In today’s business world of video meetings and teleconferences, the value of face-to-face encounters can often get overlooked. That is unless you, like us, believe that face-to-face interaction is and will continue to be our most effective form of communication.
No matter what industry you work in, we are all in the people business.
Regardless of how far reaching technology infiltrates our lives or how tech-savvy you may be, face-to-face meetings are still the most effective way to engage people in the conversation, capture their attention, and drive collaboration. If we don’t continue to nurture strong and positive personal relationships with our clients and coworkers, we won’t build trust, understanding, or a sense of a shared mission – all of which are critical elements to successful partnerships and business success.
For example, organizations are twice as likely to convert prospects into customers with an in-person meeting. The likelihood of getting a “yes” increases, because it is so much easier to say “no” over the phone or in an email. And without the ability to read body language, a critical form of communication, we miss crucial elements to conversations that can positively or negatively impact a business.
Also consider that even if a phone call may be faster, face-to-face meetings are time savers. That’s because it is so much faster and easier to establish trust with people we physically meet.
So one tool to enable your company’s success might be to adopt the following mantra: “If it’s not that important, send an email. If it’s important but not mission critical, pick up the phone. If it’s critically important to the success of your organization, have a meeting.”