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How Google Voice Can Help You Balance Your Work and Life

    We provide all sorts of consulting for small businesses regarding their online marketing, but this is something that we wanted to share for businesses, especially if you are just starting out. If you are a small business owner, you know how important it is to communicate with your customers, partners, and suppliers. But you also know how hard it can be to manage multiple phone numbers, voicemails, and texts. And you don’t want your personal life to be interrupted by work-related calls or messages.

    That’s where Google Voice comes in handy. Google Voice is a voice over Internet protocol (VoIP) phone service that gives you a phone number for calling, text messaging, and voicemail. You can use this number to make domestic and international calls from your web browser and mobile devices.

    The best part is that Google Voice is mostly free to use. It costs you no money to sign up for an account or to claim a Google Voice number. Also, calls made through Google Voice to numbers in the United States and Canada are free, with a few exceptions. So how can you use Google Voice to route calls to your mobile phone and keep a good work/life balance? We have a video below that shows you how to set it up as well as explains the benefits

    Setup steps to follow:

    • Create a Google account if you don’t have one already.
    • Go to voice.google.com and sign in with your Google account.
    • Choose a Google Voice number from the available options. You can search by area code or city name.
    • Link your mobile phone number with your Google Voice number. This will allow you to receive calls on both numbers.
    • Set up your voicemail greeting and preferences on the Google Voice website or app.
    • Start making and receiving calls with your Google Voice number.

    Now that you have set up your Google Voice number, here are some tips on how to use it effectively:

    • Use your Google Voice number as your publicly shown number on your website, social media, business cards, etc. This way, you can protect your personal number from unwanted callers or spammers.
    • Use the do not disturb feature on the Google Voice app or website when you don’t want to be disturbed by work-related calls or messages. You can also set office hours on your Google Calendar so that work phone calls do not interrupt you outside of working hours.
    • Use the call screening feature on the Google Voice app or website when you want to know who is calling before answering. You can also block unwanted callers or send them directly to voicemail.
    • Use the call forwarding feature on the Google Voice app or website when you want to forward calls from your Google Voice number to another phone number of your choice. You can also choose which devices ring when someone calls your Google Voice number.
    • Use the voicemail transcription feature on the Google Voice app or website when you want to read your voicemails instead of listening to them. You can also access your voicemails from any device that has internet access.

    Google Voice is a great tool for small businesses that need a simple and affordable way of managing their phone communications. By using it wisely, you can improve your customer service, save money on phone bills, and maintain a healthy work/life balance. One of the best features of Google Voice is that it is free for personal Google accounts in the US. You can use it to make unlimited domestic calls and texts within the US and Canada without paying any fees. You only need to buy credit if you want to make international calls or send international texts. This means that you can save money on your phone bills while enjoying a high-quality service.

    But what if you want more features and functionality for your business? That’s where Google Workspace comes in. Google Workspace is a suite of cloud-based productivity tools that includes Gmail, Docs, Drive, Calendar, Meet, Chat, and more. It also includes Google Voice as an add-on paid subscription that offers additional benefits for businesses of any size. With Google Workspace Voice subscription plans, you get everything that Google Voice offers plus more:

    • A dedicated support team available 24/7
    • Advanced call analytics and reporting
    • Integration with other Google Workspace apps
    • Multi-level auto attendants
    • Ring groups
    • Desk phone support
    • E911 service

    You also get access to enterprise-grade security features such as encryption in transit and at rest; data loss prevention; compliance with HIPAA regulations; audit logs; retention policies; etc. Google Workspace Voice subscription plans are flexible enough to suit diverse needs and budgets. You can choose one plan for all users or mix-and-match different plans for different users depending on their roles. You can also switch plans at any time without losing any data or settings. So, whether you want a free solution or a paid one; whether you want a simple service or a complex one; whether you want one number or multiple numbers; Google Voice has something for everyone.

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    Erik McNair

    Erik McNair is a digital marketing professional living in Arlington, OH. As co-owner of McNair Media, he has focused on developing and executing SEO and marketing strategies in a manner that supports the client’s consistent business growth and enhances brand equity and awareness. He attended and graduated from Georgia College & State University in Milledgeville GA with a degree in Mass Communications with a concentration in Telecommunications. He’s a certified Google Adwords, Google Analytics, and Bing Ads marketing professional. Outside of marketing, Mr. McNair is an avid technologist. He’s always running the latest software betas and testing out new and exciting products. He occasionally writes about thoughts on technology, but his main focus has been on growing and establishing McNair Media.