Email vs. Phone vs. Fairs: What Actually Works in Export Marketing?

Introduction

Export marketing isn’t just about sending emails or attending events — it’s about choosing the right channel at the right time to engage the right person. Many exporters default to emails or rely too heavily on trade fairs, but often overlook the true power of direct contact — the phone call.

So what really works when it comes to generating serious B2B leads and closing export deals?

Let’s break down the real effectiveness of each method, backed by field experience and practical insight — not theory.

1. Email: Easy to Send, Easy to Ignore

Pros:

• Scalable — you can contact 100 prospects in a day
• Easy to automate and track (with tools like Mailtrack or Streak)
• Great for follow-up or sharing documents and catalogs

Cons:

• Often gets ignored or filtered into spam
• Decision-makers receive dozens of emails daily
• Rarely enough to build a relationship on its own

When to use it:

• After you’ve made initial contact
• To send information (catalog, price list, quote)
• As part of a follow-up cadence — but never as your only method

2. Phone Calls: The Most Underrated Power Tool in Export Sales

Pros:

• Instant feedback: You know immediately if the person is the right contact
• Opens doors email never can
• Builds rapport quickly
• Helps you get the correct email address or even schedule a meeting

Cons:

• Can feel uncomfortable for beginners
• Requires confidence, tact, and preparation
• Language barriers can sometimes be a challenge

When to use it:

• At the start of a relationship
• To break through gatekeepers and reach decision-makers
• To follow up after silence or to speed up a slow email conversation

3. Trade Fairs: Valuable, But Not Always Efficient

Pros:

• High concentration of target contacts in one place
• Opportunity for face-to-face rapport
• You can show product samples, presentations, and build memory

Cons:

• Expensive (booth, travel, logistics)
• Time-consuming and draining
• Many visitors are there to collect brochures, not to buy

📘 From the book: “Trade shows are valuable — but only if you know how to use them. Don’t expect to close deals on the spot. Go to meet, listen, and follow up.”

When to use it:

• To reinforce relationships you’ve already started
• To scout competitors or market trends
• To build trust — face-to-face contact still matters

What Works Best — and When?

Conclusion: Combine Methods — But Don’t Skip the Phone

Many new exporters fall into the trap of hiding behind email or waiting months for a trade fair. But the most consistent results come when you combine all three — led by the confidence to pick up the phone.

Your email may never get opened.
Your booth may be forgotten.
But your voice — your presence — can’t be ignored.

Export marketing isn’t about volume — it’s about contact.
And the most powerful contact is direct.

Authored by Smartcon Int’l. Trade & Marketing Ltd. on 08.05.2025. All rights reserved.