[6-minute read]
“I emailed him three times and he didn’t respond. What should I do?”
“I know he doesn’t check his email frequently, but I don’t want to bug him with a phone call. What should I do?”
“She gets over 100 emails every day. Should I call her instead?”
These are the kinds of questions my clients ask me as they face the eternal question of when to email, when to use the phone, and when to request a video call. In addition to choosing between email and phone, you might have to choose whether to text, WhatsApp, Slack, or send a carrier pigeon. How do we know what is the right medium for our message?
The choice boils down to our understanding of our readers and the context of our message. Remember: You’re trying to communicate with this person because you have a message to convey. So do whatever will increase the likelihood that your ideas will reach the reader.
How does your reader like to receive information?
Some people prefer the personal touch on the phone, while others are checking their email every five minutes. Still others are driving 70 miles per hour down the highway as they balance their phone on the steering wheel so they can check their texts.
We have to meet people where they are. So one tip is to ask people about their preferred medium of communication. Anyone who knows me well knows not to send me an important message by text. I may not see a text until the day after it arrives, because texting is not my preferred mode. If anyone asks, I will tell them to email first and then phone. But of course, most people don’t ask.
If your reader is equally comfortable with phone and email, consider these factors:
Use the Phone When:
- You want to build rapport with the other person. A telephone call will build relationships far better than an email exchange. Remember that email is a cold medium and choose your communication mode accordingly.
- Your message is confidential or likely to trigger emotions. On the phone, you can hear the pauses, gasps, and gulps which indicate that the other person is upset by what you’ve said. This knowledge helps you deal with the tough feelings immediately before they have time to fester. Don’t hide out in an email to avoid a difficult conversation; the situation will only get worse. Instead, resolve the issue in a phone or video call and follow the phone call with an email to summarize if you need a paper trail.
- You have already emailed three times and the issue has not been resolved. Often, a 3-minute phone call can resolve issues that would have taken multiple emails to solve.
Use Email When:
- You need a paper trail. As long as there is civilization, there will be email servers obediently storing every email you write — even the deleted ones.
- Your message is fairly simple. Email lends itself to straightforward communication in which tone is not crucial. Do you need to order 40 widgets? Email is your friend.
- You need to attach supporting documents. It’s hard to attach a document to a phone call!
- You need to keep multiple people in the loop. If you are working on a team, the whole team needs to receive relevant emails. But if you have a problem with one team member, use the phone.
- The person is in a different time zone and a phone call would be difficult. I have clients in Australia and Israel. When scheduling a meeting, working out what time will work for all participants in every time zone is a huge task. Sometimes it’s easier to simply send a group email.
Use Video When:
- Facial expression and vocal tone are important to the success of the conversation. Seeing a person’s face gives you enormous insight into their thoughts and feelings. For initial meetings and to establish deeper rapport, choose video.
- You want multiple people to feel connected. A group video call can create more camaraderie than a conference call, and if videos stay on, you can be sure that people are not multi-tasking during the meeting.
- Caution: Many people are on Zoom calls eight or nine hours a day. They are burned out, don’t want to be seen on screen, and are done with video. Ironically, people with Zoom burnout welcome the privacy of a phone call. Ask them what they prefer.
“It Depends.”
In short, your decision depends on both the nature of your message and the needs of your reader. I’m emailing you this Writamin because you really don’t want me to read it to you on the phone (do you?)
Resources
When Is a Phone Call Better Than an Email?
Email, Text, Call, or Meet?
Deciding When to Phone, When to Email
©2021 Elizabeth Danziger All rights reserved