Dont Call Me

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.

editor@health-ebiz.com

---

Getting Past the Gate Guard

Over the years, many prospects have hidden behind their well-trained... Read More

A Brief History of the Sales Profession

The formula for defining a "profession" is similar throughout many... Read More

Forgive All Ebay Sins!

Over the years, I have been amazed at... Read More

How to Sell High Tech Solutions

Many companies are looking to improve upon the speed, security,... Read More

Lock, Stock, and Barrel!

The other night I was watching a classic western from... Read More

6 Steps on How to Install Confidence Into Your Clients

What methods can we use to install confidence into your... Read More

Business is Great; I?m Just Not Selling Anything!

Awhile back you had a great idea. An idea that... Read More

Customer Loyalty in the Technology Industry

For technology companies, service after the sale has emerged on... Read More

Writing Effective Sales Messages

A sales letter is a document designed to generate sales.... Read More

Are You Scaring Your Customers Away?

"Hello, is (pause) puh-TREE-shuh home?"So started my weekend lesson in... Read More

Getting Referrals

ReferralsA substantial part of your business can come from referrals.... Read More

Needs Based Selling

I am sure you are familiar with the phrase, "I... Read More

Selling Is Not A Dirty Word

Selling--a word that strikes terror in writers and professionals. We... Read More

How to Acquire More Leads

The most effective prospecting techniques were revealed in the August... Read More

Cold Calling Pressure Reduction

Who likes cold calling? Most salespeople don't like cold calling,... Read More

Selling More CDs at Gigs, Case Study: The Rogues

A few weekends back, the Brobdingnagian Bards performed at the... Read More

A Quick and Simple Tip For Gaining Customers

In the course of my career, I've had to deal... Read More

5 Ways to Encourage Impulse Purchases

I just bought six square pieces of spongy fabric for... Read More

Just Ask!

Instilling urgency in a prospective customer can make the difference... Read More

Complacency and Fear are Sales Busters

Prospecting is the engine that propels anyone in sales. Without... Read More

Before They buy What You Say - 10 Steps To Selling Yourself

You are the productWe're all in the selling business whether... Read More

Miracles are Your Responsibility!

John Di Lemme on "Miracles are your responsibility"Miracles are your... Read More

Sell More Products and Services with Testimonials

Testimonials are all-important to sell anything. You may already have... Read More

10 Incredible Ways To Sell Your Products Now

1. Make your reader visualize they have already bought your... Read More

Your Clients Buying What Youre Selling

Linda felt like she had reached a plateau in her... Read More

6 Ways To Get More From Your Promotions

1. Settle On The Right Way ForwardThe purpose of your... Read More

The Struggle to Decide: The Paths Customers Take to Solve Problems

Usually my essays discuss the issues that the 'sales' method... Read More

Selling Against Goliath

Selling Against Goliath?How to Take on the Big Guys and... Read More

Who Takes Your Money

Your business is making profits, but where is the cash?... Read More

Never Stop Selling

The question: "When should a growing company slow down its... Read More

How to Reach Purchasing Agents of Big Corporations

Now business owners and sales professionals can develop a Faster... Read More

The Anatomy of a Sales Letter

When Dr. Frankenstein exclaimed "it's alive... it's alive," he thought... Read More

Great Telephone Skills

Having good telephone skills is crucial as the call may... Read More