An advertising executive today brought up an objection because he couldn’t dial a vanity number from his blackberry (because it has Qwerty keys not regular phone keys). Ironically the Blackberry actually makes it very easy to dial vanity numbers. People tend to think that the whole world thinks and does things the same way they do. People who use blackberrys always think it’s big problem because they all assume that everyone does or will use a blackberry soon. That’s certainly not true, but we all see the world through our own perspective.

Fortunately this objection is mostly a theoretical one, and not anywhere near as much of an issue as blackberry users assume it’ll be. I always ask the blackberry user if they were able to reach me. They usually say, Yes, but I had to use my desk phone, or yes but it was harder. OK, but they got through. Then they typically say that they’re doing radio advertising so most of their prospects will be in their cars. To which I say, yes, and that’s why it’s even more important that their number be a vanity number and more memorable. Their prospects aren’t looking at the number when they’re dialing and often can’t dial it right away when they hear it.

Advertisers always picture their listeners reaching straight for the phone after they hear their commercial. Fortunately or unfortunately, that’s now how advertising works. You’ve probably heard that advertising requires repetition for it to stick. Vanity numbers are just more sticky and more likely to be remembered the next time they see it or when they realize that they have a need for your product or service. That’s MUCH more important than whether it’s easy to dial on any specific phone or not. But the people that don’t remember your number and wind up at a competitor don’t complain and are easier to ignore.

Lastly, I asked the blackberry user whether he had ever had to go look up someone’s phone number and forgotten or gotten side tracked. Of course he had, we all do. Then I asked him how many times he had heard a vanity number he wanted to call and what he did. He had always just used his office or home phone. It was annoying but he always did it and got through. But when he had to look up someone phone number he didn’t always end up calling them. So it was obvious that being memorable was actually more important than being easy to dial.

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