A business built on regulars
A good barber shop lives on regulars who come back every two to four weeks. The easier the rebooking, the more often they come. Walk-ins keep the chairs full, but the regulars who call ahead are the steady part of the week.
A number that spells FADE or TRIM is easy to recall when it's time for the next cut, and it's easy to pass along when a friend asks where you go.
Where to put it
- The window and mirror stickers. Clients look at the mirror for half an hour.
- Business cards handed out at the chair.
- Social profiles, where many people find a new barber.
One number for the shop
Shops with several barbers often use one number for the whole shop and let whoever is free answer. Calls ring the phone you choose, and missed calls go to that phone's voicemail. Texts arrive as email, which works for clients asking about wait times or booking a spot.
Picking the word
Three- and four-letter words such as CUT, FADE and TRIM are the easiest to find locally. SHAVE and BEARD have five letters, so they are harder to get but distinctive when available.
Which of these words you can get
The shorter the word, the more numbers can spell it. Toll-free is one national pool, so a word that is taken in your area code can still be free there.
| Word | Letters | Availability |
|---|---|---|
| FADE | 4 | Usually available. Up to 1,000 per area code, though popular trade words go first. The live results above show what is free today. |
| TRIM | 4 | Usually available. Up to 1,000 per area code, though popular trade words go first. The live results above show what is free today. |
| CUT | 3 | Easy to find. Up to 10,000 local numbers per area code can spell it. |
| SHAVE | 5 | Harder to find. Up to 100 per area code. A neighbouring area code or toll-free often has one. |
| BEARD | 5 | Harder to find. Up to 100 per area code. A neighbouring area code or toll-free often has one. |
Why barber shops pick a number that spells something
The same three things every business gets, in the words your customers use.
Keep your phone
Calls forward to the line you already answer. Nothing to install.
Live in a minute
Pay and the number is active. Put it on the sign tonight.
$9 a month
100 minutes included, then 5¢ a minute. Toll-free adds $3. Cancel any time.