Does your SA business need a phone number? You aren’t required to have one. You can also just use your existing home or cell phone number. That said, there are a lot of advantages to getting a designated phone line for your SA business.

Many of the details of your business and domain registration will be public record, and nearly all require a phone number. Wouldn’t you prefer to have the designated business line be the one that’s public and not your personal cell or home phone?

Photo by lensletter

Professionalism is another thing to consider. Your voicemail can often be the very first contact a customer has with your company, and that alone can win or lose their business in a minute. An informal voicemail message may be fine for your home phone, but it will turn off a client who wants to believe they’re dealing with a business, not just some random guy (or gal). A designated phone line gives you the opportunity to record a business specific voicemail message with details like your hours, website, email address and anything else you want to include to give a professional first impression. A business line also allows you to know when you pick it up that a client is on the other end, avoiding awkward informal greetings or the dreaded less than ideal receptionist such as a child.

A phone number for your business can also be a selling point for anyone uncomfortable with email or technology, as many SA clients are. Many Selling Assistants do not offer phone support, as they deal primarily online. Your phone line could be the extra that attracts a less tech-savvy customer to you over your competitors.

The ability to talk to a human, even over the phone, can inspire more trust. Sometimes just having a voice to connect with your name is enough to secure you their business. People simply feel more comfortable trusting their items and future dollars to someone they’ve spoken to and feel like they know. Many of my initial SA client contacts happen over the phone and then, after that first conversation, they opt to switch to email communication or text.

While email or texting may seem like the more logical and convenient method of contact to you, consider having a phone line for those clients who’d prefer more old-fashioned communication.

Cover photo by Images_of_Money