I prefer to make my initial contact thru email. Once an appointment is confirmed then a phone call if desired might be appropriate.

I have never been a big fan of those forms on providers websites and I avoid using them. The information entered in those forms goes to straight to a provider's email account anyway.

Phone, phone, phone

Screw email.  Half the time they never respond and when they do, it's several days later.  

I will NOT fill out those invasive and ridiculous forms.  If she isn't confident enough in herself to talk to me on the phone, then I'm not interested.

It's easier for me to make initial contact through email, though I have better luck by phone. I do like to talk to here by phone before setting up an appointment. I can tell a lot by the prosidy of her voice.

Personal preference phone, but use what ever method of communication the lady has said she prefers.

That way they have my references right there. Phone calls are tricky, because where am I going to go to make the call? I'd have to leave the house if I'm calling from home, or I'd have to leave my office if calling from work. If I have to leave a message I can't easily accept a call back. I can check my email all day long from anywhere, but I can't talk to a provider on the phone if I'm around other people.

1st contact is usually a week ahead so there's time.  It lets me say more than a form and I can personalize it more than a voice mail.  Typically via D-C or P411.

much better as I can make the message at my convenience & her reply at hers.  I will not use forms.
Once contact is made, phone calls can be arranged & certainly must to confirm.
skb

I get too nervous talking to a perfect stranger on the phone for a first contact.

Swim

They can use whatever they want when they want to see me.

Oh wait. You were referring to when the 'guy' wants to see 'the ladies'. Gotcha. I get a little confused sometimes when my mind is on other things.

For instance, you know what I love? When I have that pain for days just to the sides of my dick I get when I pound a lovely from behind and the bones in her ass are stabbing me there.

Ahhhh, sweet pain!

Have you listened to the freakin' message on these things lately?

First, before they even pick up, you have to listen to a God-awful version of their favorite tune blare in your ear for a while.

Then you get this rant:

"This is the voice mailbox of.. (Either the number you dialed or someone trying to speak with their mouth full of cottonballs.)

You may leave a message or press * to leave a numeric page (Whatever the f*ck that means.)

Please remain on the line after your message to select delivery options.  (Just deliver the damn message lady, is that so hard?)

You may press 1 at any time to repeat this message.  (Yah, I really want to hear this sh*t again.)

When you are done, you may hang up.  (DUH!)

Please wait for the tone.  (Finally!)

(Tone rings and you start to talk when after one second you are cut off by):

No message was received, please press 1 to begin this message over again.  (You are now weeping and crying over the thought of that.)

Am I right folks?

On the other hand with email:

You type a message and hit "send"  Done!

Also, the person can return the message any time and you can access it when you want.

What's not to like?

I generally prefer email; particularly with a provider I haven't seen before. With a provider I've seen before, it varies depending on the lady. With some, phone is preferred, with others, email.

(There are all sorts of exceptions to these though.)

One thing I definitely don't like is those forms.

I prefer Email....  I only use the phone for location info

I prefer he act like an adult an pick up the phone first then a few emails afterwards or few messages through my site is okay. I'd personally be freaked out if a random guy just started emailing me w/o calling first even if he said this is my id on ter, date-check, p411. Again that's just me.

Then I give my number!  Works well for me and my clients!!  

the phone for initial contact would be awkward.
After a couple of emails have gone back and forth, that call is no longer to a total stranger!

If I don't get an answer to the first email, I always send another.  ONly because they sometimes get lost in the shuffle of a ladies full in BOX lol...

I once wanted to see this lady really bad, wrote her a nice e mail, never got an answer.  I was crushed!!!  I didn't try again for 2 months, thinking if it was something I said, maybe she forgot about it.  Turns out, she didn't recieve the first.
Damn, I can't remember her name now!!!!   Hey Khori help me out here, you knew this lady!

Speaking to her feels more personal, while e-mail seems too sterile and business like.

When I phone a girl for the first time, I'll have reference information at the ready.  Also, I don't mind e-mailing reference information to the girl if she requests it during our phone conversation.

I avoid those screening forms at all costs.  One time I was interested in seeing a girl who had a screening form on the "contact" page of her web site.  However, she also had her phone number on that same page.  So, with reference information at the ready, I gave her a call.  The first thing she said to me (in a cold and distant manner by the way) was: "Have you filled out the screening form on my web site?"  I replied that I had not.  She said: "fill it out first, and then you can call me."  I didn't fill it out, and I didn't call her again.

Phone! Email is not secure...

An anonymous cell phone vs. email that carries identity clues...  no contest!

Email is fine when first making contact, but I require my screening form information whether it means you fill out the screening form or send it all through an email. Once you are screened, I would prefer you to call me...the less paper trail the better.

If you are a provider trying to get a reference, you will only get one through email. If you call me for one, most likely I will not be at my computer and will be unable to verify anything for you.

Re: Do you prefer using the phone or email for contact?

Thanks so much for all of your input everyone!
I'm putting together my website Anne your answers
were great!
Bree