AE: I've sent 5 follow-up emails and nothing. Me: When did you last pick up the phone? AE: Two weeks ago. Me: There's your problem. Phone follow-ups close 3x faster than email-only sequences. AE: That feels desperate when they're not responding. Me: You've got it backwards. Professional buyers expect follow-up calls after missed commitments. Not calling signals you don't believe in your own deal. Here's what actually happens with persistence: First call - 11% callback rate. Second call - 22% callback rate. Third call - 33% callback rate. Your callback odds literally triple, but most reps quit after attempt one. AE: So I should call three times? Me: Within specific windows. Call within 24 hours of their missed date. Script: "We had [decision] targeted for Friday. Confirming whether we're moving ahead, adjusting scope, or closing this out for now." Not asking for favors. Asking for clarity on their commitment. AE: What if there’s no answer? Me: 80% won't pick up. Leave a 12-second voicemail with the same message. Then email three sentences: their stated goal, the specific outcome you deliver, two time slots. Second attempt 48 hours later with new info - a metric, case study, or insight. Third attempt in a different time window. Then pause for two weeks. AE: Why does email fail where calling works? Me: Email lets them hide. The phone forces resolution. When someone commits to a date then misses it, they're either struggling with internal alignment, got blindsided by another priority, or lost conviction. Email lets them avoid the awkwardness. Calling surfaces which one. You either unlock the real blocker or kill a dead deal. Both are wins. AE: This contradicts everything I've been taught about being respectful… Me: One AE I know avoided calls completely. Started dialing daily using this exact system. Closed 5 deals from follow-ups alone… two on the last day of the month. It takes an average of 8 touches to book a meeting, but most reps treat touch 2 like it's touch 20. The math is simple: triple your callback rate or keep wondering why deals die. AE: When do I stop? Me: After three calls with no response, pause two weeks unless you see a trigger event. But most will respond by call two because you're calling about their timeline, not yours.
Why Email Alone Fails in Trade Operations
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Summary
Email alone often fails in trade operations because it’s slow, easy to ignore, and doesn’t guarantee that everyone is on the same page or that decisions are made swiftly. “Why-email-alone-fails-in-trade-operations” refers to the problems businesses face when relying solely on email to manage complex or time-sensitive deals, leading to missed opportunities and wasted time.
- Prioritize real-time contact: Use calls or instant messaging to address urgent issues and ensure all parties understand what’s needed, instead of just sending an email and waiting.
- Follow up consistently: Don’t stop at one email—reach out multiple times, and use different channels to get clarity and keep deals moving forward.
- Document, don’t initiate: Reserve emails for recording decisions or sharing details, not for starting important conversations or negotiations.
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In bigger deals, email alone doesn’t cut it. Email works fine for scheduling, follow-ups, the formal stuff. But it’s slow. Easy to miss. And it’s not where real momentum happens. What’s made a big difference for me? Moving the convo into faster channels—text, Slack, Teams. Because in big deals… Things change fast. You need direct lines to decision makers. You can’t wait a week for someone to finally reply to an email. When you’re in their daily flow, stuff moves quicker. Bottlenecks disappear. The back-and-forth feels more natural. If you’re working enterprise or high-stakes deals, one of the best moves is to pull the conversation out of email and into real-time.