“The reality is, that face-to-face interaction builds trust and allows everyone to better understand how each individual is wired”...Businessweek magazine
People do business with People. Technological tools like phone, email, voicemail, instant messaging, texting, conference calls, etc. are effective and, in fact, indispensable in the Digital Age.
But, there is still no substitute for a face-to-face meeting when effective communication is critical. According to a recent Forbes Insights survey of more than 750 executive level decision makers, eight out of 10 respondents said they preferred face-to-face meetings over technology-enabled ones.
Why? Because studies have repeatedly proven that full communication is only about 7 to 10% content-based. The rest is non-verbal, commonly referred to as “body language”. This includes facial expressions, eye contact, posture, tone of voice, pauses, etc. In other words, the emotional content of a message is actually more powerful than the literal content. Effective communication, therefore, is far more than just words on a page.
Today, face time with a customer, prospect, or even a colleague has become increasingly rare. That’s why it’s so important to make the most out of the time you have. (Next time I’ll share some tips I give my clients on how to conduct productive meetings).
A personal meeting over coffee, lunch or dinner which includes some casual conversation about the things people REALLY care about (family, mutual friends and acquaintances, personal interests, hobbies, sports, travel, books, entertainment, news, etc.) will turn a business transaction into a business relationship (and even a friendship over time!).
All the best,
Rick