easy, and affordable.
Before signing up for a business phone number, determine what type of phone number your business needs. There are a few different types to choose from.
A local business phone number is assigned to a specific area—in most cases, the city where the business is located. It is identified by its area code. This is the most basic type of business phone number.
An international business phone number is a number set up for callers in countries outside the United States. Companies that conduct business in other countries typically set these up to support their overseas customers.
A toll-free number uses a three-digit code (such as 800 or 888) instead of an area code. The advantage of toll-free numbers is that callers throughout the United States can call them without being charged long-distance fees.
A vanity phone number is designed to be easy to remember. It uses the letters on the telephone keypad to spell out a word related to the business. 1-800-FLOWERS, 1-800-CONTACTS, and 1-800-GOT-JUNK are examples of well-known vanity numbers.
If you need a business phone number, the process is quite simple. Here’s how to get a business phone number in five easy steps.
The first step to getting a business phone number is to determine what type of phone number you need. In the last section, we briefly explained the main types of business phone numbers.
If you’re having trouble deciding, here’s a quick comparison.
| Phone Number Type | Best For |
|---|---|
| Local Business Phone Number | Businesses that want a basic phone number associated with their city or region. Best for establishments that conduct most business within their local areas |
| International Business Phone Number | Businesses that conduct business overseas and want to provide customers in other countries with a method of getting in touch |
| Toll-Free Business Phone Number | Larger businesses that have customers throughout the United States or have multiple locations |
| Vanity Business Phone Number | Businesses that are willing to pay extra for a phone number that’s easy to remember and showcases their branding |
Depending on the needs of your business, you may opt to sign up for more than one type of phone number.
After you’ve decided what type of phone number your business needs, it’s time to start researching providers.
To have a business phone number, you’ll need a phone line. You can choose from one of two types of service: landlines or virtual phone lines.
The best place to start is with your current phone carrier. If you have a home phone or cell phone, find out if business phone services are available. In addition to getting a business phone line and number, you may be able to save money by bundling additional services like mobile phones for you and your employees or business internet for your office.
If your current provider doesn’t offer business services, it’s easy to start out by signing up for a virtual phone line.
You can also shop the best VoIP providers to get an advanced phone system loaded with great features to simplify and enhance communications. Some providers offer full packages with the latest hardware options, while others offer more basic services that you can use with your existing phones.
Once you’ve found a provider that offers the service you want, in most cases, you’ll be able to check the availability of specific phone numbers. If a number you want isn’t available, alternatives will be offered to you.
After selecting your phone number, you’ll need to pay fees to the provider. These fees vary based on the provider and what you’ve purchased. A basic business phone number with Google Voice, for example, is free, while a complete VoIP phone system loaded with features may initially cost a few hundred dollars (or more).
The type of phone number you chose also determines the price. You may be able to score a free or low-cost local business number. However, you’ll have to pay a fee for certain numbers, like international numbers, toll-free-numbers, and vanity numbers.
Other fees may apply for various services, such as changing an existing number to your new number.
Now that you’ve paid the applicable fees, it’s time to set up your new number. For this, you’ll need to:
You should be able to perform these functions through a control panel or dashboard. If you’re unsure of how to perform specific functions, ask your phone provider for more details.
And that’s it! After completing these steps, you’ll have a business phone number that your customers can reach to place orders, get support, or learn more about your business.
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