I wish that only by twitter or email would be enough, but it is not the case…

If I’d just wanted to to display my digital credentials, I’d have linked to all my online profiles, mentioned how many companies I’ve started, and told you what year it was when I created my first web site.

Now, I agree that in a sales role, face to face meetings can be effective – but what I am talking about here is using other tools to get into that meeting, and to get the chance have that conversation, and to make that phone call or meeting a formality – to just close the deal. And I build rapport through twitter all the time, Jack.

But let’s define “effective”. Email is more effective than a phone call or a meeting to get people to buy things, because it takes less time, costs less, and is scalable. In percentage terms, door to door sales may get better results than email, but it’s certainly not efficient.

If I want to persuade someone to do something, I DON’T have to meet them or call them. I have sold advertising and sponsorship deals in the past with just one twitter message. I have written emails that have brought in millions of pounds. No call, no meeting, no wasting anyone’s time. 100% effective. But then, I have made using words to persuade people my job.

That does not mean I don’t persuade and communicate in a meeting – I am simply saying I don’t have to waste as much time as I used to, because I’ve learned there are new tools and new ways to do things, and they work for me, so I save time.

If you write or speak with clarity, your reader can not misinterpret anything. Except when they don’t properly hear what you say, because they have to get to some meeting…

I’m not suggesting that you can only do one or the other – a happy medium is vital – but if you need to persuade someone to do something, particularly if it’s a relatively ‘big ask’, then a meeting or phone call will usually win hands down.

Ways of doing things change, and internet is a medium that has a large impact on everything we do. You can stick to the old ways because they are “safe” and have “proven” to work, but you can also try and embrace the new ways of communicating and getting things done.

Having a face to face with people all over the world is simply not an effective way of doing business, time consuming and most likely more expensive then it’s worth.. having new ways of doing it with consuming less time or wasting less money is business 101.

But for others, they may be a distraction, and get in the way of making things clearer and more precise, of course!

A good indicator as to the effectiveness of the tweeting vs. face to face meetings or phone calls in terms of getting things done would sales calls and meetings. Emailing or twittering will never be as effective a communication tool if you actually want to persuade someone to do something as a meeting or phone call would be.

Actually speaking to or meeting someone works far better because you pick up all the intimations and tonality that twittering and emailing lacks. You also get to build raport with the other party.

Most people know of an email they’ve written/read that has perhaps been slightly misinterpreted. A meeting or phone call will rarely be misinterpreted, not least because you are able to clarify any ambiguity there and then.

The embracement of these new methods by our generation is, I think, also a reason of the fast development, which would have been impossible in another way.