Do you have both email address and phone number(s) for key contacts?
It may be a sign of the times but I find it increasing difficult to have both an email address and a phone number for anyone. In today's digital world, people seem determined to control where communications come from. And based on the nature of their business or as a matter of personal preference; they pick only one. What percentage of folks do you have both email and phone address for? I'm close to 20%. Is this typical?
Expert Answers
Sort by Date
Sort by Votes
Jan 26, 2015
Both are important to me. I try to keep both because sometimes emails are not accessible but phones are & vice versa.
Jan 23, 2015
I find that if you have an online presence, you can implement a registration form of sorts and ask for both email and telephone number however, I find that folks are less likely to give their phone number out. I have to agree with you, most people need to control how information flows to them and they typically choose email as a way to further control how they tune-in or out of the information. Everything seem decidedly more impersonal nowadays.
Jan 23, 2015
Casey, I wonder if they, like me, take it one step further. I actually have more than one email address in order to control how information flows or dosn't flow to me. - PWD
Jan 23, 2015
Ah yes!! You're probably right. I have to admit; when I am filling forms out online (or off), I always opt for email. And when I'm not 100% interested or sold on the product or service, I give out an aol email address that I use for dedicated shopping spam. Meaning, something about it caught my eye, but I need to come back to it later and see if I want to subscribe or buy. This is an awesome topic for market research. You should poll this.
Jan 22, 2015
Haha, that sounds about right! I even hold onto business cards but then they end up all over the place. Sounds like a new years resolution I think!
Jan 22, 2015
I throw them away. But, I'll' ask: the reader; Is it really bad luck to throw away a business card after entering the information into an electronic address book? Or is this simply an old wive's tale? (For my international friends: Old wives' tale suggests a supposed truth is actually a superstition to be ridiculed. It also is typically considered an untruth passed down by older women to a younger generation.) - Pragmatic Web Designer
Jan 22, 2015
Most (95%) of my business contacts are on LinkedIn, and a significant number on Skype. Facebook messenger (integrated with Skype) is also good to connect and for those of my contacts with Apple devices, I also use FaceTime. I sync all of my contacts to my mobile and that is synced to Google.
I consider a person's mobile number to be the 'crown jewels' in terms of contact channel and most contacts will give this to you.
The thing I don't gather anymore is fixed line numbers so your 20% is probably an overestimate in my case.
Jan 22, 2015
Peter, You are the "modern" communications warrior. We all are moving in your direction. Some of us, however, more slowly than others.
- PWD
Jan 22, 2015
I get as much contact info as i can. I also use a program to tell me when my email was opened. AND I keep a record of everything that happened in any phone call.
Jan 22, 2015
Perry, I am curious. What program do you use? By any chance does it allow you to easily record and retrieve a contacts preferred communication style: phone, email? "Curiosity killed the cat; satisfaction brought it back." Bring back this dead cat. :-)
- The Pragmatic Web Designer
Jan 21, 2015
No serious business contact has ever refused to give me both phone and email address. It's important for us to find out each person's preferred mode of contact, and use that first. Otherwise they may not notice your call/email/text.
Not enough said here about text. Being an old codger, text is not my preferred mode, but it is #1 for many younger people. So I've gotten much more adept at it. Obviously you must have their cell number to text them.
Most smart phones capture incoming numbers and add them to your database, so this is a key way of building your contact list.
Jan 21, 2015
John, you ask how to find and and record their preferred mode. 1) Ask them, or see how they contact you. 2) On my CRMs, I can indicate best modes either by which I list first, or in the notes section.
Most smart phones capture incoming numbers and add them to your database, so this is a key way of building your contact list.
Jan 21, 2015
Smart phones are smarter than me. Being an old codger myself; my daughter is teaching me to text. It took a long time for me to acknowledge the value. But it is there.
Jan 21, 2015
Yes right around that, and fewer still for skype. 10,000 + social media, 3000 email, 150 phone numbers and 20 people on skype (roughly)
Jan 21, 2015
Skype is a whole different universe. I invest my "tech" money in mass storage. I don't even have a camera or sound card that works anymore. My bad. I wonder what % of folks use Skype... I have a business call scheduled for today where the prospect wants to use Skype. Ouch!
- PWD
Jan 21, 2015
Someday remind me to tell you about my 3 day ordeal involving skype, linux, and a customer who didn't speak english at all. :)
Jan 22, 2015
I'm going to do just that. We can swap stories. I have a beauty of an ordeal involving a telephone and a "first day" employee at a HP site where I was making a sales presentation.
Jan 21, 2015
I honestly have to say I do have 100% of both. I am one of those types that if given only one, I tend to find the other via their web, LinkedIn profile, Facebook, etc. I will also say that I typically use communication via this break out 20% phone/80% email, even after the first (initial) introduction. I think it is best to have both, but I would suggest to communicate with people by what they prefer to use as well as, what will work best with how you generally communicate.
Jan 21, 2015
Your suggestion to communicate with people by what they prefer to use is a good one. But, just how easy is that to do in practice?
I used to be quite up on CRM (Customer Relationship Management) software. Very few had an easy way to identify that preference. I might be able to identify the best phone number or the best email address; but I don't remember having an easy way to record if their preference was one over the other. If your CRM does this, I'd like to know about it.
- The Pragmatic Web Designer
Jan 21, 2015
Very good point, I find that when I do network and exchange contact information, I also take the time to just ask, which method of contact that they prefer, especially for potential clients. In my experience when they hand you their card or give you their LinkedIn profile, they almost always tell you right then. I am a bit old fashioned in this sense only, but once I get the preferred method, I just note in my address book for call up (E=email, T=text, P=phone) later. Most as I stated before do prefer email.
Jan 21, 2015
Hi John
I will try to summarise what I've found with a diverse range of those in business:
80% have both email and phone
When requiring a quick response-phone
When requiring an extensive answer-phone
In daily standard connect-email
Quoting-email (legal proof)
Arranging a meeting-phone
Your other queries subsequently raised on this topic below:
Does gender have a preference?
-for professionals-no
-for those less confident-females appear to prefer email
-for those who received men directly hitting on them-email
Does race or country have a preference?
Only observation I've had:
-time difference encourages email
-quality & availability of Internet encourages phone
-if an employee has a strong accent others find hard to understand, email is
encouraged
One final observation - controlling managers and supervisors request subordinates email them to proof read prior to sending to client. I won't go into this can of worms.
Jan 21, 2015
Sandra, thanks for the summary. I don't think I fully realized when I asked the question how interesting the responses would become. And how many additional questions would get raised. I'm thinking there are opportunities here for academic research.
Jan 21, 2015
Yes I do have both forms of contacts even my prefer mode of communication is email.
Jan 21, 2015
Yap, what I want to ask is just how far are you willing to go to keep your email preference intact? Do you add both forms of contact to your signature in emails that you send? Or do you try to control how others reach you?
Jan 20, 2015
I will insist that I have both the email and contact number, however here in Singapore having a second line for something else is not uncommon. I normally email and text the person that I emailed them or call them - never assume anyone is working.
Jan 20, 2015
I'm really bad. The Internet never sleeps so I assume no one does. Just another reason why email works best for me. Think how upsetting it would be to get a call in the wee hours of the morning. Ouch! :-)
Jan 21, 2015
Maybe the people I work with are less polite, /laughs :) And that's the problem, no one ever sleeps now, what more with our multi screen tech where we just can't switch off, we should. Yes, OUCH!
Jan 20, 2015
Yes , it is good to have email and phone number of your current and potential clients/patients.
Increasingly important to get their MOBILE phone number so you can do Text Message marketing.
You need to test different types of OFFERS or "ethical bribes" to find out what would ENTICE your target market to give up their contact info in exchange for something that will bring value to their lives.
You can try contest, e-books, videos, audios, webinars, , seminars, tele-seminars as OFFERS.
Make sure you rotate different OFFERS on your website to capture the contact info of your visitors.
Send me a message if you would like more details.
To your success,
Kevin Toney
"the Marketign Coach"
Jan 20, 2015
I'm a neophyte when it comes to mobile devices. I wonder when the stats will swing and a mobile telephone number become more valuable than an email address? There is always something new to learn. Change is coming!
Jan 20, 2015
To be a little bit clearer, how many contacts have "given you" their contact info.
If you are sincere in asking for contact specifics, your completeness measure will go up. If you can't give a person a "because" (meaningful or otherwise) there's little psychological motive for them to comply. "Because" can double compliance to your requests and is way more magical than "Please & Thank You" - no matter what your mama taught you! (Using the person's name in the request helps too!)
More importantly, why do you want contact info? Generally, if I have a proposition for someone, I can get to them by a number of direct an indirect means. Using alternate means of influence and messaging may actually increase your chances of producing interest/desire on the part of your prospect.
BTW, as a researcher (skip-trace etc.), I can find, socially engineer, or buy access details for almost anyone - including personal email addresses and cell numbers. Having this info is not quite as valuable as it might seem, which brings you back to getting it directly - "because" you need it.
Jan 20, 2015
David, Wow! There are a lot of nuggets of gold here.
Sincerity is very important... Many contacts have been placed in my address book because of a casual connection. Maybe I responded to an web offer. I might not even remember where or why. I'll ask you and the others when was the last time you pruned out the contacts that don't mean much if anything to you. It has been a long time in my case.
Also, as Rainmaker for Jigsaw.com, now Data.com, you are correct that it is easy to obtain data if you are willing to pay for it. And having info on this scale is not valuable at all if you (as I do) obey the laws against spamming.
Finally, for those contacts you have a relationship with, alternate means of contact and influence may be the difference in a successful campaign or not.
- The Pragmatic Web Designer
Jan 20, 2015
I think your 20% number for close contacts is typical. The old 80/20 rule at play. You probably do 80% of your business with that 20% as well.
I keep all my contacts in my phone. Some are just email, some include biz phone while others have cell phone, skype and home phone.
How much info I collect and give out depends on the nature of the contact.
It's a two way street - I don't give out or publish my cell phone and prefer initial contact by email unless a close contact has given them my number.
Jan 20, 2015
I think you and I work in similar fashions. I may not be the rock star you are with a phone; but I do like my email. Thank you for sharing.
Jan 20, 2015
After going through a couple of major earthquakes and natural disasters, It's very important to have multiple contacts. For the most important ones, with their approval, we have multiple emails, mobile, office and home phone numbers. Be safe, not sorry. All the best.
Jan 20, 2015
"Save" and "not sorry"are the best wishes anyone can hope for or offer. Thank you!
Jan 20, 2015
I have office and cell numbers, sometimes even home numbers and emails for all of my clients. Also, complete addresses and directions (especially if there is something special about parking or how to get into the building). I'm a recruiter...so when I'm working for a company to find them employees...they want me to be able to get in touch with them.
Jan 20, 2015
I think you have provided another valuable clue to the difference. How much one values the need to be able to reach someone is a factor. Family is at the top of my list. And if I were a recruiter; I might be a disciplined as you. Then again, maybe not. You are a rock star in this area.
Jan 20, 2015
In my experience, I always have an e-mail and have a phone number for about 70% of them, as the phone number is usually in the e-mail signature.
Jan 20, 2015
Your contacts are more thoughtful than mine. It would be awesome if everyone used a signature file. Often, I only have the e-mail address because it was in the Sender's message header.
Jan 20, 2015
I am sure the % vary in different countries.. Coming from India, I would have 90% of my contacts with phone number and would have 40% with Email.. We lack patience to wait for a reply via Email and hence resort to phone for fast instant response and even if the other person is busy to pick the call we end up calling him again till he picks the call :) .. Companies get more calls on their desk than emails on their desktop too
Jan 20, 2015
The thought of cultural differences is very interesting to me. I think your point explains a lot.
Jan 20, 2015
I would say that I have phone and email information for about 90% of my contacts but I do communicate both through email and telephone.
Jan 20, 2015
Awesome! That you use both regularly may be the difference. I haven't. I tend to rely on email much more than the phone. I'm not always patient and hate playing phone tag. If I send email, I know the message will get through at a convenient time and I'll get a response. Could there be a difference in the way males and females approach this topic?
Jan 21, 2015
Perhaps there is a difference in the way males and females communicate. I feel that the issue can get resolved quicker via telephone and also stops us losing the art of conversing verbally.
I think 40% is very good. At least it is better than my 20%.