New Study Shows Consumers Have 45% Better Recall of Toll-free Vanity 800 Numbers over Web Addresses

First Research Study to Evaluate Recall of Vanity 800 Numbers and URLs in
Advertisements Suggests Advertisers Should use Both Direct-Response Tools in
their Advertising Campaigns for Effective Lead Generation
BURLINGTON, Vt.--(Business Wire)--
800response, the leading provider of vanity 800 numbers and web-based call
tracking, announced today new research that shows consumers have a 45% higher
recall of vanity 800 phone numbers than web addresses. The independent survey of
1,000 consumers tested recall of vanity 800 numbers and URLs in advertising, and
uncovered consumers` intended actions when visiting an advertiser`s web site.
Study results suggest that advertisers will benefit from featuring a memorable
toll-free number in addition to listing a web address in their advertising
campaigns.

RESEARCH COMPETITION IS A FIRST STEP WHEN VISITING AN ADVERTISER`S WEB SITE:

The majority of consumers surveyed cite "Research the Advertiser" and "Research
the Competition" as their first steps when visiting an advertiser`s web site. An
examination of multiple industries (auto, home improvement, education and health
care) reveals that as many as 40% of consumers research an advertising company`s
competition as their first step once they move on from an advertiser`s web
site.

Consumers First Action Once Online
Industry Research Research Contact
the Competition The Advertiser the Advertiser
Automotive 40% 55% 6%
Home Improvement 26% 68% 6%
Health Care 18% 77% 5%
Education 17% 79% 3%

"The results suggest that advertisers who use their web sites as the exclusive
consumer response tool risk losing potential customers right from the start,
with about a fifth of consumers citing `research the competition` as their first
step. And, fewer than 10% state that they would communicate with the advertiser
as their first step," says Laura Noonan, Vice President of Marketing with
800response. "If companies aren`t including a phone number in their ads, then
they are losing that valuable direct communication with consumers who are
already beyond the research phase and ready to buy," says Noonan.

FINDINGS OF CONSUMER RECALL:

In six out of seven tests, the data shows that consumers have an overall higher
recall rate for vanity 800 phone numbers than they do for web addresses.

Industry Media Format Consumer Recall Advantage
for Vanity 800 Number
Automotive Print/Billboard 29.6%
Automotive Radio 52.0%
Home Improvement Radio 76.1%
Home Improvement Print/Billboard 132.2%
Education Radio 33.2%
Health Care Print/Billboard 126.1%

"To share an example of one recall test, a sample radio ad for the fictitious
company, Bayside Auto Sales, featured 1-800-NEW-AUTO as the vanity number, and
baysideautosales.com as the mock URL. Survey respondents had a 52% higher recall
of the vanity number compared to the URL, despite the fact that the URL was an
exact match to the company name. The higher recall for the phone number over the
web address is significant for a business when they look at return on
advertising investment," says Noonan.

Recall data demonstrate that vanity 800 numbers are also more memorable than
URLs when used in print, outdoor, and broadcast advertising formats.

"These recall findings combined with consumers` proclivity to shop the
competition while online suggests that advertisers will benefit by featuring a
memorable toll-free number in addition to listing their web address in their
advertising. Using a URL as the sole direct-response method is not a sage tactic
for generating the maximum number of leads from an advertising budget," says
Noonan.

About the Study

The vanity 800 provider and a third-party research firm conducted the first
study of its kind to test consumer behaviors in response to advertisements
featuring both URLs and toll-free 800 numbers in visual and audio advertising.
The advertisements represented multiple industries including automotive, home
improvement, wireless, education, and health care. For more information and
details of methodology, contact lnoonan@800response.com.

About 800response

800response maintains the widest selection of vanity 800 numbers available
today, and offers these dynamic advertising tools to increase response rates and
improve ROI for businesses in North America. Services include a sophisticated
Call Routing platform, Web-based real-time Call Tracking reports, and Call
Monitoring services like Call Recording and Missed Call Monitor. For more
information, visit http://www.800response.com/news/pressreleases/index.htmlor
call 1-800-NEW-SALES.

About Infosurv, Inc.

Since 1998, Infosurv has established itself as a recognized leader in the field
of online survey research. Headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia, Infosurv partners
with companies of all sizes and industries to design, administer and analyze
market research, employee, and customer surveys. To learn more visit
www.infosurv.com.

800response
Jeanne Landau, 1-800-317-8060
jlandau@800response.com

Copyright Business Wire 2009