When it comes to a competitive business, like sales, we all probably know that we need to distinguish ourselves from the competition as much as possible.

Personally, it is my belief that demonstrating professionalism is the key to doing well in Real Estate and Mortgage sales.  Of course, everyone reading this blog already knows this.  I doubt any of you would run an television ad screaming that your "prices are insane" while squeezing a bicycle horn.  At least, I hope not.

However, many Real Estate professionals work from home.  In fact, the majority of us probably do.

Sometimes clients, for whatever reason, are put off when they call one of us and find we are working from a home office.  I have no idea why; I think its ridiculous, but some people do.

Here is a nice tip for increasing your potential client's perception of professionalism:  (Tongue Twister!)

Get a vanity phone number.  You know, something like 1-800-Real-Estate.  (I can promise you that 1-800-Real-Estate is taken, but you get the point.)

A vanity phone number from will cost you $15 per month, plus .10 per minute when people call you.  If a potential client remembers your easy-to-remember phone number, it will be worth a ten minute call charge at one whole dollar.  (ten cents multiplied by ten minutes)

The vanity phone number has to be forwarded to your current land line- your home office.  However, when you are out of the office, you can forward your land line to your cell phone.  Or you can permanently forward your land line to your cell phone...  How cool would it be to have your cell phone number be 1-800-New-Homes?  (That phone number is also unavailable, sorry.)

Very easy stuff:

1.  Go to the AT&T vanity number look-up page.  Click here for that, it will open in a new window.

2.  Start brainstorming!  In the little form, enter the letters that you would like.  Enter * asterisks * for wild cards.  In other words, if you wanted "AZ PRO", it is only five letters, so we would search for "**AZPRO".  That would give us two "wild" numbers, followed by AZ PRO.  Or, we could go with "AZPRO**", which would give us AZPRO, followed by two wild numbers.  So let's try **AZPRO:

3.  Now we click the "Check Availability" button to see if the number we want is available.  Here are the results:

4.  It looks like there aren't any 800 numbers available.  Actually, no matter what you search for, you won't find any 800 numbers.  They are all taken!

I like, 866-66-AZ-PRO. 

It's very easy to remember.  Say it out loud:  "eight-six-six, six-six, A, Z, pro"  Sounds good right?  Maybe a little demonic, but definitely easy to remember. 

Now just click "order now" and your new toll free number can forward to your home office or cell phone within about 48 hours.  (That's how long it usually takes them to get set up.)

For $15 per month, this is a great way to make yourself look professional to the outside world, even though we know you already are.

Bonus tip:  Give it to your kids or beer-drinking husband; they won't be able to use the excuse that they forgot the number, that their cell phone batteries are dead, or that they don't have any change.  They can pick up a payphone and ring your cell phone at any time by dialing your new vanity number.  All for $15 per month.  You can't beat it.

Bonus tip #2:  If you want 866-AZ-REALTOR, you will probably notice that we don't need the last two letters- the "OR" in "REALTOR."  Who cares?  Just take 866-AZ-REALT and put 866-AZ-REALTOR on your business cards.  Your phone will connect before they can dial the "o" and the "r"...  I'm sure you've seen this before.