Fitness News

When to ditch an email and pick up the phone

By 14th February 2017 No Comments

As a website company we do talk a lot about online marketing. In fact, it’s all we talk about! But that doesn’t mean communicating with people offline isn’t important, either. It’s extremely important, especially for certain situations.

Yes, online marketing and communication is easy and it does take away the nerve wracking calls over the phone – I mean, the sole purpose of a smartphone is for calling people, right? But how many of us actually use calls as the main function? I know I don’t.

Technology is changing and so is the way we use it. But sometimes it’s best to go old school and pick up the phone to somebody, and in this article we will talk about the situations where we would recommend calling rather than online.

 

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When Apologising

When we do something wrong, the first thing we should do is apologise. But what constitutes a heartfelt apology?

It’s so hard to admit when we’re wrong, especially in business, but saying sorry goes a long way and can help avoid any messy situations.

Sincerity is key, however. A simple email saying sorry doesn’t really cut it anymore. A quick call can carry much more weight when apologising – people can hear your remorse.

If sometimes nerves get the better of you and you’re worried you will screw up the apology without a script, then just simply make some notes before the call to help guide you in the right direction.

Just make sure it sounds natural – an apology won’t seem very authentic if it sounds like you’re reading from a script.

 

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When You Receive a Lot of Questions

In the fitness industry, it’s difficult for potential customers to know exactly what they want. This brings a lot of questions.  

If a prospect contacts you with a mountain of questions then its more than likely they will come back to your email with even more questions. The best way to handle this would be with a call.

There are two reasons for this…on a call you can go back and forth until you have given clarity to the prospsect and then move onto the next question.

The second reason is that fact that you have them on the phone – you’re building a new relationship with a prospect.

Sometimes this can allow you to turn a prospect into a client right there and then as you have them in your grasp.

Basically, it can be more efficient for you to address all questions in a single phone call, rather than over a string of emails and it gives you chance to close your prospect and turn them into a paying client.

 

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When You Have to Explain Something Complicated

For most people, when we contact a big provider for internet issues or billing issues etc. the first thing we do is call up the support team. There is a reason why we use calls to clear up complicated situations – it’s easy and efficient.

Written instructions are always helpful as a point of reference, but if they’re new to a business or service, it’s super helpful to have someone walk you through it with a call.

But while it’s great to be friendly, it’s also crucial to stay focused – it can be easy for the conversation to go off-track. So remind yourself of the purpose behind the conversation, and stick to it until the issue is resolved.

 

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When You’ve Not Replied in a While

We are all busy people, and running a fitness business can be extra stressful. With this being said, it’s common for some emails to get lost in your inbox – sometimes it can’t be helped.

But if you do come across a client or prospect who you haven’t replied to in a while, then jumping on a quick call can be more beneficial than a delayed email reply.

Getting on the phone and apologising for the delay will show them that you do care about them and don’t just see them as ‘another paying customer.’  

I would also recommend organising your inbox and segmenting your contacts so you can group emails of higher priority to ensure not losing any clients in the net.

 

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When the Subject Topic is Personal

In life, we never know what’s around the corner and unfortunately sometimes it can be something that changes our situation.

When things like this happen, it’s quite common for people to take a backseat from a number of activities – one being fitness.

Whatever the situation, if it’s a personal subject then speaking with them on the phone or face-to-face can help the counterpart feel like priority and that you do respect their privacy.  

This also goes for if you have a personal issue that will effect a certain class or fitness session with a client.

Sending an email to a client, mentioning that you have to cancel a session is poor service. Ring them and have a real conversation instead.

 

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Make the Call

Emailing is an essential tool for a business – we love email! But there are certain times where sending an email just doesn’t suffice.  

Picking up the phone once in a while, or talking face-to-face adds sentiment to the relationship between you and the prospect. It adds credibility and trust, also.  

When it comes to one of the above situations, pick up the phone.