The most powerful tool in your arsenal is your voice. Never forget this. When you are trying to close a deal pick up the phone and call the buyer, or even better go see them face to face, send an email only as a last resort. When you are trying to solve a client’s problem pick up the phone and get them real time feedback and solutions. Don’t make them wait for an email response from you when you have time. Yes email and other tools are valuable for what they are, but they are asynchronous. When you take the time to answer the phone or place a call, you are using the only truly non-renewable resource you have: your time. That is a powerful and meaningful thing for busy people. Don’t abuse that because their time is just as non-renewable as yours – but if you aren’t closing deals try to pick up the phone for more calls and type fewer emails.
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I’m with you. When I first got into sales this was something I lived by as best as I could, probably out of the need for instant gratification. I couldn’t email a client and just expect they’d send me an email back. I was actually surprised at co-workers whose response to “Did you call this guy?” would be “Yeah, I emailed him a few days ago, still hasn’t gotten back.” Pretty astounding though.
I have to say, though it may be different in your industry, email has been getting more effective as of late. In media sales, you’re calling on planners who are getting pretty much a call every few minutes by salesmen of varying degrees of annoyance. It’s to the point where I deal with planners who simply won’t pick up their phone, but I can actually email to get a quick response, and their response is sometimes to call me back directly. This isn’t a hard and fast rule among most people I speak to, but I see it more lately than I have since I started became a salesman 5 years ago.
Just my two cents, matey. Despite my experiences, a phone call will always be golden and will always be the first step.
As a buyer at times and a sales/BD guy at others, I can tell you from the buyer perspective that I’d rather read a well written and differentiated email than get a call. I quickly prioritize who gets a call back today – (1) clients; (2) partners; (3) our own team members; and (4) those trying to sell me something. I open every email, but I don’t return every call or listen to an entire voice mail unless it’s something that fits an immediate need…I just don’t have time. Email is a great tool if used right and it’s a new way to differentiate yourself. Just make sure you spend the time to think about the message and the recipient of the message before launching anything and then waiting for a response. And if that particular buyer is the make or break it potential customer for a month end close, quarter end close, or even a payroll, then use multiple methods to ensure the connection, but have something they need to hear ready to be shared when you do make that connection.
I tend to agree that with time being more valuable than ever – lots of people are dodging phone calls. It isn’t a panacea, but the key line you said was “have something they need to hear ready to be shared when you do make that connection”. Be it via email or phone, if you are not providing valuable information you’ll get ignored. Bring the right message with you and you’re multiple times more likely to get an answer regardless of the communication method.