|
Take the example 0870 FLOWERS. In reality the actual number is 0870 356 9377. In ordinary circumstances this is not a particularly memorable number. Now look at your telephone dial pad, and pick out the numbers 356 9377. Above each number you will find the letters of the alphabet which ultimately make up the word FLOWERS. |
| |
0 8 7 0 - F L O W E R S
0 8 7 0 - 3 5 6 9 3 7 7 |
| |
| Hence the term ‘word numbers’. Clearly, if you were driving along the highway and saw a poster with the number 0870-356 9377, or heard a radio advertisment giving this number, it would be not nearly as memorable as 0870 FLOWERS. |
| |
| Word numbers often involve a combination of both numbers and letters - as for example 0870 345 FOOD (345 3663). Also, because there are three or four letters above each number on your dialpad (except for 1 and 0) it is often possible to get different words from the same number. For example: |
| |
0 8 7 0 - 3 4 5 D O M E
0 8 7 0 - 3 4 5 F O O D
0 8 7 0 - 3 4 5 3 6 6 3 |
| |
| Finally, a great advantage of word numbers is that they are not restricted to just seven letters, but can be longer. No matter how long the word, the phone starts ringing once the 7th number/letter has been dialled. DIALABC would normally suggest that for ease of memorability the ‘overhang’ should not be greater than 3 letters - although it is not unknown for some businesses to have an even longer word. The following is an example of ‘overhang’. |
| |
0 8 4 5 - F O R P E N S I O N
0 8 4 5 - 3 6 7 7 3 6 7 - - - |
| |
| |
 |
