Have you thought about choosing a vanity 800 number for your organization?

Eventually, if you're a mid- to large-size organization, you'll have to confront the challenge of choosing a vanity number. This is a decision you'll have to live with for quite some time, so it's crucial that you choose wisely.

With that in mind, here are five tips for choosing an 800 vanity number.

1. Number and Word Hybrid

This is far and away the greatest blunder business owners make. 1-800-493-TINT is nowhere near as valuable as 1-800-TINTING. People can remember words, not numbers. A hybrid rapidly becomes 1-800-yadda-yadda-yadda TINT to the prospective customer. A hybrid may well save you a few dollars, but as time passes, you'll waste thousands of dollars on marketing... not to mention the thousands of dollars lost from the business opportunities that never happened.

GOOD: 1-800-TINTING

BAD: 1-800-493-TINT

2. 800 & 888 vs. 877 & 866

Whenever possible, constantly try to establish yourself with an 800 custom toll free number. It is by far what the public is familiar with. When that is impossible, 888 is the next best choice. Although not as favorable as 800, it's still way better than 877 and 866. Try not to use 877 unless as a last choice since you may lose some of your calls to misdialed numbers since the public isn't yet accustomed to 877 being a toll-free prefix. Don't ever use 866 since you could possibly sacrifice up to 1/3 of your calls.

GOOD: 1-800-INSURANCE

BAD: 1-866-INSURANCE

3. Vanity Number Name Choice

Pick a number that either spells out your industry (for instance 1-800-FLOWERS, 1-800-BARTEND, 1-800-INSURANCE) or explains/reinforces the marketing information you are trying to get across (e.g. Fabulous Purse Accessories- 1-800-FABULOUS). Avoid spelling out your business name unless you are confident everyone is familiar with it. Charlie's Roofing is much better off with 1-800-ROOF CARE than 1-800-CHARLIE, which could represent almost anything.

4. Spelling

The vanity phone number needs to be easy to spell. Don't use "Q" or "Z" since they have only recently been added to newer telephone keypads.

GOOD: 1-800-EYESIGHT

BAD: 1-800-OPHTHALMOLOGIST

5. Marketing & Branding

Don't be exclusive where you use your custom toll free number. Allow it to be the front door to your business for all the things you do that the community has contact with. Picky use for just radio commercials, for example, will not get you the best success all round. No wonder everything FedEx does features the 1-800-Go FedEx number on it. Same goes for UPS with 1-800-PICK UPS, they know what value it is to them.

By simply staying away from these five mistakes, you will be heading down the path to excellent marketing and advertising execution.