--- title: The Limited Value Of An Email | The Sales Blog description: It takes a lot of email messages to make up a single telephone conversation. I don’t have a mathematical formula, but my guess is that if the conversation is of some small importance, 11 email messages may make up a single, short telephone conversation. If the conversation is seriously important, the number of emails rises […] image: https://www.thesalesblog.com/hubfs/Imported_Blog_Media/Screen-Shot-2013-11-17-at-8_58_26-PM.png --- ### [Now booking SKO meetings for 2026/27! 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I don’t have a mathematical formula, but my guess is that if the conversation is of some small importance, 11 email messages may make up a single, short telephone conversation. If the conversation is seriously important, the number of emails rises proportionally. Why? It’s the wrong [medium](http://thesalesblog.com/blog/2012/05/24/choosing-the-right-medium-for-the-message/) for the exchange. Oh, you’d rather email someone than bother them with a phone call? It’s bothering someone to have to respond to five emails about the same subject. If it takes a lot of email messages to make up a single telephone call, what’s the math on a face-to-face conversation? If I had to guess, it might be something close to 63 email messages to make up single [face-to-face](http://thesalesblog.com/blog/2013/09/18/why-cant-i-see-you/) conversation. And the communication, even though it’s in writing, is poorer. The need to have whole conversations over “mail” ended with the invention of the telephone. Email is very much like postal mail. You wouldn’t want to have an important conversation over mail, would you? It would take too long, and it would lose something, wouldn’t it? Email is even more like a telegraph. #### ****How to Decide to Use Email Email is excellent when you need to send information to another party. It’s also excellent when you need an answer that doesn’t require any real conversation. Email is a poor medium when the topic is important or when a discussion is necessary (like your proposal and [pricing](http://thesalesblog.com/blog/2011/10/20/7-reasons-to-stop-emailing-your-pricing/)). It’s a horrible medium for resolving issues, problems, or challenges. It’s also a horrible medium for many of the sales conversations that are attempted through email. Are you sharing information? Need a quick, easy answer? Nothing easily lost in translation? Send an email. Important issue or request? Requires dialogue? Much of what needs to be communicated can’t (or won’t) be communicated effectively over email? Schedule a face-to-face meeting, a video chat, or a phone conversation (in that order). ###### Tags: [Sales](https://www.thesalesblog.com/blog/tag/sales) [2013](https://www.thesalesblog.com/blog/tag/2013) Post by [Anthony Iannarino](https://www.thesalesblog.com/blog/author/anthony-iannarino) on November 17, 2013 Written and edited by human brains and human hands. ![Anthony Iannarino](https://www.thesalesblog.com/hubfs/ai-blog-profile-crop.jpg) Anthony Iannarino is an American writer. He has published daily at [thesalesblog.com](https://www.thesalesblog.com) for more than 14 years, amassing over 5,300 articles and making this platform a destination for salespeople and sales leaders. Anthony is also the author of four best-selling books documenting modern sales methodologies and a fifth book for sales leaders seeking revenue growth. His latest book for an even wider audience is titled, The Negativity Fast: Proven Techniques to Increase Positivity, Reduce Fear, and Boost Success. Anthony speaks to sales organizations worldwide, delivering cutting-edge sales strategies and tactics that work in this ever-evolving B2B landscape. He also provides workshops and seminars. Connect with Anthony on LinkedIn, X or Youtube. 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What we’re doing right now **is working**, even in this challenging economy. **Would you like some help?** [![Solve for Sales](https://no-cache.hubspot.com/cta/default/2922376/d3a4938b-2008-4a27-8b44-7b2223f6d035.png)](https://cta-redirect.hubspot.com/cta/redirect/2922376/d3a4938b-2008-4a27-8b44-7b2223f6d035) ### Join my Weekly Newsletter for Sales Tips Join 100,000+ sales professionals in my weekly newsletter and get my *Guide to Becoming a Sales Hustler* eBook for FREE! --- ```json { "@context" : "http://schema.org/", "@type" : "BlogPosting", "author" : { "@type" : "Person", "name" : "Anthony Iannarino" }, "dateModified" : "2022-06-16T3:26:37 PM", "datePublished" : "2013-11-17 16:07:03", "description" : "It takes a lot of email messages to make up a single telephone conversation. I don’t have a mathematical formula, but my guess is that if the conversation is of some small importance, 11 email messages may make up a single, short telephone conversation. 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