As long as it isn’t a Substitute for the Phone

by S. Anthony Iannarino on September 3, 2008

Kendra Lee of the KLA Group blogs on Selling to Big Companies regarding the usefulness of email as a sales tool. I agree . . . email is important. Critical even!

I hate the idea that email can replace the phone–it can’t. Kendra suggests using it as a follow up tool for phone work . . . not a substitute!

View email as the new prospecting tool. After you leave a voicemail,
follow-up with an email, giving prospects two easy ways to respond.
Remember, your goal is to connect with the person. Even if they respond
“no”, you have connected and can respond.

Kendra’s comments are too good to pass up, so I am reposting here:

No way is email a substitute
for the phone. Too many sellers today use email instead of the phone,
rather than as a supplement. Email can’t begin to convey your
professionalism, enthusiasm, or personality like the phone.

Use email as a complement to your voicemails to make the connection, then set the appointment.

If you can avoid it, don’t conduct your complete sell cycle without
ever having had a conversation. I admit I’ve done it, and done it
successfully, but you never create the relationship and demonstrate
your consultative expertise if you don’t have a live conversation.

Use email to strengthen your approach to new prospects and make it
easy to respond to you. Use the phone to convey your interest and
desire to speak with them. Combined you have a powerful strategy to
break into new accounts.