There’s no doubting that the opportunities for online conversation are multiple and diverse. And we now have increasingly sophisticated analytics tools ready to dissect these conversations and guide business decisions.

In some circumstances, wouldn’t it be faster and easier to just pick up the phone?

Of course we’re not talking about the dinner-time call about changing your phone provider or taking up a free holiday offer.

It’s the type of conversation where you’ve spent time preparing your database carefully, and can find out in a matter of minutes whether a prospective customer would be interested in your product or service. Issues discussed, needs defined, and qualified lead ready to hand over in as little as ten minutes. Or a customer survey where you need a high response rate and more than a Yes/No answer. When the quality of the conversation matters – not just the quantity of calls.

Now is a very exciting time for marketers, with a significant increase in the availability of low-cost marketing channels and automation tools. Some businesses are finding it more appropriate to do the majority of business online. Others are using online to enhance their other marketing activities. No-one can tell you exactly what mix will work best. We just say, when selecting your marketing channels – before, during or after your campaign – don’t forget the telephone.

Here are five reasons to integrate a quality telephone conversation into your next marketing campaign:
1. You’ve been asked to deliver sales leads within a short timeframe
2. You invested in building a database but haven’t invested in keeping it updated – the value of this business asset is diminishing
3. You’re missing vital information about your contacts so can’t target your marketing
4. Response rates to your latest online marketing campaign were lower than expected and you don’t know why
5. You want to build a closer relationship with prospective customers and be there when they’re ready to make a purchase decision.

When you need to have a conversation with your contacts, do you choose online or phone for your business? Or both? Let us know what you think – we’d love to hear your opinion.