Improve Outreach Campaign Success with Local Caller ID

There are plenty of cold calling tips and tricks to maximize the effects of your outreach. One little-known trick is to use local caller ID when making outbound sales calls. 

Think about it: People are more willing to pick up calls from an unknown number when it matches their area code because the caller is more likely to be someone they’re already acquainted with, like a friend or co-worker. Calls from a toll-free number or a number with an unknown area code are far more likely to come from a person or business they don’t want to speak to, like a timeshare rep or a robocall.

Studies show that only 15% of adults are willing to answer calls from a different area code, but that 49% still prefer cold calling as the first point of contact. Bottom line: If you’re calling from the same area code as your lead, there’s a far higher chance they’ll pick up the phone — and actually be willing to speak with you. 

Turn the odds in your favor —  and make your outreach campaign calls more enticing for leads  —  by using a local phone number. Whether your leads are based in New York City or Lakewood, Colorado, they’ll see a local number pop up on their caller ID when our live agents reach out. 

How to get local phone numbers for your outreach campaign 

Getting a local phone number is easier than you think — there’s no need to open a brick-and-mortar location or move across the country. 

First, determine how many local phone numbers you’ll need

You can do this by looking at your campaign recipients list. Do you only need a couple numbers or many? That will be determined by how many different area codes match the locations of your recipients.

Second, purchase local phone numbers from Smith.ai

Let Smith.ai know the quantity of phone numbers (one for each area code) you need and your chosen area codes. (View our current pricing page.) Our client success team will purchase and provision your new phone numbers. We will then assign them to be used when our agents place campaign calls on your behalf. 

How Smith.ai will use local phone numbers in an outreach campaign

When we place an outbound call to a phone number with a 3-digit area code matching one of your provisioned numbers, our system will use that number to place the call. 

If the call recipient’s area code doesn't match one of your numbers, our system will use the "default" number on your account. 

(If the default number is used too frequently, simply ask our team to provision more numbers to ensure a high “match rate” between area codes.)

4 Benefits of using local caller ID for outreach campaigns

To hit the ground running and keep that momentum throughout your outreach campaign, you want to stack the odds in your favor. Using a local caller ID does just that. Here are four ways using a local phone number works to improve the connection rates of outbound sales calls and improve results overall for your outreach campaigns:

1. Establish a local business presence

A physical location isn’t required to establish a local presence. Instead, a local caller ID will let leads know you operate in their area. For instance, if your business is based out of Florida, but you want your leads in Oregon to know you can serve them, an Oregon area code will show you’re established in their area.

2. Expand sales outreach to new markets

If your business doesn’t have a brick-and-mortar presence, breaking into new local markets can be hard. After researching your target audience in a new region and deciding to go for it, you have to earn the locals’ trust. Using a local area code to target leads in this new locale makes it clear that you’re part of the community. Think of it as a form of geo-targeted marketing for your outreach campaign. 

3. Boost cold-call answer rates

What good will outbound sales calls do if your leads won’t pick up? Give your sales outreach team a performance boost by using a local phone number. Leads are 4 time more likely to pick up the phone when an unknown caller is using a local area code over a toll-free area code, which will lead to higher overall conversion rates for your campaign. That leads us to the 4th benefit.

4. Increase conversions from cold sales calls

As incredible as your marketing team and our professional agents may be, it won’t matter if your leads don’t pick up the phone. It’s known that 80% of customers are more likely to buy when businesses offer a personalized experience from a brand. Compared to the typical cold email that doesn’t offer much in the way of personalization, cold calls can be more dynamic and can be adjusted based on the way the conversation goes. Set the stage with localized numbers that instantly establish a personal, local connection. Phone outreach has a response rate of 8.1%, compared to a measly .03% for email, so you’re really stacking the deck in your favor.  

We’re creatures of habit; we stick to what’s familiar. Phone calls are no exception. So don’t gamble the success of your outreach campaigns on toll-free, vanity, or random phone numbers. Instead, allow Smith.ai to call leads from an area code matching their own, and you’ll experience a huge shift in how often your leads respond favorably to your outreach efforts. 

FAQ: How Smith.ai handles local caller ID for outreach campaigns

• Can you display my phone number when making outreach calls?
  ‍Yes, outreach campaign calls can come from your business phone number, as long as caller ID is enabled on your plan. This is particularly useful for potential and existing clients who may already have your number in their phones. In addition, if you purchase multiple local phone numbers, we can automatically use the phone number that matches your call recipients' area code.
• How many local phone numbers can I purchase?
  Purchase as many as you need! Pricing can be found on the outreach campaign pricing page. 
• Is it a one-time or ongoing cost for a local number?
  ‍Each local phone number is a small, monthly recurring charge and pricing can be found on the outreach campaign pricing page. 
• Can I use local numbers I purchase for multiple outreach campaigns?
  Yes! We can use your local phone numbers across multiple campaigns. 

Get local numbers for your Smith.ai outreach campaigns

If you're a Smith.ai client, add local caller ID to your outreach campaign plan by reaching out to our team at support@smith.ai. If you have any questions or concerns about getting started, email support@smith.ai or call (650) 727-6484, and we’ll assist you in any way we can. 

If you're not yet a Smith.ai client and need help getting started with our outreach campaigns, please schedule a free consultation or email us at sales@smith.ai.