Creating a recognizable brand is one of the most important, and hardest, things for any company to accomplish. For decades, companies have been attempting to market themselves through advertisements and word of mouth. When the Internet came along, getting the word out about a company became easier. When social networking erupted, letting consumers know about a new product or service became essential.

Now, a relatively new company called Zoove has found a way to make it even easier for companies to reach target markets directly. Zoove created “StarStar” numbers that are, essentially, direct phone numbers consumers can dial to interact with companies directly. These numbers are quickly becoming the best way for any company to sell products and services.

How StarStar Numbers Work

StarStar numbers (now being billed as “vanity numbers”) are usually words that are preceded by two stars. When a consumer dials this number, they will be connected to a company’s website, app, or coupon. Generally, companies send out this information to people who dial a number in the form of a text message.

For example, a social media company could choose the number **SOCIAL. This number would then be placed on the company’s website, fliers, brochures, and sent out in newsletters (for the latest deals, dial **SOCIAL on your smartphone). This number is of no cost to consumers, but it does provide companies with a direct way to reach out to clients.

Cost of Choosing a StarStar Number

Zoove states that pricing depends on the rarity of a number. Presumably, this means that if you want to choose a popular word such as “tech,” you may pay more for this number, since a lot of companies will want to use the same number. If you come up with something original and clever, you may not pay as much for the number that you want to use.

Companies must pay Zoove an annual fee to keep a number, so it’s a good idea to make sure that the number chosen is one that will fit a brand for a long time. Since Zoove has been making huge strides with its vanity number service, the company has gained a lot of additional funding. In short, you’ll be seeing StarStar numbers a lot over the next few months.

Who Can Use a StarStar Number?

If you own a company, sell a service, or want to gain more business, you can’t go wrong with a StarStar number. Well, you almost can’t go wrong. It’s important to choose a good number, something that people will remember. It’s also important to let your clients know about this number in as many ways as you can. Lastly, it’s crucial that you do not bombard clients who dial your number with many different texts. Otherwise, your StarStar number could become a bother.

Connecting with clients through the use of smartphones and social networks is a great way to gain publicity. As with any other type of marketing though, it’s important that you use services such as StarStar with extreme caution. Remember, every business decision you make (whether social or not) will impact your company’s reputation.