Cold Email vs Cold Call: Exploring the Difference

Are you new to the marketing industry and still unfamiliar with various concepts? If you are, you might need to learn the difference between cold email vs cold call. These concepts are two of the most useful in promoting brands.

You might say, “these two are self-explanatory.” Well, you might be correct, but you’re also wrong. These concepts shouldn’t be taken too lightly when marketing your product.

This article will teach you about the difference between cold email vs cold call. You will learn about their definition and importance in the marketing industry. Time to get your notepad and jot down everything you’ll read through this key guide!

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Photo by Cytonn Photography on Unsplash

What is the Meaning of Cold Sales Methods?

Cold sales methods refer to the direct contact of a salesperson. Usually, it intends to reach a potential client via tools such as phone, email, or social media. 

Many people assume that this means only cold calling. However, there are many other methods of contacting potential clients. Cold emailing, cold text marketing, cold friend-request, and cold social media searching are some of these methods.

However, cold emailing and cold calling are two of the most well-known.

What is Cold Emailing?

Cold emailing is a sales technique that intends to reach prospects to convert them into sales leads

This emailing is designed to increase brand awareness and reach the market without interrupting the workflow of the company. 

Cold emailing is one of the top-rated sales techniques due to its benefits. When compared to direct marketing, cold emailing is 20 times more effective in converting prospects into sales leads. 

The explanation behind cold emailing success is that it starts a productive dialogue between the company and the potential client. It intends to increase the number of sales.

Additionally, it can also help reduce the overhead cost of communicating with potential clients. 

Both companies and sales personnel benefit from it.

Why Should I Send Cold Emails?

The average return on email marketing is $42, making it one of the most effective marketing methods. By sending an automated message, you can reach several thousand people at the same time.

An emailing list should be accurate, relevant, and kept up to date. Also, you should segment your list and tailor your message to each group.

What is Cold Calling?

On the other hand, cold calling is a sales strategy that entails persuading strangers to become a customer. It relies on personal conversations over the phone. Cold calling can be either telemarketing or inbound sales. 

Telemarketing is a modern cold calling strategy that helps marketers reach people and companies. Its primary aim is to generate sales leads.

Cold calling is an act of randomly contacting a prospect through a long list of potential clients. It intends to directly introduce your brand to an individual through a phone call.

It is one of the oldest forms of marketing in the digital age, long before cold emailing became a thing.

Why Should I Consider Making Cold Calls?

If you want a direct response right away, you can initiate a cold call. You can learn a lot about your prospects by talking with them and uncovering their needs or hidden pain points.

As a result, you can read the client’s mind easily and adjust your narrative in real-time. It allows you to take control of the conversation and leverage your sales skills.

A phone call gives you more maneuverability and allows you to address objections as they arise, thus speeding up decision-making.

Cold Email vs Cold Call: Setting the Record Straight

Now that you know the definitions of cold emailing and cold calling, it’s time to compare and contrast them.

Knowing the advantages and disadvantages of these two marketing concepts will enable you to plan your brand’s marketing strategy better. What are you waiting for? Read on.

1. Who is More Personal?

The answer here is cold calling. Cold calling is more personal because you get to converse directly with a prospect. Unlike cold emailing, cold calling gives you the opportunity to talk to a client in real-time.

It gives your prospect no choice but to listen to what you have to say.

Cold calls can be more personal than cold emails. It gives you a chance to answer your prospect’s questions and address them further if they say “no.”

Cold calls are also more dynamic than cold emails because you can adjust your strategy to the prospect’s needs. You can do this as your conversation progresses.

2. Who is Cheaper?

Without any doubt, cold emails are cheaper compared to cold calls.

Prospecting with cold emails is a completely new approach. They are cheaper and more efficient, making them more scalable.

The time it would take to make a single cold call would allow you to send several cold emails.

You can also attach more visually appealing and informative content to a cold email. By doing so, you help your client capture figures and concepts that might otherwise be difficult to convey over the phone.

3. Who is More Strategic?

Cold emails are easier to distribute compared to cold calls. 

They are also less intrusive than a cold call. Prospects might be polite to reply- even if they’re saying no. It may seem like a small thing, but it can be a major contributor to your brand’s marketing morale in the long term.

Cold emails are more strategic because you can save time, effort, and money instead of calling an individual for hours.  They also can be automated, tracked, and forwarded. These features make them easier to distribute while keeping tabs on.

4. Who Gives More Time to Think Through?

E-mail is generally favored by some people, mainly at the cost of giving them more time to think it all through.

Since with email, prospects don’t have to respond in real-time. They have the opportunity to organize their thoughts accordingly. The fact that there are no gatekeepers that will keep them from reaching a decision-maker is another plus.

5. Who Has Fewer Conversion Rates?

On the other hand, we can’t deny the fact that cold calling is popular despite its low success rates.

Research has shown a conversion rate of around 2 percent for cold calls. Not to mention, many salespeople get cold feet when they pick up a phone to make a cold call.

To Wrap Things Up

You might conclude that cold emailing is better than cold calling after reading the compare and contrast above. However, you should also understand that these marketing strategies have different purposes and ways of benefitting your business. The best way to assess whether you should use cold emailing and cold calling are by consulting your expert marketing team.

Communication with your target prospects is essential when it comes to marketing. Cold emailing and cold calling are two of the best strategies you can use to connect with them. The process may be hectic, but the lead generation conversion is worth the effort.

Call and email marketing help you attract potential customers. These are good tactics to turn leads into sales. If you want your marketing efforts to end up successful, you should ask your team to use them as you contact your prospects.

Abir is a data analyst and researcher. Among her interests are artificial intelligence, machine learning, and natural language processing. As a humanitarian and educator, she actively supports women in tech and promotes diversity.

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