Who doesn’t like a good 1-800 number, especially one that is easy to remember? Here are a few that I like:
- 800-ASK-BLUE (this is for Independence Blue Cross, the Philly-based licensee of Blue Cross)
- 800-DOG-POOP (a service that cleans up the dog poop in your yard)
- 800-JUNK-USA (a junk removal service)
- 800-GOT-JUNK (a junk removal service)
- 800-FLOWERS (flower delivery service)
- 800-I-GO-HOJO (reservation number for Howard Johnson hotels)
But I think my favorite is 1-800-PICK-UPS.
It’s got a couple of things going for it.
First, the name of the company is in the phone number, making it a bit easier to remember.
Second, and this is what I really like, the number could take on a couple of different meanings. If you say PICK followed by spelling out UPS, it is suggesting that a customer should pick UPS over a rival such as Fed Ex. Alternatively, one could say each part as two words, PICk followed by UPS. Since that is what they are in the business of doing, picking things up, then the phone number reinforces what the company does.
So congrats to the creative geniuses at UPS who thought up the 800 number.
It got me thinking of an 800 number I could use, and came up with the following:
- 800-ACC-PROF (for the accounting teacher in me)
- 800-I-AM-INTJ (in reference to my Meyers-Brigg personality type)
- 800-I-JUGGLE (well, at least I used to)
- 800-SWIMMER (before that Phelps guy grabs it)
and finally,
- 800-WP-STATS (in honor of my love of WordPress stats)
*image from Business Facilities
Or, 800-Blather.
That guy stepping out of the UPS truck sure looks a lot like Kevin James.
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I thought at first glance that he looked like Mike Pompeo!
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I can see that, too.
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how great would it be if that was his job six months from now…
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I like that number.
the King of Queens is one of my all-time favorite shows…
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Same here. I’ve watched a lot of the reruns.
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Haha of course you had to add the stats on in there!
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you’re right, I just had to… 🙂
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I know a lot of people who would use the dog poop cleaning service. I didn’t read it as UPS at first, despite your picture prompt.
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I agree, I think a lot of people would hire the dog poop people.
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Perhaps my mind is just in the gutter, but my first thought on hearing of “1-8—PICK-UPS” was a different meaning entirely. I’ll leave that to your imagination. 😉
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I hadn’t thought of that, but you are right, that is another possibility. Makes the phone number even more creative 🙂
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😊
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Oh my gosh that is what I had thought exactly!! LOL! What does that say about us Jill? :]
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I can’t even chime in…
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Heh heh … a couple of dirty-minded old ladies!!!
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Wait! I am still young! 😉
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Oh yes! How could I have forgotten??? 😁
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Its because you are old. Understand! LOL!😂 kidding!
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🤣 No offense taken! I AM old … and getting older by the day, it seems! 🤣 👵
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You are young in heart and mind… 🙂
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Awwww … thanks, Jim! 😊
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👍
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indeed!
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You didn’t have to agree quite so quickly, or with such glee!!!
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I’m so used to agreeing with everything you write… 🙂
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😊
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Okay, this will be fun: 1-800-DOCTORQ, 1-800-GOVEGAN, 1-800-BLOGGER, 1-800-4QUINCY, 1-800-STATMAN….I will be at this all day in my head. Great post, Jim!
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those are all great ones; I should have asked you for some before I hit publish! Your creativity and mastery of the language would serve you well in the field of advertising!
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i think the ups one is brilliant, and i was going to suggest a stats one for you, until i saw your final suggestion – spot on!
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yes, the odds were pretty high that there would be a stat one… 🙂
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odds and stats, fit together nicely
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I didn’t even catch that 🙂
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We don’t have phone numbers like this in the U.K. – clearly our phone companies are lacking in marketing skills. There have been some attempts at it, but nowadays companies just tell us to visit their website. I think you should make your mark with 1-800-JIM-NOT-JAMES…
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that’s interesting that such numbers are not popular in the U.K.
and maybe I should start signing my emails with 1-800-JIM-NOT-JAMES – hopefully that would catch peoples attention…
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There are some in use, but I don’t think it’s anywhere near as widespread as there.
I think that might work…
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I guess we’ve got too much time on our hands over here… 🙂
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Or maybe you’re just more creative, with a better eye for an opportunity…
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and money…
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Good marketing! I was going to suggest 1-800-STAT-GUY but you beat me to it 🙂
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can’t ignore the stats!
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Haha oh my gosh, some of the names are funny, but what made me smile is how you end. You’re obsessed 😂
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yes, I am… 🙂
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These numbers are great. I have to admit I’ve never heard of a service that cleans up dog poop. I want to add that to my resume. You are right about the advantages of having a number that is easy to remember. I’m sure Jenny is still glad to know that I remember her number. 867-5309. https://youtu.be/6WTdTwcmxyo
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who doesn’t know 867-5309!
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UPS has created a great number for remembering. It sticks in your head. You came up with some really creative and funny ones.
When I am looking at a phone number I don’t like them to be spelled. Transposing letters to digits makes it harder to dial, for me anyway.
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yes, using letters does take a bit more time than numbers, but easier to remember…
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and more fun to play around with.
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PICK-UPS is perfect. PICK-JIM is also good.
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pick-jim-last was the story of my childhood 🙂
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So, “last” would be your character extension then? Mine was “next-to-last” … 🙂
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and as I vaguely recall, I don’t think I ever disappointed my team as the last one picked… 🙂
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You must’ve been a sleeper, Jim. Nothing better than elevating beyond expectations …
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I had meant to say that I lived up to expectations as the last one picked… 🙂
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American ingenuity at work in a good way. I am still scratching my head and laughing about these bogus calls I receive almost daily. I still owe money to Amazon.com for a phantom purchase. They are even kind enough to leave me a message. Good grief!
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those robocalls are relentless!
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This made me smile as here you can choose your phone number and mine begins with 0800 which makes it so easy to remember but if giving to a someone in the UK…like my bank an explanation has to follow as they think I am pulling a fast one…which does make me smile..that’s the wicked streak in me 🙂
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that’s cool that you can pick your own number, and I like that wicked streak in you 🙂
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I know, Jim makes remembering the number so much easier… A wicked streak makes life so much more interesting.. Hehe….. 😁
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if you can’t have fun…
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This is a great blog! Some people are just genius with advertising. I guess I could get 800-IAMLISA. That might sound too much like a psychic network or call girl! 800-ISHOOTYOU but that sounds like I’m a hired assassin instead of a photographer. I have to give it more thought! 🙂
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it’s nice for the number to have a double meaning, like UPS does, but I guess you have to be careful! 🙂
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It’s clever advertising for sure! 🙂
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