A second phone number for business isn’t merely for big businesses with multiple team members or departments. It’s for the local business owner who has to juggle multiple roles daily. It’s what every entrepreneur needs to professionalise their operations and separate their personal and professional lives.

Whether you’re a wedding photographer, florist, web designer, tax consultant, pet groomer or electrician, as a local business owner, you’re supposed to be always available for calls and texts. The next call could be from a customer or client. It could be from a business associate or a utility provider. You can’t afford to ignore it when they reach out.

The solution could be a simple second phone number that you can get started in a matter of minutes.

What's the second phone line for?

Being a local business owner means constantly having to combine your professional and personal lives. You could be cooking dinner and suddenly pause it to take a business call. You could be picking up your kid from school but then have to shush them in the car as you respond to a client’s call.

A second phone number won’t dramatically reduce your workload or instantly grow your business. But it will make it easier for you to focus and optimise your time. Now, all your business contacts will have a separate channel to reach you. That gives a professional identity to your business operations.

How can you get a second phone line for business?

A second SIM

There are primarily two options to get a separate business phone number. The first one is to get a new mobile number, which means getting a new SIM. If you have a dual-SIM phone, you can put that new SIM in your existing device. Or you’ll have to buy a second phone.

Does it make sense to go for a separate SIM?

While it may seem like an obvious answer, getting a separate SIM for your new phone or getting a new smartphone isn’t the ideal solution. Remember, the idea is not to merely have a new number. The objective is to optimise your business engagement.

With a second SIM, you aren’t solving your problems. The phone can still ring and messages can still come in. You’ve no option but to respond; there’s no automated way to route the callers.

Importantly, if you’re getting two devices, you’re doubling your problems. Now you’ve got to carry two smartphones wherever you go.

A second phone line app

With a second phone number, you can get a business number without having to buy a new SIM or phone. You get all the advantages of an additional and exclusive number, plus several value-added features.

Why is a second phone line app good for business?

You can set boundaries: The number one reason why you should have a second phone line app is that your personal life will finally be free of professional intrusions

You can manage your business communication: You can organise all your business contacts in one place, which would make it easier to manage your professional engagement

You can safeguard your privacy: A second phone line app will ensure that you don’t end up sharing your personal number with everyone. This limits the chances of any privacy violation through your private number

You can create auto-responses: With a single phone number, you always have to be at your professional best and give appropriate answers to the callers. With a second phone line app, you can direct routine queries to predetermined responses via auto-reply.

Final thoughts

As a solopreneur or a business owner, those are advantages you can’t say no to. People trust businesses that are professional. Along with a website, Google My Business Profile and professional email address, what you need is a work phone number to make your business look credible.