Top 5 Reasons Getting an International Phone Number Improves Sales

by Audrey Oh

For small businesses, it can be a challenge to break out of the local area and reach new markets. If you lack the human resources and budget to establish multiple branches, how do you reach an international audience?

Virtual international phone numbers are a great way to extend the reach of your business into other countries. There’s no need to hire new staff, invest in premises abroad or wade through international law. All you need to do is buy an international phone number and potential customers will see your business as local. Check out our top five reasons for getting an international phone number that improves sales and boosts business.

1. 1. Build Trust with Customers and ProspectsMany consumers feel more confident buying from local businesses or those with local branches. You can buy an international phone number for almost any city in the world to make yourself look like a local. The customer sees the international number you have purchased — which to them seems like a local number. But when they dial it, the call diverts to the location and device of your choice. So if your office is in London and you know there is a strong market for your product or service in Hong Kong, you can buy a Hong Kong number and divert calls to your telephone system in the UK.Trust and familiarity are two key reasons why people choose to buy from a particular provider. Giving your business a number local to your target geographical location will improve sales in that area because people will have more trust in your company.
2. 2. Improved Customer ExperienceIf you streamline your business phone service by using one provider, you can manage international and local business on the same system. This makes it easier for you to track sales and marketing efforts, manage high call volumes and effectively prioritise calls. All of which supports a positive customer experience — vital for attracting new customers and retaining existing ones.You can choose to direct inbound calls to different extensions, enabling you to pass a customer to the most appropriate member of staff quickly. You might have specialist sales staff for each target country so that you can direct calls from different international numbers to the relevant employee. This flexibility means customers have their needs met quickly and efficiently, rather than bouncing between various staff members until they reach the one who can help.
3. 3. Expand to Markets Where There Is DemandSetting up physical branches in other countries is extremely time, resource and cost-intensive. If you take the plunge before you’ve tested the waters, you could spend a lot of money establishing your business in a location where your sales team will struggle to hit their targets.An international phone number is a simple and cost-effective way to test the customer base in a different country before you commit to further investment. With a “local” number, you give your business the best chance of success. If there is insufficient demand to justify further expansion, you can refocus your efforts elsewhere without having sacrificed significant budget resources. By testing new markets before committing to them, you will improve sales as you can focus on areas with high potential for conversions.
4. 4. Boost Your Company’s ReputationSmall businesses often struggle to compete against big brands that consumers instantly recognise and trust. Buying international phone numbers is an effective way to boost the profile of your business, from small and local, to successful and global.You could be working from a garden office in your hometown, yet international numbers create the impression you have offices worldwide! Having a global presence with multiple offices makes your company look more professional and reliable. This will translate into improved sales.
5. 5. Additional Services Can Boost SalesMany international phone number providers offer a wide range of additional telephony services. These services can make your business run more smoothly, enhance the customer experience and increase sales. Incoming call features such as Call Whisper gives your sales team a heads up about where a call has come from. Call Queuing and Auto Attendant (IVR) will help you to deliver a consistently high level of customer service, which will impact your sales figures.

International phone numbers are an easy and cost-effective way to branch out into new markets, boost your company’s reputation, enhance the customer experience and build trust with customers and prospects. All of which will lead to improved sales.

If you’re looking to take your small business to the next level, contact us to find out more about how to buy international phone numbers. City Numbers has over 20 years experience in the industry and we provide virtual city phone numbers in over 4000 cities across the world.