0800 business number

[soundmaster mobile disco]

Hi guys ive just been offered the chance of getting a free phone number for my business.It costs £100 plus vat and gives you 200 free minutes every month.

Has anyone else got a free phone number and is it any good or a waste of money?

[Solitaire Events Ltd]

Angela's got one and I love ringing her on it!!!!

[Corabar Entertainment]

Angela's got one and I love ringing her on it!!!!Cheeky blighter!
Hi guys ive just been offered the chance of getting a free phone number for my business.It costs £100 plus vat and gives you 200 free minutes every month.

Has anyone else got a free phone number and is it any good or a waste of money?Yep - we've got one. IMHO, it's just another piece of customer service that makes you stand out from others, and as the call won't cost them anything, they are more likely to include you in their initial short-list.

Out of curiousity, you say that it costs £100+VAT. Is that every month?!?!?!?! If so...... SHOP AROUND!

[soundmaster mobile disco]

Aparently its a company called global network solutions and its a one of fee of £100 plus vat.( i asked what else do i pay and they said nothing its £100 for life ).

[spin mobile disco]

Could be a scam do some deeper research if I was you.

[djsteve10]

£100 a month??

Sounds abit much to me to be honest with you, why don't you try BT or The carphone warehouse for their business packages, I Think a 0800 number on a business package with broadband internet is about £60 a month if i can remember rightly.

[Corabar Entertainment]

Aparently its a company called global network solutions and its a one of fee of £100 plus vat.( i asked what else do i pay and they said nothing its £100 for life ).Hmmmm.... you know the old saying "If it sounds too good to be true....." :eek: If it is for real, then it's a FANTASTIC deal, but there must be a catch somewhere. Keep us informed on how your investigations go.


£100 a month??

Sounds abit much to me to be honest with you, why don't you try BT or The carphone warehouse for their business packages, I Think a 0800 number on a business package with broadband internet is about £60 a month if i can remember rightly.Think you've misread the previous posts there! It's not £100 per month.

[wensleydale]

how can it be a free phone number if it costs £100?

[Solitaire Events Ltd]

Wasn't there a thread recently about this? I'm sure DMX Will started it?


how can it be a free phone number if it costs £100?

I'm guessing it's because it's free for people to ring Rich...:rolleyes: :p

[Penfold42]

how can it be a free phone number if it costs £100?
:Laugh: :Laugh: :Laugh: :Laugh:
PMSL

Wasn't there a thread recently about this? I'm sure DMX Will started it?
Yep your right.............and i still don't get it.......:D

[wensleydale]

Cheeky blighter!Yep - we've got one. IMHO, it's just another piece of customer service that makes you stand out from others, and as the call won't cost them anything, they are more likely to include you in their initial short-list.

Out of curiousity, you say that it costs £100+VAT. Is that every month?!?!?!?! If so...... SHOP AROUND!

Ang
Out of interest, can you tell how many people who call you call from mobiles?
If so, what sort of proportion is it?

Thanks

R

[groovy-nights]

have a look a www.skycomuk.com low user option £1 per month

[Corabar Entertainment]

Ang
Out of interest, can you tell how many people who call you call from mobiles?
If so, what sort of proportion is it?

Thanks

RI'd have to go through and have a check on that. If I don't get back to you in the next day or two, give me a 'gentle reminder'! ;)

Out of curiousity..... why?

[wensleydale]

I'd have to go through and have a check on that. If I don't get back to you in the next day or two, give me a 'gentle reminder'! ;)

Out of curiousity..... why?

not majorly important- just that my point from the last thread was that I only use a mobile no.
i can see that most of my calls come from mobiles.
most mobile networks (as far as I know) have to pay nfor freephone no's- ie on mine its not even included in the allowance- I have to pay.
Therefore when using my mobile I actively avoid freephone numbers and end up googling the co. for another number if it is likely to be a long call.

to cut a long story short my take on it was that freephone nos are not as important as they were a few years ago- most enquiries are by email for me anyway.

[Solitaire Events Ltd]

have a look a www.skycomuk.com low user option £1 per month


Therefore when using my mobile I actively avoid freephone numbers and end up googling the co. for another number if it is likely to be a long call.

.

We have had this thread before - I recognise both of those replies.

[DMX Will]

We have had this thread before - I recognise both of those replies.

lol yes "baby, it's deja-vu..."

Anyway, Skycom and I have been talking for the last couple of weeks about forwarding to my so called premium number, they've been OK, but by no means impressed me with their service.

[Vectis]

I've used Skycom for over a year.

£18 to set up, but only because I wanted to divert to a mobile as the primary number, otherwise it's free.

£1 per month "rental" plus the cost of calls on a per-second basis.

My bill works out at under £5 a month. If I suspect a long call is coming, I'll take a landline number and ring the caller straight back on a cheaper tariff.

Works fine for me, and it's all managed on-line.

[TonyB]

I got the same phone call from the same company. Told them I wasn't interested but the person I spoke to was very pushy. Ended up putting the phone down on him. He phoned straight back again twice which I ignored but it went through to the answerphone. The answerphone recorded him saying "pick up the phone Tony you "expletive deleted" ".

Personally I wouldn't touch anything to do with that company with a barge pole.

[rob1963]

it's just another piece of customer service that makes you stand out from others, and as the call won't cost them anything, they are more likely to include you in their initial short-list.


Sorry, but I completely disagree.

When someone is spending £20,000 on a wedding, I don't think they'll be too worried about paying 3p a minute when they phone to make the booking, just because the company doesn't have a freefone number.

Apart from that, 80% of my own queries & bookings are made by email, so they don't cost anything anyway!

In my opinion, 0800 numbers are about as much use as an ash tray on a motorbike.

[Penfold42]

In my opinion, 0800 numbers are about as much use as an ash tray on a motorbike.

Bit of info for you.......next time in a high street shop, see if you can find a ash tray to buy.........none, zip, no-more!!

[Corabar Entertainment]

Sorry, but I completely disagree.

When someone is spending £20,000 on a wedding, I don't think they'll be too worried about paying 3p a minute when they phone to make the booking, just because the company doesn't have a freefone number.I'm not saying that they WON'T phone you because you don't have a freephone number, just that if they are looking around and making a shortlist of companies to call, they may be more likely to include you on their list of people to call, which gives you a chance to sell yourself. After all, I'm sure we are all listed in various places where we don't pay for a full advert and the only thing 'listed' is your name and telephone number.


Apart from that, 80% of my own queries & bookings are made by email, so they don't cost anything anyway!I agree completely - the percentage of enquiries coming via the phone is reducing year on year, and the vast majority of our enquiries come via email as well, but there are still plenty of people who prefer to speak to someone.


In my opinion, 0800 numbers are about as much use as an ash tray on a motorbike.Maybe you're right, but I just think of it as a bit of extra customer service.

Oh, and just in conclusion - According to "recent research" by the Institute of Direct Marketing (IDM) "people within the UK are Europe's foremost users of freephone 0800 numbers. Given the choice, 63% of the public say they would always call 0800 numbers first. Furthermore recent research reveals that the provision of 0800 numbers to a business can increase response rates by some 185%!"

Now I don't know how many people they approached for their survey, but if it's something that's not going to break the bank, it is something to think about!

[Corabar Steve]

In my opinion, 0800 numbers are about as much use as an ash tray on a motorbike.

Could've done with one on my mate's Kawasaki. Would've saved me flicking ash down his neck :sj:

[rob1963]

Maybe you're right, but I just think of it as a bit of extra customer service.

Oh, and just in conclusion - According to "recent research" by the Institute of Direct Marketing (IDM) "people within the UK are Europe's foremost users of freephone 0800 numbers. Given the choice, 63% of the public say they would always call 0800 numbers first. Furthermore recent research reveals that the provision of 0800 numbers to a business can increase response rates by some 185%!"

Now I don't know how many people they approached for their survey, but if it's something that's not going to break the bank, it is something to think about!

Interesting figures, but for me personally, I simply couldn't justify the cost of an 0800 number when 80-90% of my enquiries and bookings come via email.

From memory, I think I've had 2 queries via phone calls this month!

[rob1963]

Could've done with one on my mate's Kawasaki. Would've saved me flicking ash down his neck :sj:

Steve,

Maybe I should have said 0800 numbers are as much use as an ash tray on a TRIKE!

[PropellerHeadCase]

Sorry, but I completely disagree.

When someone is spending £20,000 on a wedding, I don't think they'll be too worried about paying 3p a minute when they phone to make the booking, just because the company doesn't have a freefone number.

Apart from that, 80% of my own queries & bookings are made by email, so they don't cost anything anyway!

In my opinion, 0800 numbers are about as much use as an ash tray on a motorbike.

Sorry, but I completely disagree.

The more channels you give your client to contact you via (especially free ones) the more likely they are to contact you as it is easier to contact you.

This has been proven time and again. Websites are 'as well as' rather than 'instead of' traditional methods, and as such so is email, unless you are a web-site based company, and even then...

Just because someone is spending £20,000 on a wedding doesn't mean they are going to fritter away the pennies - that may be a very hard earned £20,000 budget! Apart from anything else we DJs are constantly fighting to get paid what we're worth because said £20,000 budget has already been committed elsewhere.

They'll call you on your cell-phone once they've hired you, but why put any barriers, such as cost, however miniscule, in the way of them hiring you.

And given your much publicised £2.50 show you should be fighting for those pennies ;)

[Corabar Steve]

Steve,

Maybe I should have said 0800 numbers are as much use as an ash tray on a TRIKE!

Got one & it does get used. :P

[Have a disco]

Ok so 0800 No's are rung first but they still forget to tell those on mobiles it still costs????

So there be no benefit in this day n age as most use there mobiles these days home phoning is a dying artform

[Corabar Steve]

Similar to these

http://img.alibaba.com/photo/50933970/Nautical_Porthole_Style_Cigarette_Case_and_Ashtray .jpg

[Solitaire Events Ltd]

Ok so 0800 No's are rung first but they still forget to tell those on mobiles it still costs????

So there be no benefit in this day n age as most use there mobiles these days home phoning is a dying artform

Hasn't that been said already?

[Corabar Steve]

Ok so 0800 No's are rung first but they still forget to tell those on mobiles it still costs????

So there be no benefit in this day n age as most use there mobiles these days home phoning is a dying artform

I find it hard to believe that people will use a mobile for everything when calls from landlines are cheaper. Most people know freephone numbers aren't free to mobiles & if they have any sense would phone from a landline.

[rob1963]

The more channels you give your client to contact you via (especially free ones) the more likely they are to contact you as it is easier to contact you.

I completely agree. That's why the contact page on my website has more contact methods than nearly everyone else...5 in fact (including a couple of free ones), although in my opinion none of those 5 or need to be a freefone number.


Just because someone is spending £20,000 on a wedding doesn't mean they are going to fritter away the pennies.

I wouldn't describe making a phone call at 3p a minute as "frittering away the pennies"!!!


And given your much publicised £2.50 show you should be fighting for those pennies ;)

Ah, but I don't need to fight for anything - I already manage to make a living from being self-employed in the entertainment business...without the need for a daytime job & without the need to employ others.

:)

[Solitaire Events Ltd]

I completely agree. That's why the contact page on my website has more contact methods than nearly everyone else...5 in fact (including a couple of free ones), although in my opinion none of those 5 or need to be a freefone number.



Just out of interest, what are the free ones then? And where are the 5? Email, post, mobile, landline and....?

[Corabar Steve]

carrier pigeon

[rob1963]

Just out of interest, what are the free ones then? And where are the 5? Email, post, mobile, landline and....?

...contact form.

The email link & contact form being the free ones.

I know they are both similar, but there again so are a landline & mobile!

[PropellerHeadCase]

What? No morse code link? Semaphore flags? Smoke signals? ;)

[wensleydale]

I find it hard to believe that people will use a mobile for everything when calls from landlines are cheaper. Most people know freephone numbers aren't free to mobiles & if they have any sense would phone from a landline.

a lot of people dont have landlines now.
we only got one because we need broadband.
if we change to cable the landline will go.
i use the mobile as i get an allowance of calls, but this does not cover 0800 no's.

[Vectis]

I completely agree. That's why the contact page on my website has more contact methods than nearly everyone else...5 in fact (including a couple of free ones)

Only 5 Rob?

Let me see now... 0800, mobile, landline, typetalk, fax, email, enquiry form, live chat, snail mail... I make that 9 on my site :p

[rob1963]

Only 5 Rob?

Let me see now... 0800, mobile, landline, typetalk, fax, email, enquiry form, live chat, snail mail... I make that 9 on my site :p

Nice one, vectis! :claphands:

If there was a prize for the most different methods, I think you'd win it!

However, as we both know, it's not easy to find a most mobile disco website that offers more than 2 or 3 different methods to contact them.

:)

[rob1963]

What? No morse code link? Semaphore flags? Smoke signals? ;)

Al...I was going to have smoke signals as an option, especially for the Indians...but some people would not understand what I meant :rolleyes:

[Vectis]

However, as we both know, it's not easy to find a most mobile disco website that offers more than 2 or 3 different methods to contact them.


Yep... 9 times out of 10 it's a mobile number which goes to voicemail and an email address that gets read & responded to eventually, if they can be bothered at all.

What a great customer-focused industry we're in! :p

Edit: Actually I've just remembered I've got an old telex machine in my loft. Maybe I should get that up and running as well?

[Penfold42]

Edit: Actually I've just remembered I've got an old telex machine in my loft. Maybe I should get that up and running as well?

:jawdrop: Can you still get the paper for that.......i seem to remember if the other person hit a button it would keep sending until you switched it off........the mind's going.......:o

[rob1963]

a lot of people dont have landlines now.

I wonder how true that is. I only know 1 person who has a mobile but no landline.


if we change to cable the landline will go.


So prospective clients will HAVE to call you on the mobile...in which case how much will they be paying per minute?


Yep... 9 times out of 10 it's a mobile number which goes to voicemail and an email address that gets read & responded to eventually, if they can be bothered at all.

In many cases, the reason it goes to voicemail is probably because they're out on their horse!

[Dragonfly]

in fairness i too know a number of people who use a mobile and have no landline

[PropellerHeadCase]

So prospective clients will HAVE to call you on the mobile...in which case how much will they be paying per minute?

You can have 0800-numbers terminate on cell-phones, Rob.

[Danno13]

I have an 0800 number with the same company (Global Network Solutions). I'm on a pay as you go package though, I think it was about £5 to setup and then its 2p/4p a minute when people use it.

I haven't actually advertised it anywhere yet, but I've paid a couple of 1p invoices from when i've tested its still working!

[blitz]

had a phone call from glodal network solutions yeaterday to but i missed the call, must of bein canvasing the fife area.
Don`t know if it would entise any customers having a free phone number, i associate free phone numbers with big companys so might work against you if there looking for a local buisness

[Dragonfly]

had a phone call from glodal network solutions yeaterday to but i missed the call, must of bein canvasing the fife area.
Don`t know if it would entise any customers having a free phone number, i associate free phone numbers with big companys so might work against you if there looking for a local buisness


or maybe in your favour for higher paid corporate functions looking for a solid reputable supplier that looks quite big lol??

[wensleydale]

I wonder how true that is. I only know 1 person who has a mobile but no landline.



So prospective clients will HAVE to call you on the mobile...in which case how much will they be paying per minute?



In many cases, the reason it goes to voicemail is probably because they're out on their horse!

so i'm a cowboy if i dont have a landline.
again, i think people should worry first about if they play decent music rather than other stuff.

and if people are calling from a mobile it probably doesnt make any difference if they call a land line or a mobile.

[CRAZY K]

so i'm a cowboy if i dont have a landline.
again, i think people should worry first about if they play decent music rather than other stuff.

and if people are calling from a mobile it probably doesnt make any difference if they call a land line or a mobile.

I think theres an image thing here--thats all.

The businesses that I have spent large amounts of money with in the last year or so at home here --Kirchen Fitters---Double Glazing/Conservatory firm--all have landlines.

Im not saying I would not deal with a company that solely had a mobile number but they tend to be the smaller people like Gardeners and Jobbing Builders who work away from home and dont have the resources to have anyone answering the phone at their home/base.

Whilst I operate personally as one man band the customers dont know that because they ring a landline:D

If I had a mobile then it would confirm I definitely was a one man operation.

Absolutely nothing wrong with that--but first impressions count--

Theres often this on mobiles --is it convenient to speak now --- which Im not keen on when trying to appear professional.

So theres nothing wrong with operating on the end of a mobile at all--

Its just the image you want to put across--you dont phone your Doctor, Dentist, Solicitor or Accountant on a mobile in the first instance---so if you want to give a more professional image I think you have to act like one and im not saying using a mobile is unprofessional--its just how you wish to work.

But if your possibly booking someone for the most important event of your life to date--i.e Wedding and spending a lot of money in the process--you may be more discerning.

Just my personal view

CRAZY K

[blitz]

supose you could be right it can swing both ways dragonfly, depends what the client wants and is looking for

[Dragonfly]

supose you could be right it can swing both ways dragonfly, depends what the client wants and is looking for


yep indeedy and i think you may find several providers on this site with a couple or more websites so they can tailor each one to different client group. :D

[Solitaire Events Ltd]

so i'm a cowboy if i dont have a landline.
again, i think people should worry first about if they play decent music rather than other stuff.



Sorry Rich, but there's a lot of other things to consider, not just 'do you play decent music'

Having a landline makes you more accountable IMO.

[wensleydale]

Sorry Rich, but there's a lot of other things to consider, not just 'do you play decent music'

Having a landline makes you more accountable IMO.

thats true, but i do think sometimes people get very hung up on nice to haves and non essentials than the "basics".

i do this cause i enjoy it, not cause i rely on it as an income, and maybe that gives me a different view, but I have seen many a disco that focus on one particular area eg text message your request, freephone number etc etc, but the actually disco (music and equipment) .

There is even a member of this forum who i saw at a wedding a year ago, and whilst they talk a good disco, it was nothing like you would expect if you listened to them- spot boxes with dead bulbs, loose bulbs, poor rig, peter kay dj'ing etc etc.

i know if i did this full time i would probably do some things differently, probably significantly differently, but my point was (that i have expressed in a long winded way) not everyone is worried about the things we are- ask any bride and groom- would you rather have a dj that turns up and can keep the dance floor full, or a freephone number to book on, I know which answer 100% of people will give.

[rob1963]

There is even a member of this forum who i saw at a wedding a year ago, and whilst they talk a good disco, it was nothing like you would expect if you listened to them - spot boxes with dead bulbs, loose bulbs, poor rig, peter kay dj'ing etc etc.

Phew, I got worried for a minute when I started reading that, as I'm only a few miles up the road from you...but then I read about spot boxes, which I don't use, so it couldn't be me!

:D :D :D

[wensleydale]

Phew, I got worried for a minute when I started reading that, as I'm only a few miles up the road from you...but then I read about spot boxes, which I don't use, so it couldn't be me!

:D :D :D

fear not, twas not you, and they shall remain nameless in the interests of diplomacy.

your close enough to come and thump me anyway, so i definitely wouldnt criticise you and your giant cards!!!

[CRAZY K]

thats true, but i do think sometimes people get very hung up on nice to haves and non essentials than the "basics".

i do this cause i enjoy it, not cause i rely on it as an income, and maybe that gives me a different view, but I have seen many a disco that focus on one particular area eg text message your request, freephone number etc etc, but the actually disco (music and equipment) .

There is even a member of this forum who i saw at a wedding a year ago, and whilst they talk a good disco, it was nothing like you would expect if you listened to them- spot boxes with dead bulbs, loose bulbs, poor rig, peter kay dj'ing etc etc.

i know if i did this full time i would probably do some things differently, probably significantly differently, but my point was (that i have expressed in a long winded way) not everyone is worried about the things we are- ask any bride and groom- would you rather have a dj that turns up and can keep the dance floor full, or a freephone number to book on, I know which answer 100% of people will give.

Having a freephone doesnt mean a Disco wont keep a full dance floor---


I can think of one straight away---Freephone/ excellent Disco---:D :D :D


CRAZY K

[rob1963]

fear not, twas not you, and they shall remain nameless in the interests of diplomacy.

your close enough to come and thump me anyway, so i definitely wouldnt criticise you and your giant cards!!!

:Laugh:

[Solitaire Events Ltd]

i do this cause i enjoy it, not cause i rely on it as an income, and maybe that gives me a different view, .

Of course it does and to be honest I nearly posted that in my last post, but thought better of it, as I might get the 'Just because we are part time, doesn't make us care any less' brigade on my back.


There is even a member of this forum who i saw at a wedding a year ago, and whilst they talk a good disco, it was nothing like you would expect if you listened to them

As per any forum, there will be plenty of people who talk the talk, but who will not necessarily walk the walk.


i not everyone is worried about the things we are- ask any bride and groom- would you rather have a dj that turns up and can keep the dance floor full, or a freephone number to book on, I know which answer 100% of people will give

That isn't the point though. The more I's you can dot and T's you can cross, the better. We as an industry have a very amatuer image already with the public, so any little thing you can do to convince people that we do provide a proper and professional service, is all good as far as I'm concerned.

What's the phrase? It's the little things that count. And little things add up to big things.

Maybe B&G's don't notice if you had a mobile number or landline. I know what I'd rather ring if I was booking a service, if only for accountability.

If you provide a service and do all the small things, then no, people won't notice because they have no need to. The service is already there.

Let's talk about tidying your gear up. Most of the time, clients won't notice, but even if there's one person a month who notices how clean and tidy my show is, then job done.

Let's try and get away from the 'just spent £500 down Maplins or Argos and now I'm a DJ' type scenario. Let's provide the best service and entertainment we can. Running a business takes both, not just one or the other.

[PropellerHeadCase]

That isn't the point though. The more I's you can dot and T's you can cross, the better. We as an industry have a very amatuer image already with the public, so any little thing you can do to convince people that we do provide a proper and professional service, is all good as far as I'm concerned.

What's the phrase? It's the little things that count. And little things add up to big things.

Maybe B&G's don't notice if you had a mobile number or landline. I know what I'd rather ring if I was booking a service, if only for accountability.

If you provide a service and do all the small things, then no, people won't notice because they have no need to. The service is already there.

Let's talk about tidying your gear up. Most of the time, clients won't notice, but even if there's one person a month who notices how clean and tidy my show is, then job done.

Let's try and get away from the 'just spent £500 down Maplins or Argos and now I'm a DJ' type scenario. Let's provide the best service and entertainment we can. Running a business takes both, not just one or the other.

:agree:

Bravo, bravo!

:jumping:

[Corabar Entertainment]

Well said Darren!

:claphands: :claphands: Bravo :claphands: :claphands: Bravo :claphands: :claphands: Bravo :claphands: :claphands:

:lol:

[Corabar Steve]

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[CRAZY K]

Hi guys ive just been offered the chance of getting a free phone number for my business.It costs £100 plus vat and gives you 200 free minutes every month.

Has anyone else got a free phone number and is it any good or a waste of money?

Something that just occured to me---

If you have a "standard" phone number for Disco enquiries a very large number of people get "free calls" in their tariff these days--I do.

I can ring anywhere in UK or Europe for up to an hour "free" although I obviously pay for the privilege in my package.

Many people with mobiles get so many " free" calls" a month.

Many people ring from "place of work"

So is it really so attractive anymore?

I get annoyed having to ring numbers that "cost" me money and avoid them generally--

But I still ring Rice for a chat now and then:D :D :D

CRAZY K

[wensleydale]

maybe i should reiterate that I guess my point was that ultimately it comes down to prioritising.

i think its fair to say that we can't all do what we would like to do due to your limited funds, but if you are looking at spending £100 on a phone line, i see it as what could i spend £100.

given that i believe most people will look on the internet as a first port of call, i would suggest that your website is your shop window and therefore the first impression most people get of your business.

i would suggest that many people who have/are considering a freephone number have sites that are well below what you would expect of a "professional" company- ie very dated and looking like they have been produced by "a mate who knows a little about web design".

this to me would be the first place I would look at spending money rather than worrying about a freephone line.

look at it from a consumer perspective- you look at a website that looks amateurish- would you even get to the phone number stage?

i know its the little things that count, but sometimes you need to worry about the big things to.

[CRAZY K]

maybe i should reiterate that I guess my point was that ultimately it comes down to prioritising.

i think its fair to say that we can't all do what we would like to do due to your limited funds, but if you are looking at spending £100 on a phone line, i see it as what could i spend £100.

given that i believe most people will look on the internet as a first port of call, i would suggest that your website is your shop window and therefore the first impression most people get of your business.

i would suggest that many people who have/are considering a freephone number have sites that are well below what you would expect of a "professional" company- ie very dated and looking like they have been produced by "a mate who knows a little about web design".

this to me would be the first place I would look at spending money rather than worrying about a freephone line.

look at it from a consumer perspective- you look at a website that looks amateurish- would you even get to the phone number stage?

i know its the little things that count, but sometimes you need to worry about the big things to.

Very good point--we get more emails that phone calls.

Although my sites are mainly home made and dont compare with a lot of those I have seen on here or my direct competitors ( Barn Dance ) --
we still get a lot of enquiries and bookings--I think the basic message and content probably counts most--

Yes get your site sorted first to attract those phone calls or emails free or otherwise--not sure that £100 buys a lot though for a website designers time?

Unless your in YP of course where free phone calls would go down well with the rate tarts:eek:

CRAZY K

[wensleydale]

Unless your in YP of course where free phone calls would go down well with the rate tarts:eek:

But then is that the type of business you want anyway?

[rob1963]

maybe i should reiterate that I guess my point was that ultimately it comes down to prioritising.

i think its fair to say that we can't all do what we would like to do due to your limited funds, but if you are looking at spending £100 on a phone line, i see it as what could i spend £100.

given that i believe most people will look on the internet as a first port of call, i would suggest that your website is your shop window and therefore the first impression most people get of your business.

i would suggest that many people who have/are considering a freephone number have sites that are well below what you would expect of a "professional" company- ie very dated and looking like they have been produced by "a mate who knows a little about web design".

this to me would be the first place I would look at spending money rather than worrying about a freephone line.

look at it from a consumer perspective- you look at a website that looks amateurish- would you even get to the phone number stage?

i know its the little things that count, but sometimes you need to worry about the big things to.

I completely agree, neighbour!

That's why shortly joining this forum I asked for advice about my website, and made many impovements based on the comments & suggestions received.

:D