It’s become common for us to use a client’s web address in their radio ads these days. But, if they have a vanity phone number, be sure to include it as well. Here is part of a post about vanity numbers and radio advertising I came across earlier today from dial800.com:

A 2007 study by Creative Broadcast Concepts (CBC) Inc., showed that vanity numbers are the way to go for businesses that want to increase their sales with radio advertising.

The study covered radio ads from two radio stations in the Chicago area over a two-week period. Half of the ads used toll-free numbers that weren’t vanity numbers and the other half aired ads with toll-free vanity numbers. The two radio stations rotated the ad spots evenly, and the study used electronic means to report and track the success of the two types of numbers. The ads were exactly alike except one mentioned a vanity number and the other mentioned a toll-free number.

The answers were clear. The ads mentioning vanity numbers attracted 58% more calls than the non-vanity toll-free numbers. Since the vast majority of advertising programs include radio spots, this study implies that most companies could increase their radio sales by using a vanity number.