Phone vs email for sales: why the telephone beats email every time

Why does the telephone beat email for sales?

Email feels efficient. You can send a hundred in the time it takes to make three calls, and nobody can say no to your face. That is exactly the problem. Everyone else is sending them too, so inboxes overflow and your carefully written message gets skimmed, filed or deleted unless it is very enticing.

A phone call does what email cannot:

• You get an answer now. If you need a decision, you usually have to ring anyway, so ring first and save the waiting.
• Your voice builds rapport. Warmth, enthusiasm and genuine interest come through on a call in a way plain text never does.
• You can handle questions on the spot. An unanswered doubt in an email becomes a silent no. On the phone it becomes a conversation.
• It shows you care. Taking the time to call tells customers they matter, which keeps them, builds the relationship and brings more business next year.

Speed matters too. When Jenny was looking for a distributor for her book, she emailed four. One replied the same day and won the business. Another rang three weeks later, after the deal was signed. The other two never replied at all.

How four bookings became fourteen in one hour

When Jenny was president of her Business SWAP networking group, three emails about a weekly business building workshop had produced just four bookings the day before. She knew it would be a great session and hated the thought of members missing out, so she spent one hour on the phone. By the end of that hour, fourteen people were coming.

Here is why the calls worked when the emails had not:

1. About 70 per cent of the people she reached had not seen or read the emails.
2. They were grateful for the call, because they had not known the workshop was on.
3. They could tell she cared that they did not miss out, and they thanked her after the event.
4. For Jenny it was quick and easy, and she got an answer straight away. People were busy, so the calls were short.

One hour of calls achieved what three emails could not. That is the whole case for picking up the phone.

Who should you call first: your A, B and C customers

If email has become a habit, start your return to the phone with the people who already know you. Jenny sorts customers into three groups and calls them in this order:

1. A customers: the small group who give you most of your business. Do not push for a sale. Make it a research call about their goals, their challenges and any staff changes, so you can add more value in the months ahead.
2. B customers: people who have bought once. Thank them for their business and find out what they need next.
3. C customers: people you quoted who never went ahead. Call to show you care, perhaps with an article that suits their situation, and rekindle the conversation.

If the phone still feels heavy in your hand, you are not alone. Read how to overcome call reluctance, and for the full win-back approach see calling inactive customers creates sales.

When is email the right tool?

None of this means email is useless. It is excellent at some jobs and poor at others. Use it where it shines, and let the phone do the selling.

How do phone and email work together?

The strongest approach uses both, each for what it does best. Think of the phone as the conversation and email as the paper trail that keeps it moving.

1. 1

   Call first

   Open with a reason for the prospect to listen. If you reach them, have the conversation and agree a next step.

2. 2

   If you get voicemail, email too

   Leave a short, interesting message, then send a brief email that mentions it. Jenny's tips on how to turn voicemail into an opportunity apply here.

3. 3

   Ask permission to email

   "Would it help if I emailed you a summary?" A yes gives you the consent the Spam Act requires, as Jenny explains in telemarketing rules in Australia.

4. 4

   Send the summary the same day

   Confirm what they told you, the benefits that matter to them and the agreed next step.

5. 5

   Name the time of your next call

   "I'll call you at 3pm on Thursday." A specific time turns a vague follow-up into an appointment.

6. 6

   Call exactly when you said

   Keeping that small promise builds trust before you ask for a bigger one. More in how to do the follow-up call.

How to write a sales email that gets read

Many inexperienced salespeople write long paragraphs about their product, attach a brochure and hit send. Usually only the first two lines get read before the email is deleted. Jenny's rules for email copy keep it short and easy to scan:

• Subject line: short, personal and focused on one powerful point, ideally the problem you will solve for them.
• Greeting: "Hi Sam" reads more naturally than "Dear Sam".
• First line: refer to your conversation or to something you noticed about their business.
• Benefits in bullet points: what your product will do for them, not a list of features.
• Proof: one short testimonial or result from a similar customer.
• A clear next step: the action you want, or the time you will call.
• Links, not attachments, and a spell check before you send. One typo can cost you credibility.

A follow-up email template to send after a call

Adapt this to your own product and voice. Keep it to a screen or less.

Subject: Your plan to [solve the problem they mentioned]

Hi [first name], thanks for your time on the phone today. You mentioned that [their challenge, in their words]. Here is how we can help:

• [Benefit one: what it does for them]
• [Benefit two]
• [Benefit three]

[One line of proof, such as a short result from a similar customer.] As agreed, I'll call you on [day] at [time] to [next step]. If that no longer suits, just reply with a better time, or let me know if you'd rather I didn't follow up.

Kind regards, [your name, role, business name and direct number]

For a complete self-paced program on calls, follow-ups and closing, see Telesales Mastery, Jenny's 6 module course.