Have you struggled with the cost and logistics of adding a second phone line for your business? I did for over a year. Everyone always told me "You need a business phone, it's more professional." Also, certain local laws require (check in your area) that you not list your home phone as a business line, they state that you must have a separate line for business only.Google Voice Basics: About Google Voice
Google Voice gives you one number for all your phones -- a phone number that is tied to you, not to a device or a location. Use Google Voice to simplify the way you use phones, make using voicemail as easy as email, customize your callers' experience, and more.
Google Voice isn't a phone service, but it lets you manage all of your phones. Google Voice works with mobile phones, desk phones, work phones, and VoIP lines. There's nothing to download, upload, or install, and you don't have to make or take calls using a computer.
Google Voice will let you define which phones ring, based on who's calling, and even let you ListenInTM on voicemail before answering the call. We use smart technology to route your calls. So, if you're already on a Google Voice call, we'll recognize it and use call waiting to reach you on the phone you're on.
As small business owners, sometimes we have a very small bottom line and while we love doing what we do, we don't necessarily want to LOSE money on all the expenses a business implies. We are our own accountants, our own assistants, our own packing and shipping departments, you get the picture! We do all we can to maximize our profits while still providing the best service and communication to our customers.
That's were Google voice comes in. Google Voice allows you to set up a separate phone number which forwards calls to your home phone, office phone or cell phone. The settings can be changed at any time. Further, you have the ability to screen and block calls at will. When you call someone from your Google Voice account, they see your Google Voice number and won't have access to your personal number.
Phone shy? Don't necessarily want your customers just randomly calling you? Don't worry, you can screen every call. You can even join the call while the caller is leaving a message if you decide it's worth taking. You can link the Google Voice inbox to your Google Email and receive notifications there. That way, you can listen to the message, think about it before you call back and not be caught off guard or feel put on the spot.
It's absolutely fantastic.
Bonus? It's absolutely FREE. The only charge involved is for calling internationally, and we all know that we can use Skype for that, right?
The catch? It's still in beta, so membership is by invite only. You'll have to go to the website and ask to be invited. I did, and it took about a month to hear back. Not bad considering it's FREE inside the continental U.S. and has so many great features!
I can't begin to tell you how important it could be to have your phone number on your site, on your business card and on your marketing materials. It could be the difference between winning a new customer or keeping in contact with that great designer you met at your show last week. If you plan to sell at retail locations or wholesale your items, it will be critical that they have more than one way to reach you.
Get out there and ask for your invite! It's perfect for us creative business owners that want to ramp up our business a notch and add another layer of professionalism.
