Sponsored
Sure phone calls may be the ultimate tool for deliverability (let’s face it, it’s instantaneous) but email certainly has its benefits. Here’s a few reasons why email can (and will continue) to hold its own in the business environment, particularly when email deliverability is maximized to near-phone levels.
Emails are not intrusive.
How often have you picked up a phone call just to tell the person on the other end that you’ll call them back?
If you’re marketing via the phone, yes your call was “delivered”. But the chances of you reaching them at a time where they can drop everything to listen to your pitch is slim to none. If you can successfully deliver your email however, you won’t run the risk of impeding on their busy schedule.
Phone calls are time consuming
Phone calls often require small talk in addition to the bulk of the business discussion and can be time consuming. However the call itself can consume the recipients time even after the phone is hung up.
According to professor Gloria Mark in the Department of Informatics at the University of California, it takes an average of 15 seconds to get back on task for people who have just been interrupted by your call.
Let your recipients respond and engage with your brand on their watch instead of trying to predict the exact moment when someone can take your call.
Phone calls demand real-time responses.
When people are on the spot, they are much more likely to deny you all together. Nobody wants to feel like they are making a hasty decision.
Consumers would much rather have time to research and consider the options of the decision they need to make. There is a point where your consumer might take too long to consider and forget about your pitch, but follow up with another email.
Emails are much more comprehensive than phone calls.
Emails are searchable. You can see the time, date, sender, look back on previous conversations, or click on hyperlinks to get more information.
Unless someone has transcribed everything that was said on the phone call, emails give your subscriber much more information and control. They will be way more likely to feel like they’re making an informed decision about your product or service.
***
Phone calls may be instantaneous and appear more “deliverable” however they can be intrusive and while delivering the message instantly, give the recipient little time to consider the information presented.
Maximizing email deliverability will provide the benefits of the directness of telephone calls combined with the benefits of email communication. A successfully delivered email will allow the recipient time to analyze the information and carefully craft their response on their own schedule.
Jonathon Mahon is a content marketer, writer and designer based in Boston. He writes for various digital publications and blogs specializing in