Here is a cool stat for you from a great infographic from
Virgin Entrepreneur:
95% say face to face meetings are essential for long-term
business relationships.
Now I know we are all virtual professionals, and I've done
my fair share of hiding behind my computer screen.
'I don't do in-person meetings.'
'I don't do Skype or Facetime.'
'Thanks for the invitation to coffee, but I only do phone
meetings.'
'You can only reach me via email. It's how I work.'
I've said these things to my clients and potential clients. I still say them!
BUT in terms of networking, there are many cases where
meeting face to face (either in a small business setting or a large event) can
really fast-track your business relationship.
The statistic above is a very interesting take on the
perception of business owners.
Trust is built more easily face to face. The whole
process is just faster.