Call instead of writing
A prospect has replied warmly to your first message, and the natural next move is a long, careful email. It feels safer than the phone. The research says a call is less awkward than you expect, and it does more for the connection.
What the research found
In a series of experiments, people got back in touch with an old friend. Beforehand they expected a phone call to be more awkward than an email, and no better for the friendship. Afterwards the call hadn't felt more awkward, and it had left them feeling more connected.
Strangers showed the same pattern: talking by voice built a stronger bond than typing, again with no extra awkwardness. In the researchers' view, people choose writing because they misjudge how a call will go.
The same lab found something worth knowing before any sales conversation. People who heard someone explain a view judged that person more thoughtful than people who read the identical words.
What it means for you
The long email feels like the careful choice, but of the two it is the weaker way to connect. Writing still has a job, and that job is opening the door. Once a prospect has answered, fifteen minutes on the phone lets you hear what they need, and lets them hear you rather than read you.
The experiments measured connection, not sales, so the steps below are ordinary good practice built on the finding.
Once a first message has opened the door
- Suggest a short call instead of the long email you were about to write, and keep the ask small: fifteen minutes, with two times they can choose from.
- Say what the call is for, such as one thing you would like to understand about their work.
How Bamya CRM helps
Bamya CRM is a free AI-assisted CRM. It reminds you when it's time to call.
Research: Kumar & Epley (2021), Journal of Experimental Psychology: General; Schroeder, Kardas & Epley (2017), Psychological Science. The experiments measured how connected people felt and how they judged each other, with friends and strangers; they did not measure meetings booked or sales.