The Hierarchy of Communication
If you want more deals to complete, your team has to stop relying on email as their default.
In agency, how you communicate is just as important as what you say. And too often, important conversations are happening in the wrong place.
The Rule
Email should only ever be used to confirm what has already been agreed or to send documents. That’s it.
It should never be used for negotiation. Not offers, not reductions, not problem-solving. Those conversations need tone, clarity and confidence — and email simply can’t deliver that.
The Hierarchy
There should be a clear order your team follows.
Face-to-face will always be the most effective because it builds trust quickly. If that’s not possible, a video call is the next best option, followed by a phone call where you can still control tone and direction.
If you can’t speak live, a WhatsApp video or voice note is still far better than text because it keeps the human element. Messages should be kept for quick updates only.
And email sits right at the bottom — reserved purely for admin.
If it matters, don’t email it.
Why It Matters
Email strips away tone, urgency and intent, which are the very things that move deals forward.
A message that was meant to be helpful can come across as blunt. A delay in response can create doubt. A simple misunderstanding can turn into a much bigger issue than it needed to be.
Deals don’t usually fall apart because of one big problem. They fall apart because of small communication breakdowns that build over time — and email often sits at the centre of that.
The Real Issue
The truth is, most people don’t use email because it’s more effective. They use it because it feels safer.
It gives them time to think, avoids difficult conversations and removes the pressure of responding in the moment.
But in agency, that safety costs you deals.
More often than not, it comes down to confidence.
The Fix
This is where training makes the difference.
You can’t just tell your team to “pick up the phone” and expect it to happen. They need to practise. They need to role play real scenarios, handle objections, and get comfortable having conversations that feel uncomfortable at first.
Confidence is built through repetition, not theory.
Make It Non-Negotiable
If you want this to stick, it has to be a clear rule across the business.
Set the expectation, reinforce it regularly, and challenge it when people slip back into old habits — because they will.
The Advantage
Most agents are still hiding behind their inbox.
If your team communicates with confidence, picks up the phone and handles conversations properly, you immediately stand out. You build better relationships, progress deals faster and ultimately win more business.
Final Thought
Teach your team to love the phone.
Because while others are waiting on replies…
You’ll be getting deals done