Web based companies without quality vanity numbers could find it difficult to maintain their market presence…

The battle against hackers is officially lost according to FBI cybersecurity director this week. Exiting after 20 years on the job, the FBI official pronounced the current strategies for fighting online hackers against public and private organizations "unsustainable" and that we will never be able to stay ahead and effectively protect assets and data from hackers.

When you activate a new toll free number you should expect a range of toll free services to be included so that you can get up and running and realize the maximum ROI right away. These services include:

Call Forwarding
You ought to be able to have your incoming calls forwarded to any number you like. In fact, you should be able to route calls to your toll free number to a variety of numbers depending on where they come from, who is calling and who is best to handle them in your organization at that time.

Pinterest announced on Saturday that it is changing it's terms of service to address the recent issues that have been brought to light about their overly broad infringement language (among other things). These changes will become effective on April 6, 2012. Our guest blogger Christy Brugger Green of ChristySeattle comments on Pinterest and her take on the terms of service. Check out the full content on her blog at www.christyseattle.com.

A vanity toll-free number can do great things for your business. It can help potential customers remember how to reach you, and prompt them to call YOU when they think of that product or service they need. However, that is only true if the number is chosen well.

So what do you want in your vanity number? There are several good things to look for.

Businesses are being pulled in two different directions today. Cloud computing is becoming an ever more important tool for companies seeking to maximize marketing ROI and fatten their bottom lines. However, at the same time the media is being flooded with the message that businesses need to be focusing on their local marketing. Global or local, what's the right move?

What's the benefit of using a vanity number for your business compared to using a regular toll-free phone number? In fact, the value to your business' marketing strategy is tremendous.

The new iPad 3 has not just been creating a buzz across business blogs, they have also been flying off shelves in their millions. However, senior analysts at Swiss banking giant, UBS, are calling the new iPhone 5 Apple's real "secret weapon". The question is, are your call center staff, marketing strategies and business phone numbers ready for it?

Wondering if a toll free vanity number is right for your business? What are the real pros and cons?

The Disadvantages of Using a Vanity Number

Confusion – If your vanity number isn't easy to remember or to spell, it could result in wasted lead generation opportunities and a lower marketing ROI.

Local Search Challenges – With the rush to improve local search engine optimization results, some may question the advantage of a vanity number as the sole contact number on web assets. Why not simply incorporate both?

A question long in the asking, but with a simple one word answer: YES!