When consumers need a phone number and don’t have the print yellow pages or a computer handy they often turn to 411 as a solution. The biggest problem with 411, especially for mobile phone users is that it costs money. In most cases as much as $1.50 to $2.50 per use. U.S. Directory assistance generated around $6.5 billion in revenue last year, mainly because consumers weren’t aware of an alternative. Now that alternative has arrived. Free 411. That’s right, I said free! 

Free 411 provides consumers with a ”no cost” solution to finding a much needed phone number. It also provides advertisers with a new media aimed at reaching consumers at the point of purchase.  This new marketing platform is being categorized under a different type of search. Voice Search. Consumers dial 1-800-Free-411 to obtain listing information and before they receive the requested information, the caller hears one or two short advertisements from competing or complimentary companies. Mobile phone users have the additional option to receive this information via text message. To ensure relevancy, the ads are specifically targeted to the the consumer’s request.

For Example:
A consumer calls searching for Domino’s Pizza, however, before they hear Domino’s listing, they are played an advertisement for Pizza Hut describing their current specials and are given the option to connect to Pizza Hut or continue on to Domino’s.

For advertisers it sounds too good to be true. Free 411 gives companies a new revenue opportunity by providing access to mobile consumers and gives them a chance to steal business from a competitor just before a purchase.  This may sound as those advertisers are reaping all the benefits but Free 411 also benefits the consumer. The service is free, saving consumers the charge of typical directory assistance, and it informs them of special offers and promotions that they may not have been aware of.

Although this sounds good on paper, the next question to ask is what type of response are advertiser’s getting? An article from Media Post Publications discusses the results from a GE Sponsored Study.  GE ran an Earth-Day focused campaign on Free 411 for eight days promoting its energy saving light bulbs. The study found that the campaign increased landing page traffic by nearly 28% and increased message specific brand awareness. The study also found that the campaign achieved a response rate that was 173% better than the average front-end branding campaign response rate. GE isn’t the only big name company taking advantage of this media. Companies such as McDonald’s and Ford have also run successful campaigns further proving the value of Free 411 advertising.

So to all directory assistance users out there in need of a phone number, save yourself some money and choose the free way to find what you are looking for with 1-800-Free-411.