Thread: Phone numbers on websites - yea or nay?

I just read Shira's excellent articles about personal safety, and it made me wonder if it's better to only have one's email address on a dance website. What do people think?

- Leela

I wouldn't recommend putting your home number on a website or business card, but I think a cell phone or answering service number is fine. As long as it can't be traced to your physical address, I think the risk is minimal.

While most of my clients find me online, about half of them call as opposed to emailing me. Not everyone is comfortable with using email as communication, especially older clients.

I think it's important to have a phone number listed if you're trying to encourage people to do business with you. Lots of people really need to make phone contact before they make a buying decision, or aren't comfortable with businesses that 'only' exist on the web.

But I wouldn't use my home phone number -- ever! Unless your number is unlisted, the first thing that happens when you type your number into Google (area code first) is that it gives your address and offers a map to your house!

I use my cel phone number. It's not untracable, I'm sure, but it's better. Some people get a special voice mail number, or answering service, for their bellydance business, then call in daily to retrieve messages, or get a call when they have a message. That's possibly the most secure option.

When I first started out with my site, I used a voicemail box #. I didn't have a cellphone at the time. I switched to the cell phone after a pretty short time though because I found the voicemail a bit of a hassle. However, if you are really concerned, it is very secure and cheap. Mine was about $5 a month.

Ooh, I didn't know someone could trace my address from my phone number. Well, it's still on my website because - as said above - if you want people to do business with you, you've got to make it easy for them to contact you! The more obstacles you put in people's way, the less business you get.

My new student bookings have to come through my phone number because I am currently only able to take credit card payments over the phone, not online, and I don't have a shop front people visit. I prefer to list the landline rather than the mobile because (a) I can't guarantee credit card safety if I'm scribbling numbers on bits of paper or repeating them back to customers while I'm out and about and (b) I don't want to be called when I'm out!

Perhaps I've just been lucky, but in several years, I got only my second obscene phone call a few days back, and I've never, ever had anyone trace my address or visit me.

I have a phone number on my website, and it's my landline. I haven't had any funny phonecalls, and my numbers been on my website for about 2 years. It's a special BT extra number on my exisiting line, so if there are any problems, I can just cancel the number.

Years ago, when I first started advertising in the yellow pages, I put in a business phone, and that's what I use for my web page phone number. It can't be traced to my home address (although the phone company took some convincing there). I also don't list my studio address, although I give a general location, because I would feel terrible if some weirdo was waiting in the parking lot after one of my late classes. But then again, maybe I'm paranoid... ..c::

I have my landline and mobile on my website, because as others say, I want people to feel able to phone and ask questions. In fact I probably get at least one call a day from people enquiring about my classes. I have the very, very occasional crank call but nothing that's ever really concerned me.

Mind you, I didn't realise you could trace someone from their phone number. But there again, I live so far out in the country I can tell you, even the emergency services can't find us when we give them the address ..g.:

I use a cell phone currently, but I looked into Private Phone - it is free and looks like it would be great. Unfortunately, my area code isn't offered yet.

I have my cell phone number on my web site. That way, it can't be traced back to my home address through the Internet searching tools. Back when I first built my web site 10 years ago, I used my home phone, but somewhere along the line I decided it would be better to replace that with my cell phone number.

In 10 years, I've had no more than about 4-5 "weirdo" phone calls, and none of those turned into anything that made me feel threatened. So I wouldn't say that threats are common. However, they ARE out there - I probably receive 3-4 requests per year from dancers who want home addresses and phone numbers removed from their entries on my teacher/performer directory at www.shira.net/directory.htm due to having received some kind of weirdo behavior. So the way I see it, there's enough weirdo activity to justify the cautious approach of using a cell phone number rather than a home phone.

related; and what about your business adress? i dont have it on my website, nor my business cards, but when working with clients, and when paying for stuff myself (the rent of the studio, putting an add in a news paper, etc), they need my dance company's official business adress, in order to do business with me.... well, which also happens to be my home adress. you are NOT allowed to have a post box for that here, it has to be a physical adress. if i would have my own dance studio, i could use that as the adress, but since i dont...

sometimes it worries me, but it cant be helped

for phone number i also use a cell phone number,

That sucks, artemisia, that you can't use a PO Box as your address! I love my PO Box, and use it for just about everything relating to my business.

I teach privates out of my house, but I don't have the address on my website. When I'm communicating with someone who wants private lessons, the last thing they get is my address and directions to my house. By that time, I have all of their information (full name, home address, home phone #, etc.), so it makes me feel a bit more secure giving it out.

I also don't list the street addresses of my classes on my website. I just put what town/city each is in, and the park & rec/studios take care of giving them that information when they call to sign up.

I've yet to have an obscene phone call, but then again I don't answer my cell if I don't recognize the number. I just have them leave a message and will call them back right away if I can.

Cell phone and P.O. Box on website, and have not had any problems.

You have to be careful if you advertize on Yahoo locals, though. They ask for some kind of a physical address and say that it will not show up. However, it does, and I have seen all the local belly dancers' home address listed. I don't think you can put in a P.O. Box, but I think wht happened was that everyone thought it wouldn't show.

I listed the restaurant where I dance regularly, you can also list your dance studio, but be careful with home address. I don't even have my home address on my checks - P.O. Box only, I don't want to be traced.

Just to share a funny moment....the last obscene phone call I had was a few days ago. Problem was, I thought it was my boyfriend putting on a stupid voice. So when he said "I wanna make hot love to you tonight" ....I said "Ooh, goodie, so do I."

Arghhhh!!!

Originally Posted by phillyraqs

I use a cell phone currently, but I looked into Private Phone - it is free and looks like it would be great. Unfortunately, my area code isn't offered yet.

I just signed up for private phone today.
It's FREE!!
And you can get your voice mail delivered via email.
Thanks for posting this. I wouldn't have known about it otherwise.

I have my 888 number (1-888-4-JIMBOZ) on my website. It's an internet based forwarding service. It either goes A: to my cell phone during hours I don't mind being contacted (read: not in the middle of the night) and B: to an internet based voicemail (incidentally, my 877 toll free message service) when I don't wish to be reached.

You can set up the office times and forwarding logic on a webpage.

My biz cards list my cell number tho.

Remember voicemail is a time management tool. :)

But then again, I'm a big tattooed guy.
YMMV

Originally Posted by jewelbellydance

Just to share a funny moment....the last obscene phone call I had was a few days ago. Problem was, I thought it was my boyfriend putting on a stupid voice. So when he said "I wanna make hot love to you tonight" ....I said "Ooh, goodie, so do I."

Arghhhh!!!

..l;, ..l;, ..l;, ..cr.: ..cr.: ..l;,

Originally Posted by jewelbellydance

Just to share a funny moment....the last obscene phone call I had was a few days ago. Problem was, I thought it was my boyfriend putting on a stupid voice. So when he said "I wanna make hot love to you tonight" ....I said "Ooh, goodie, so do I."

Arghhhh!!!

I have to ask....how long was it until you realised it WASN'T your boyfriend???
.w.:

Originally Posted by Nat242

I have to ask....how long was it until you realised it WASN'T your boyfriend???
.w.:

Once he got a bit repetitive and I told him it wasn't funny any more...right after I'd declared how much I really liked the sound of what was on offer. ..c::

Originally Posted by jewelbellydance

Once he got a bit repetitive and I told him it wasn't funny any more...right after I'd declared how much I really liked the sound of what was on offer. ..c::

While I have my phone number on my cards, I don't have it on my website. One reason is that I love to travel.
What if somebody calls me while I am in the States for 3 weeks and I never call back? Cell phone is not really an option because when I go to the USA I get a prepaid chip for an American number because that's cheaper. So people can't reach me on my Swiss number.
I kept my Swiss chip when I was in India. But then, I don't really want to call Switzerland from India...

On the other hand, I read my e-mails everyday (sometimes even several times, depending on the access possibilities) and can answer them right away.

Plus I love the fact that with e-mails, I have everything in writing and can go back and read them if I'm not certain about some details.

MEISSOUN

I just ordered a free phone number from that website. I LOVE this because
A. it's free
B. it's not my home phone or cell phone and
C. It gives me email alerts when I have a message (I'd forget to check otherwise)

Weeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!

what was the hassel? and what company did you use/

Originally Posted by mariyah13

When I first started out with my site, I used a voicemail box #. I didn't have a cellphone at the time. I switched to the cell phone after a pretty short time though because I found the voicemail a bit of a hassle. However, if you are really concerned, it is very secure and cheap. Mine was about $5 a month.