Posted by Brenda Timm, Director of Strategic Communications & Online Services
With so many businesses pushing the “less is more” approach today, it’s easy to see how the virtual world is exploding. There are the at-your-desk webinars, onscreen tradeshows, staff conferences via instant messaging … the list keeps going.
These web-based solutions might save time, travel and money, but what about direct, in-person contact? Has it become a thing of the past? Before you pull the plug on face-to-face communication, consider its importance with these two stats:
• 40% of prospective clients converted to new customers through face-to-face meetings (Meeting Professionals International, MPI)
• 84% of people prefer in-person communication over virtual (Forbes Insight Study)
What it really comes down to – as with anything in marketing – is finding the right balance. Not every interaction calls for an organized sit-down, but sometimes people need that one-on-one conversation to feel connected, interact more freely and build relationships.
The next time you’re about to check in with a customer through instant messaging or Facebook, think of the value a simple handshake might have.
For an in-depth report on the trends in face-to-face communication, check out this whitepaper from MC2: http://www.mc-2.com/documents/Is%20Face-to-Face%20Old%20School.pdf
