SKILL
Phone or Email…Which and When? SELLING POWER EDITORS
Sales rep Diane Welles was talking with project manager Ben, a hot prospect, on the phone. Both were in their cars, and they were discussing Ben’s need to purchase cementitious materials for a va- riety of large construction projects. He wanted cost savings but also reliable delivery to keep his projects on schedule, and he was talking to a num- ber of suppliers. Welles knew she had to get more specifics before quoting price or availability – and she needed more details about the projects, their timelines, and how far out the purchases would be.
So she asked Ben when he would be back at his computer so she could email him some detailed questions. They agreed that would be the next step. Welles wanted to hop on this op- portunity quickly, so she pulled off the interstate at a rest stop, took out her laptop, and tapped out a list of ques- tions for Ben about his needs. She
also gave him a list of her company’s products, links to more information on each one at her company’s Website, and asked if he would like a proposal emailed within a day or two. Thus began a back-and-forth email
trail filled with information from Ben and Welles to each other. Once all the details of what Ben needed and what Welles’s company could supply
34 | NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2021 SELLING POWER © 2021 SELLING POWER. CALL 1-800-752-7355 FOR REPRINT PERMISSION.
were hashed out, however, email just wouldn’t be the way to get to a close. Like most successful salespeople,
Welles easily navigates the subtle boundaries between phone and email. Which mode of communication she uses, and when, depends on cus- tomer preference and what stage of the selling cycle she and the prospect or customer are navigating. When it comes to closing, though, Welles always uses the phone. “Even if I’ve sent every bit of information the prospect needs, and even if I feel there’s nothing else to communicate, I know from experience that there will always be unstated concerns or hesitations,” she explains. “The only way to deal with those is person-to-person or by phone. Since my customers and prospects can be very far from where I am at any given time, I like to call – even if it’s just to follow up to find out if they have any other questions or concerns.” Many clients contact Welles
through her company’s Website and, in those cases, she will respond by email. “If they filled out our online form, they did that for a reason. Maybe they don’t want to talk with me
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