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4 reasons you should always have in person meetings rather than phone calls

  • TommyCarey Level X3
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    4 reasons you should always have in person meetings rather than phone calls

    Over the years I've done plenty of local work for, you guessed it, local companies in my area or within a reasonable driving distance.  I sell an SEO service that is designed for companies wanting a team to work on a monthly schedule, year round, to gain top rankings for their desired keywords.  I've had plenty of meetings that were in person, and I've gained some knowledge because of this, and I will share it for all of you who are reading 4 reasons you should always have in person meetings rather than phone calls

    Normally when I schedule these types of meetings I will either go meet up with these companies at their offices or we will go out to a Starbucks.  I do this because, well, I don't have an office anymore because it is pretty much pointless for digital marketing agencies as long as you have a good team who knows what they're doing and you can trust they're doing it 4 reasons you should always have in person meetings rather than phone calls  But that's not the only reason I meet at the clients office or in a public place.  I will meet up with them at their offices because they now have home field advantage of sorts.  They will feel more comfortable when talking with me about advancing their companies, and I don't mind being out of the house, so it's a win win 4 reasons you should always have in person meetings rather than phone calls

    Now there are plenty of ways to get in touch with potential clients such as phone calls, emails, chats, video conferences, etc.  But I snub all of those if I have a chance to meet with a potential client in person.  Below I will talk about the 4 reasons I believe that in person meetings are always the best way to do business 4 reasons you should always have in person meetings rather than phone calls


    1. Better Conversation
    When you're face to face with someone, you can get more in depth when it comes to the conversation.  If you're texting and emailing someone you need to send snippets of the conversation and it can feel less personal. 

    Businesses usually have an enormous amount of moving parts when it comes to the day to day operations.  All of this can be lost when it comes to emails and texts because the amount of information you're trading can get lost or simply not mentioned.

    Having a face to face meeting will always have a better conversation because you can see emotion and express it yourself.


    2. You understand the personality of the person you're with
    When you're with someone face to face you get to hear their voice, see their expressions and over all get to know their personality.  With all the other forms of communication you lose that usually and the conversation becomes dull, usually.

    Making a great first impression via email or text is never the best way to assess someone either.  Sure you can get an email to their inbox, but do they really know who you are and what you're like?  NOPE!

    You can't get back a first impression, so make it a great one 4 reasons you should always have in person meetings rather than phone calls


    3. You learn a lot from their workplace
    When you walk into the persons office or work area, you get an idea of what they are all about.  A persons office can tell you a lot about them from how well they work to if they're organized.  Now I don't shun people who have a messy desk, you should see mine lol, it doesn't mean they run a crumby business.  Being messy in your own space just means you're thinking a lot and you're doing a ton of work, which is always good.  But if the company is unorganized, it will show across the entire work place and not just a single office.

    You can also gauge how creative the business is by it's layouts and color scheme.  If the flow of foot traffic is unhindered and you can basically run around if you'd like, that's a good thing.  Restricted offices are always going to create stress because people will feel confined.  Another thing is the colors of the office, and I like to use a simple saying "If it's grey, stay away!" lol.  This is mainly due to the company only focusing on money, so they don't usually update their paint when moving into an office.  Now there are exceptions to this, you can go into an office that has basic colors, but they may have just moved in.  This is when you'll have to assess them based on the conversation you have with them, which isn't difficult to do 4 reasons you should always have in person meetings rather than phone calls


    4. The Small Talk
    I've noticed that when I'm talking with a potential client and we begin to have small talk about the weather, sports teams, vacations, hobbies, etc.  It's usually a good thing.  This is because the potential client is getting to know you better and feels comfortable opening up slightly and talking about random things.  They will understand that you're not out to just gouge their pocket books and that you're a legitimate company, which is a great thing 4 reasons you should always have in person meetings rather than phone calls

    I remember a few years ago when I was talking to a client about everything we could do for him and his company, we were in a "meeting" for around 2 hours.  Now the meeting could have been around 30 minutes but we started talking about fishing and where we like to go.  Then we started sharing pictures with each other and also telling fishing stories.  Well, after that 2 hour meeting I still have that very same client signed up with me today and we've been fishing multiple times together 4 reasons you should always have in person meetings rather than phone calls




    In Conclusion:
    An in person meeting will always trump the other forms of communication.  You can be more personal with the people and they will get to know you well in a short amount of time.  You never know the power of an in person meeting until you actually try it out.  I was scared to do this my first couple times because I'm not a huge fan of public speaking.  But after the first couple I realized that it's just like talking to a random person who likes what you do, and I got better at it 4 reasons you should always have in person meetings rather than phone calls



    Remember to follow me!
    https://www.seoclerks.com/user/Razzy


    Thanks!

    Razzy

    #Meetings Marketing & Monetization
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    augusta

    augusta

    You're on point.I prefer meeting people in person, there's always this feelings of understanding the discussion and the person better. Both of you tend to be on the same page because even from the person's body language you can sense if he or she is rejecting or accepting your offers.well,that's if it was about an offer or offers.

    Physical meeting makes a transaction simple and it can be closed within minutes unlike a phone call that might take time
    to close a deal.The client might opt out for when we meet in person, which in this case brings about prolonged deals,which wouldn't be so in a case of physical contact. meetings.
    7 years ago

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    JoeMilford

    JoeMilford

    I too think that the in person meeting is invaluable. I think that a lot can be lost, in terms of personalism and tone, in texts and emails, and even phone calls. Meeting is person is the organic way to really make sure that you can interact with someone else effectively. I think this type of interaction is what makes us human, and it is very important.
    7 years ago

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    Corzhens

    Corzhens

    If the client is local and near your vicinity then I guess it is more practical to see him in person for a better rapport and probably long term relationship. When meeting in person you not only get the details of the business but you also share information about your personal life. That is a good start because friendship can start from anywhere and it would be good if you are friends with your client.
    5 years ago

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    kgord

    kgord

    Yes, there is less chance of misunderstanding when you can meet someone face to face. You also get a better feel for the person and whether they are on the level or not. It is just one of the things to do when you meet a new person.
    7 years ago

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    Tronia

    Tronia

    I couldn't agree more! It actually happened to me once. I had a video meeting with a client and I misinterpreted what he truly meant because it wasn't face to face.

    Communication is just so extremely complex and every little variable influences the message we portray.

    The problem is when the other person lives across the world!
    7 years ago

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    kgord

    kgord

    Absolutely, in that case, I guess you need a video feed or a conference call, and have to hope for the best. There is no substitute for "being there" but I guess that is as close as you can get if your client or buyer is across the world!
    7 years ago

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    JoeMilford

    JoeMilford

    Looking eye-to-eye with someone establishes trust and boundaries and shared community. I think that, also, if a level of sincerity is established there, then trust can flourish, and people can really work together. Communication is key to any relationship, near or far, and I think that the one-on-one face-to-face opportunity is most likely the best.
    7 years ago

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    DarthHazard

    DarthHazard

    Definitely. I think the best example to use is telemarketers. When they call you up, most of the time you will say that you are interested no matter how good the product or service they are offering might be. And the reason for that is a lack of trust especially since you do not know who that person on the other end of the line is. But with a face to face meeting, you are much more like to establish trust with them.
    7 years ago

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    JoeMilford

    JoeMilford

    I had one call me this morning, and I was only on the phone with her for about one minute, and she was the nicest and sweetest person in the world, seemingly, but I just could not entertain the company she was representing. Even if she met me in person, I do not think that I would engage in business with her just because the product or service she was representing was not up my alley. That being said, I still would rather meet and discuss options and possible business partnerships in person than to speak on the phone. I even think that I have had phone interviews for jobs, where I did not get the job, but I could have snagged it if it had been in person!
    7 years ago

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    DarthHazard

    DarthHazard

    I think the biggest benefit of having a face to face meeting over a phone call is that you can fully understand what is being said. Sometimes it might be a bit difficult to understand what the other person is saying especially if the call connection is particularly bad. You might understand something they said and that might result in you not doing something right for your client. Face to face is always the best option if you are able to do it.
    7 years ago

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    JoeMilford

    JoeMilford

    I think also that tone is very important for understanding, and some people have a certain tone over the phone which can be misinterpreted, so being in someone's presence can help with further communication and less issues with true and authentic understanding.
    7 years ago

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    vinaya

    vinaya

    I agree with your reasons. Sometimes, it is not possible to meet your client or business associate. This is where phone, chat or email come handy. However, as long as it is possible to meet the client or business associate in person, you should never give up this opportunity. It is easy to convince people when you are face to face rather while talking on a phone or through emails. That's why the door to door salesmen are more successful than telemarketers.
    It is easy to convince or impress when you are meeting personally.
    7 years ago

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    JoeMilford

    JoeMilford

    Exactly--in other words, face-to-face meetings are the preferred mode of business, of course, but when we can't do that, we have to find other ways, through phones, social media, email, Skype, etc., in order to conduct our business and important affairs. This is a really cool distinction you make between the door-to-door guys and the telemarketers. Great points here, I'd say. I agree with you.
    7 years ago

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    Authord

    Authord

    Yeah, when you meet or go physical with people or clients, then the probability of convincing the client is more higher in percentage to making a phone call or chat up. Because when it comes to business, emotional intelligence is needed in most cases, for a good and better conversion. And when you go physical is when emotional intelligence comes into play.
    7 years ago

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    Corzhens

    Corzhens

    For me, it's all right to have a serious conversation on the phone when I am talking with someone close to me. But for a business meeting, I guess you need to make the meeting a bit formal. Even in messenger chat, I don't find it good because talking to a person face-to-face removes pretenses. There is the so called body English and facial expressions that you cannot easily recognize when using the phone if you you are chatting with video, much more when you are using the phone for audio only. So unless it is impossible to meet face-to-face, I always insist on meeting in person to talk about serious matters.
    7 years ago

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    wiseagent

    wiseagent

    Unless the meeting is something simple and easy to solve, I'm not in favor of meeting made through phone calls because I believe the meetings made in person in the majority of the time always have the best results.

    Face-to-face conversations don't give margins for possible misinterpretations or communications failures and this is the basis of a meeting conducted correctly.
    7 years ago

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    Tronia

    Tronia

    I agree with you and I have always preferred the face to face meetings rather than the video kind. I just feel more comfortable because it is easier to read the person - you can tell a lot by the person's gesture and body language.

    Also, in person meetings are far more personal and many people will like the effort of you proposing it and taking them for lunch or coffee 4 reasons you should always have in person meetings rather than phone calls
    7 years ago

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    Henrywrites

    Henrywrites

    You really made good points with the way you analyzed the need to always meet clients in person. This is one method of meeting clients that the firm that I work with has used to their advantage in the sense that our boss always setup a team of personnel that go out to meet new clients that are quite interested in what we sell. We sell oxygen gas that can be used in the hospitals and we always visit these hospitals and have face to face discussions with them on how to start supplying our products to them.

    We've got to know most of our clients better by having these discussions with them as well as get to see reasons with why they are kicking for a particular price for the supply of our good. So, I've learnt so much from such visits.
    7 years ago

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    mhao33

    mhao33

    I totally agree! Because in most cases, especially in making propositions may it be a business or personal, it is always a good way to have a personal meeting. There's a big chance from not being declined by the person you are talking with. You can also give sympathy to the person you are dealing with. And it is better to understand's feeling when you can do an eye to eye contact with the person. Base on my personal experiences, when I set up a business meeting I can easily make them understood about the products, marketing plan and the benefits of a certain company. And the rate of getting a profit a is higher when it is personal meeting than just talking over the phone. So, for me, I preferred a personal meeting than talking over the phone.
    7 years ago

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    JoeMilford

    JoeMilford

    I wonder, based on your point here, what statistics might be out there in terms of people getting declined more often because of phone, video, or over-the-internet views as opposed to person-to-person views? I assume that the in person ventures have a higher number of success, but I have not seen any definite proof of this.
    7 years ago

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    Baburra

    Baburra

    I would always favor face to face meeting if it's a person that I'm just meeting for the first time. With my friends, I am okay with making big decisions over the phone or even just by email or text, but if it's someone I want to get to know first, there really is no substitute for a face to face meeting. I'm even sometimes hesitant to substitute video chat for it, just because I like to actually be in the room with the person if I am planning to get to know them, but if it's the only option then I would say that it is a good enough substitute and definitely a much better option than what was available before the internet.
    7 years ago

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    Judas2018

    Judas2018

    I meet face to face with people in scenarios where it really is necessary or they're located in my area. If it's someone far away or in another country, well we're not brokering a huge financial deal so we usually just do skype or video conferencing.
    7 years ago

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