Business is all about two people! Don’t forget face-to-face meetings as you build your clientele!
Updated: May 31, 2020
Ain’t technology great for business?
I love technology and I love how it has improved the quality of our business lives. Long before we ever heard of Covid19 / Corona or social distancing or wearing masks outside our homes, Skype, WhatsApp, Google Hangouts and other platforms have enabled us to run our meetings online; saving time, energy and improving work efficiency. Truth was I nearly forgot the important role face-to-face meetings play in the business world. I personally have clients around the world I have never met, yet I have been providing them with marketing services for years and believe I know them and their needs.
And so, for me the Corona-days are pretty much ‘business as usual’ – sitting in front of my computer for hours on-end - communicating with my clients and providing marketing services on a regular, uninterrupted basis.
But a funny thing happened, recently a potential client contacted myself and my partner and after a volley of email correspondence and an initial introductory Skype meeting, we realized we wanted a face-to-face meeting. To be honest, in a certain sense we viewed this meeting as a ‘courtesy meeting’ where we would re-review points and have a bit of real ‘face time’ with a potential client. Yet it turned into so much more.
Face-to-face meetings – remember them?
This meeting provided us with a deeper sense of understanding of the potential client’s needs and requirements, as well as enabled us to provide a clearer and more personal approach to what we offer. Seeing the potential client in her element – in her office, surrounded by her staff – gave us a more well-defined picture of who she and her organization are and enabled us to give a more-focused approach to our offering. This face-to-face meeting, which, in the past, we have taken so much for granted and have nearly eliminated in our everyday business life, was an essential element in creating a real-life connection and developing a beginning level of trust.
As I said earlier, there are clients I have never met in-person and have closed many deals online; yet we should never forget that face-to-face meetings enable us, in many cases, to close deals quicker and more easily and to create closer bonds with our clients. This is especially true in potential clients that are less than technologically savvy. Of course, the everyday work will still be carried out online to ensure the effective and efficient use of both our time and our efforts.
What’s the take away?
Business is always about two people (even if those two people communicate within the over-populated, over-stimulated world of social media). Don’t forget the personal touch and don’t forget the face-to-face meeting to forge true business bonds that we hope will last for years.
Do you want to open yourself to a more successful business? Are you lost in the social media jungle? Let me help you re-energize your business and rediscover your passion in your profession. We’ll work together to improve your marketing strategy and online exposure and find the perfect target markets for your business. Contact me today to schedule a free introductory meeting.