The March, 2004, issue of Psychology Today reports on an experiment involving identical business negotiations between test subjects. The only difference was that half started the transactions with a brief phone call and completed it with email. The other half used only email.
The transactions beginning with a phone call turned out much better.
So we should all foster our business relationships with more phone calls, right?
Well, maybe not.
See if this script sounds familiar. You're watching Jeopardy (or whatever your favorite TV show is) when the phone rings. You answer it and get tied up with a telemarketer, your sister, your business associate, or a wrong number. It's fairly easy to get away from wrong numbers and the telemarketers. Your sister and your partners, however, require your attention for more time. As Alex Trebek starts the Double Jeopardy round, you're stuck listening to your sister describe her latest drama or to your associate prattling on about some inconsequential matter.
If this happens once a night, you can handle it. If it happens twice a night, you can still handle it.
But what if this happens many times every single evening?
You can probably regulate how often your sister is allowed to bend your ear, but your business calls have to be handled as they come in. You become increasingly resentful of the intrusions, and your Pavlovian response to a ringing phone becomes a growl instead of a drool. You start screening calls. You feel beseiged in your own home. You start to like email more and more.
So other than being less intrusive why do I prefer email to telephone conversations? Let me count the ways.
For starters, I can handle a LOT more volume with email. Most of us can read about ten times faster than even a speedtalker can speak. With an email you can quickly reread questionable material that you didn't understand the first time through. Both you and your customer have a written record of what is discussed. And there's less unproductive chitchat. It might bring you closer, but do you really care what color they're painting their kitchen?
Have you ever finished a phone conversation with an impression of what was going to happen only to find out that the other party had a different impression? That's not uncommon.
It doesn't happen as often with email, does it?
Beyond the personal hassles of being constantly available to anyone with phone access, however, is whether this is a system you can convince others to adopt. You're hoping that the people you recruit will handle business the same way you do. (Actually I hope they handle it BETTER than I do. Hey, I can dream, can't I?) So they see that you are getting hammered with calls all the time. Conversations with you are constantly broken by your taking cell phone calls and being interrupted by call-waiting. They figure out that, if they can call you any time, they too will have to take calls from people when THEY'RE trying to watch Jeopardy.
Does this make it likelier that they'll want to duplicate your system? Probably not.
Yes, I know that we could just let an answering machine take the calls and return them all during a period we choose. This doesn't work for me. Leaving a message on an answering machine is probably at least as offputting as leaving an email, and in these days of wide-ranging business activity, the time zones become problematic. Playing "telephone tag" is no fun, either. Perhaps your customer is also setting times when she will answer calls. If this isn't the same time you're answering, you can go for days just trading messages to respond.
Getting back to that Psychology Today article, probably making at least one telephone personal contact to start a business relationship will improve that relationship. You can make this call to your customer without necessarily inviting any calls coming in from her by giving her only your email address. Encourage her to stay in touch with you through this email contact. This is less likely to offend if you make it clear that you check your email many times a day and can give her a fast response every time she contacts you. (Of course then you'll have to actually do it!)
Eliminating telephone contact may cost you some very lonely business associates, but these needy folks are unlikely to be your best producers, anyway. Sticking with email for routine interactions may be the best way to go. Even (or maybe especially) with your sister.
So if Alex questions "the best way to handle business communications," I'd answer "what is email?!" Don't call me; I'm giving my ear a break.
About The Author
Charlie McCoy markets the best line of health products in the world at http://www.boostmyimmunesystem.com. He can be reached at creativecompute@att.net. His telephone is out of order.
![]() |
|
![]() |
|
![]() |
|
![]() |
There's a direct correlation between sales experience and prejudging. The... Read More
This article is meant to inform. Please don't construe this... Read More
HANDLING OBJECTIONSSales presentation is not always going to be plain... Read More
The purpose of a 1- or 2-hour seminar is to... Read More
A conversation: The Salesperson: "I don't cold call-I want to... Read More
Now business owners and sales professionals can develop a Faster... Read More
Make no mistake that emotions are the driving force behind... Read More
This issue's topic was suggested by a sales rep for... Read More
Barter is becoming an increasingly popular method of commerce. The... Read More
The best of all worlds is to have a product... Read More
Over the years, I have been amazed at... Read More
"If you don't think well of yourself, no one... Read More
We all know that you can't earn your commission until... Read More
We use only 5% of God's given potential, 95% of... Read More
When you are in the business of sales, among the... Read More
Offering gift certificates is an excellent way of increasing sales... Read More
Long-term sales success has less to do with skills or... Read More
Always give a reason for the sale for credibility. 1.... Read More
The topic of this issue's article is a response to... Read More
I'm not a baseball fan. Never have been. In fact,... Read More
I'll play a seller, using conventional selling methods, selling something... Read More
Why do we get into sales? Typically it is two... Read More
Looking for new leads, new contacts, new business opportunities? Do... Read More
I can remember the first time that I had to... Read More
Occasionally EGOPOWER readers send me questions or topic suggestions that... Read More
Do you know your conversion rates? Conversion rate is the... Read More
The other night I was watching a classic western from... Read More
In some situations, attempting to intimidate the other person will... Read More
Where many marketing conversations get off-track are the ones you... Read More
Special Requirements for Reprint: we ask only that you include... Read More
Have you ever wondered why some people use long sales... Read More
I've been training in countries outside the U.S. recently, and... Read More
"I am Sam. Sam I am. Do you like green... Read More
Instilling urgency in a prospective customer can make the difference... Read More
In the course of my career, I've had to deal... Read More
While living in the technology age where everything is computerized,... Read More
1. Settle On The Right Way ForwardThe purpose of your... Read More
1. Mail to your customers more often. If you are... Read More
Doing business over meals is a ritual that has existed... Read More
Here's a chilling thought. If you were to die tomorrow,... Read More
Zig Ziglar use to say in seminars and on tapes... Read More
If you plan to do sell your product or service... Read More
My new job was to sell Commercial Service Agreements. It... Read More
Selling--a word that strikes terror in writers and professionals. We... Read More
You've polished your sales page over and over againuntil it's... Read More
Have you ever asked yourself, now how did I let... Read More
One disadvantage of selling by telephone is the lack of... Read More
If you are in the mortgage business, the very first... Read More
What comes to mind when you think of networking --... Read More
Hi, I'd like to discuss the most powerful words you... Read More
Some of the best sales people I have ever met,... Read More
The Importance of setting appointments is crucial to running a... Read More
Web sites exist for essentially two purposes. The first is... Read More
Selling is not talking. It's listening. You may have heard... Read More
Ready to put your Web pages up? Ready to sell... Read More
Have you ever run DOWN an escalator that was going... Read More
For many of you the Fear of Selling is a... Read More
Freebees--Freebees--FreebeesWHY PAY, WHEN "YOU CAN HAVE IT FOR FREE?"There are... Read More
Many companies are looking to improve upon the speed, security,... Read More
Do you know why your customer won't buy? You've given... Read More
In my professional experience as a sales and marketing coach/consultant,... Read More
Have you ever wondered why some people use long sales... Read More
A key method of our survival in the business and... Read More
I've been training in countries outside the U.S. recently, and... Read More
Being a good listener requires more than just keeping quiet... Read More
Imagine being in a crowded concert or bar. All of... Read More
Sales |