How To Make Money With A 900 Number

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Numerous 900 number programs have proven successful over the years. Traditional, yet profitable 900 programs include such programs as datelines, introduction services, live chat lines, 1-on-1 talk lines, psychic lines, horoscopes, live technical support, polling and surveys, sports picks and scores, financial news and information, stock quotes and many, many more!

In addition to these, a variety of new industries are profiting from the use of 900 numbers. These include Health Care, Banking and Finance, Government, Entertainment, Manufacturing, Computers and Technology, and many more!

Here are some examples of how these industries are using 900 numbers as an effective means of controlling costs and generating revenue.

Financial institutions are using 900 numbers as a means of charging non-bank merchants to verify funds, respond to credit inquiries, and tax services and information.

Government agencies and organizations are using 900 numbers to handle routine inquiries such as hunting and fishing licensing, background checks, passport applications, and lottery results.

The Entertainment industry uses 900 numbers to sneak preview new releases, movie reviews and previews, gossip hotlines and movie listings.

Manufacturing and service companies are providing new product information, consumer sampling, dealer referral and locator services.

Technology and computer companies are charging for technical support, extending warranties and providing customer support via 900 numbers.

Health care providers and insurance companies now utilize 900 numbers to charge for physician referrals, verify insurance coverage, and to process claims.

As for the 900 number Don advertises - you are only buying an extension number - i.e. 1-900-555-1212 ext 1515. How many people do you know who call a 900# line remember the extension number? What if they dial the extension wrong? And what of the quality of service? Charge backs? Customer service issues? You can get a 900 extension number from free sources or you can shell out money for your own proper 900 number, BUT NONE OF THEM PAY ON A WEEKLY BASIS!!!

The pay per call industry is a haven for dead beats and curious children who rack up calls and refuse to pay. If they don't pay or someone claims the calls were not theirs, the 900 company gets no money and you don't get yours either. A charge back can take up to 90 days, but most are settled in 30. This is why you will not get paid each week, perhaps every 2 weeks with a 30-60 day hold back period so your first check won't arrive for 1-2 months and then every other week thereafter.

You would make more money working FOR the 900 number companies at home than you would advertising your extension of a 900 line.

Want a 900 number? You could find other places to get a 900 number extension for a low cost investment or contact your phone company (AT&T, Sprint...) and ask them to mail you a package on their 900 numbers [more expensive, but you have more control over content and quality], or do an online check for 900 numbers for sale.

You can make money, but chances are great that you will not make BIG money on it unless you can shell out a few hundred thousand for big ad campaigns. Even then, you will still be dogged by charge backs.

So how does a 900 number work in order to develop an income for you?

To use a 900 service, your caller dials a 900 number which is the area code. After connecting, the caller MUST first hear a preamble explaining how the call will be billed. If they do not wish to continue when hearing the charges, they will not be billed for the call.

After this message, callers can be handled by a dedicated 900 service center or directly routed to your company's offices or home office. If they continue after the preamble, they will be billed accordingly. 900 calls can be sent to landlines or mobile phones.

You may have set it up to charge the caller by the minute or for a specific block of time. When the call is done, the bureau handling your account keeps track of the total time, send the bills out to the customer and gives you a statement of calls made along with your payment.

There are several points to consider when evaluating service bureaus. These include the system capacity, service offerings, and company experience.

When choosing a service bureau make sure that they will be able to handle the expected call volume during peak calling periods. Peak periods can arise during certain times of the day, or after a radio or television commercial. The service bureau should have enough lines and personnel to handle all the calls you expect to receive in these situations.

Good service bureaus will provide your with daily online call reports via the web. Don't settle for companies that provide call counts via the phone.

Finally, look into the company's background. This is particularly important since the 900 service business has not earned a strong reputation for honesty. Learn about how long they have been in business.

Try Pay Per Call which is a reliable and reasonably priced company to set up your own line.

What To Do Once You Get The Number

If the company you lease out your number has ready-made content available, then you don't have to worry about creating your own. Just choose whatever package interests you. To be safe, call your own number and sample it to make sure it is up to quality standards. If you like it, continue on with it. If not, complain and ask for something better or a refund and develop your own content.

Advertise it every chance you get. Television and radio ad slots are perfect for this type of service. If you choose classified ads, you may find it more of an affordable option with varying results depending on the type of paper. Tabloids work better than niche magazines unless your topic is on the niche's theme.

Keep track daily of the calls that came in and if possible, by which number. If you can do a track back on the phone number and find an address, or if the bureau provides it for you, send out a regular mailer to get them to call again.

The better your message or service, the more likely they will call back again.

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