The calling card business is one of the most common business models in the VoIP industry. The center of the business model involves creatively segmenting customers according to various demographic or behavioral characteristics and developing calling card offerings to satisfy their specific calling needs. Though this is a suitable business venture for anyone, the calling card business typically attracts entrepreneurs who want to enter the VoIP market, businesses with established retail distribution channels, and service providers who want to diversify their revenue streams.

The Process

Gather knowledge

• Research these business models by reading books or articles online and watching videos. Learn as much you can about creating one of these business models.

Develop a business plan

• Get to know the market and your competitors. Find out how they do business.
• Define the target market/audience. Determine who will buy your product.
• Think about why they will buy your calling cards and what will make them want to buy from your company.
• Determine where and how the Calling Cards will be sold.
• Talk to potential buyers/resellers/partners before you begin. Ask for their opinions about your idea, and adjust your plan based on their feedback
• Establish a method for setting your pricing. Find out what your competitors are charging.
• Calculate your financials. Determine how much the product will cost per month and how many cards you need to sell to cover these costs.
• Consider all the costs of doing business, and come up with a revenue forecast for how those costs will be covered.
• Identify your suppliers, and determine how all the technical aspects of the business will managed.

Build an infrastructure

• Rent vs. Buy: Think about whether you should purchase, lease, or buy the necessary infrastructure parts.
• Software: Select a reliable softswitch.
• Hardware: Find a server strong enough to manage your call volume.
• Internet Services: Find the most reliable service provider.
• Phone Services: Choose a reliable termination and origination providers.
• Power Services: Purchase a generator if you are in an area with frequent power outages.
• Technical Support

Find long distance and DID providers

Look at the following factors when selecting a provider:

• Price
• Quality
• Reliability
• Capacity of Service

Print the cards (for those who wish to sell real cards)

• Design
• Price: Typically 5–10 cents per card; most card printers require a minimum of 10,000 cards per order.
• Quality: This is imperative but often overlooked. Pay close attention to factors such as card thickness and the quality of the ink and silver scratch-off area.

Set up an online shop (for those who wish to sell online)

• Design, set up, and configure your shop
• Integrate your shop with the softswitch

Start making money!

• Set your selling rates based on your competitors’ incomes and expenses
• Use the many available fees with your cards to get ahead of the competition
• Set different rates for different customers. Otherwise known as ‘price discrimination,’ this involves charging customers based on their demographic’s ability to pay.
• Charge more for card use in uncommon destinations.

Market your calling cards

• Selling through Retail Stores: Begin by finding the most profitable area in which to open a storefront.
• Selling through a Distributor: This is a great way to sell large quantities of cards.
• Selling Prepaid Services at an Internet Café: Wi-Fi users can utilize the Internet and purchase international cards all under one roof
• Selling through the Internet: This is a great way to reach a large number of customers, but it is also highly prone to fraud.
• Selling to Existing Customers: Collect contact information from your customers, and contact them in the future to offer discounts and promotions. Satisfied customers are often repeat customers.

We hope this helps you understand the calling card business, how to start a business, and what is required to run a business. We will cover each section in more detail in other articles.

If you want to try real Calling Card system, download testing version of MOR Class 5 Softswitch which provides infrastructure to start PINless Calling Card business without any risk!

If you have any questions or comments, please contact us.