Why All Small Businesses Need a Freephone Number (There’s No Monthly Fees!)
28 February 2025
If you run a small business and are trying to drum up trade, there are bound to be a few different marketing and outreach techniques you’ve tried over the years. However, did you know that a freephone number could help to make your firm more appealing to prospects?
What’s more, freephone numbers don’t have to cost the Earth – in fact, with Phonestar, you don’t even have to worry about paying any kind of set up fees or monthly rates.
If you’re running a sole trader business or a small firm and are considering getting started with a freephone number, here are a few reasons why you should get started sooner rather than later.
You’ll save callers money
This is a big one – the main reason why people prefer to call companies with freephone numbers should be pretty obvious! They don’t have to fret about going over on their minutes or paying tons of money in bills at the end of the month when they call you.
By saving people money when they call you, you’re showing your prospective customers that you genuinely care about them. If you can foot the bill rather than expecting them to wait in a queue for X amount of pence per minute, you’re doing a lot of good for your public image.
As someone who has to call company lines yourself, think about comparing two companies – one with a freephone number, and another with a local line. Even when local numbers are included in tariffs, freephone numbers are still appealing – because, for one thing, they won’t come off their inclusive minutes!
It’s a big indicator that even if people are just calling up to learn about your services, you don’t expect them to pay through the nose for the privilege!
You don’t have to pay monthly rates
That is, provided you set up a freephone number through Phonestar. Some freephone services might expect you to sign up to a contract or pay a certain amount per month just to get a freephone line set up.
That’s not the case here – you simply top up your line with credit, and pay per however many minutes people call you for. It’s a great way to keep track of your spending while still converting new customers.
The risks involved with monthly freephone contracts should be pretty obvious. For one thing, no one likes being tied in! For another, even fewer people like having to deal with huge fees at the end of the month. It’s not always easy to keep track!
With Phonestar, you’re always paying upfront and therefore have complete control over what you’re spending on freephone calls. That way, you get all of the brilliant benefits without having to overextend your budget.
It’s a professional look
If you’re a sole trader or run your own business from home, there’s a chance that you run much of your business through a private mobile number. That’s fine – no one is stopping you!
However, mobile numbers aren’t always super attractive to potential customers. It might feel as though they’re calling absolutely anybody with a phone, rather than a legitimate company with a line set up to handle queries.
Freephone numbers, however, let you cloak your mobile number so that people can only see the professional line to call. You can still use your mobile, but people won’t ever know that they’re calling it – just the freephone number!
This could make a huge difference when it comes to confidence and trust. A customer who wants to call about a particular service or who has reservations about a sensitive issue might feel more comfortable calling a professional line instead of a mobile. It’s amazing how psychology works when it comes to phone numbers – give a freephone line a try, you’ll see what we mean!
It’s easy to get started
Part of what sets Phonestar apart from the pack is just how easy it is to get started with your own freephone number.
You don’t have to worry about setting up any new phones or confusing cabling – and you can get up and running online in a matter of minutes.
All you need to do is choose a freephone 0800 number from our list and then add your landline or mobile alongside. It’s here where you’ll receive your calls – but, your callers will dial the 0800 number.
Then, we ask you to set up a really simple online account. It’s here where you can top up with a card through our secure payment gateway, or through Apple Pay or Google Pay. Confirm your top-up (e.g., £10), and you’re good to go!
You can now give your customers your new 0800 number, print it on physical marketing, and even put it on your website or social media. Just remember, once your credit’s used up by minutes your callers spend on the line, you’ll need to top up again.
The good news is, however, we never let your credit expire – just make sure someone calls your freephone number at least once every six months to keep it active.
It’s perhaps the easiest way to start drumming up new trade through just a professional number alone. Why muddle around with physical numbers and contract services?
Get started with your own freephone number
It really is that simple to get started with your very own freephone number. There’s no ties, no monthly rates, no hidden nasties – just a simple online to-up system and a number your customers can call anytime.
They’ll never know your original number – every call they make goes direct to you, for as long as you keep it running and topped up. You’ll even have your own online portal that you can use to manage your numbers and credit as and when needed.
If you’ve got a card or a phone wallet to hand, you can get started straight away – what are you waiting for? Time to take your business marketing to the next level.
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